The Daisy Utemorrah Award was presented at the Western Australia's Premier's Book Awards ceremony at the State Library of Western Australia on 11 September 2026. Amanda Lott will receive $15,000 prize money and a publishing contract with Magabala Books for her unpublished manuscript 'Barefoot Running'. This is thanks to the support of the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund and the WA Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport. 

Amanda Lott is a writer of Bigambul and European heritage who explores identity and culture in her works of fiction and poetry. She was a recipient of a Copyright Agency First Nations Fellowship in 2025 at Varuna, and her work has appeared in Griffith Review Online.

Magabala Publisher Rachel Bin Salleh said:

'Barefoot Running' by Amanda Lott is a literary First Nations mystery and coming of age novel. Told through an exceptional and unforgettable voice. This compelling read uncovers the quiet resilience of a family navigating love, loss, racism and belonging. We get to know 16-year-old Lizzie and examine how place, racism, poverty and family mould identity. This extraordinary narrative reflects ordinary lives lived under remarkable pressure. An astonishing debut of literary merit.

Congratulations Amanda! We look forward to working with you on your publication.