The Simpson Prize
The Simpson Prize is a national competition for Australian Year 9 and 10 students. The competition encourages participants to explore the significance of the Anzac experience and what it has meant for Australia. Eight winners are chosen from each State and Territory with the opportunity to visit overseas battlefields and participate in Anzac Day commemorations
Current
The Simpson Prize 2026
Evaluate the usefulness of diary entries, letters and photographs for providing evidence about the contrasting experiences and perspectives of Australians who served in either the First World War or the Second World War.
Previous
The Simpson Prize 2025
“Australia’s relationship with Great Britain explains why Australia and individual Australians went to war.”
The Simpson Prize 2024
“Commemoration of the Anzac tradition has widespread support in Australia despite different historical interpretations and debates about the nature and significance of the Anzac legend.” To what extent does your own research support this view?
The Simpson Prize 2023
How significant was Australia’s contribution to the Allied military victory on the Western Front in 1918?
The Simpson Prize 2022
"To what extent have the Gallipoli campaign and the Western Front overshadowed other significant aspects of Australian’s experience of the First World War?"
The Simpson Prize 2021
“How do lesser known stories from the Western Front expand our understanding of the Australian experience of the First World War?”
Older
2020
“Allied victory brought an end to war, suffering, and challenges for Australia and its people.” To what extent do experiences of 1919 support this view?
2019
“To what extent could 1918 be considered a year of victory for Australia and Australians?”
2018
Some historians have described 1917 as “the worst year of the Great War” for Australia and Australians. To what extent is this an accurate statement?
2017
The experience of Australian soldiers on the Western Front in 1916 has been largely overlooked in accounts of the First World War; to what extent would you argue that battles such as Fromelles and Pozières should feature more prominently?
2014
How well does the ANZAC legend tell the story of individual Australian soldiers during World War One?
2013
What does an investigation of primary sources reveal about the Gallipoli experience and to what extent does this explain the origins of the Anzac Legend?
2011
Why has Australian commemoration of ANZAC Day increased in popularity in recent years? You should support your view with reference to at least two different periods of Australian history.
2010
Has the ANZAC legend changed over 95 years? You should support your view with reference to at least 2 different periods of Australian history.
2009
World War I had a devastating effect on Australian society. Why should we commemorate our participation in this conflict?
2008
To what extent was Simpson a hero? How have his heroic qualities been demonstrated by other Australians since 1915? In response, you should aim to give approximately equal attention to each question.
2007
Consider what values and characteristics demonstrated by the ANZACs at Gallipoli and later reinforced at the Western Front, continue to influence Australians today.