Australia’s leading First Nations publisher, Magabala Books, has been named Small Publisher of the Year for the third time, and in an historic win, was also awarded Children’s Publisher of the Year at the 2026 Australian Book Industry Awards.

The awards, accepted by Magabala CEO Lilly Brown on Gadigal Country (Sydney) on Thursday 21 May 2026, recognise Magabala’s continued excellence in publishing and its significant contribution to the Australian literary landscape. Magabala is the first publisher to win both awards, after Children’s Publisher of the Year was first launched in 2025. 

The judges’ comments signalled an industry-wide recognition of the excellence that Magabala achieves, even as one of the most remote publishers in the world:

 “Magabala’s [books] are shaping conversations and industry best practice, both in publishing and in classrooms across Australia. Magabala is leading the way in decolonial publishing and effective First Nations governance and consultation – an impressive feat for a publisher so remote from the traditional centre of the industry.” 

Expressing gratitude for the award, Magabala’s CEO Lilly Brown stated: 

“As a small not for profit First Nations community-controlled publishing house located in the remote town of Rubibi (Broome), we are so proud to receive industry recognition as we celebrate winning the Children’s Publisher of the Year and Small Publisher of the Year. We were up against the Goliaths of industry for Children’s Publisher of the Year, so to win is an affirmation of the effort we put in to making beautiful books that are accessible to kids and their families.  

 We are proud of the important stories we play a part in bringing into the world in published form, and we’re proud of the way we make that happen. Our success is a testament to everyone who has invested in Magabala and trusted us with their stories for nearly four decades. This success also speaks to the hard work and collective dedication of the current Magabala team!” 

Magabala Chairperson Steve Kinnane highlighted the enduring relevance of Magabala’s mission, stating: 

“On behalf of the Directors and staff of Magabala Books, we want to thank our incredible team of creatives. Without our authors, illustrators and story tellers, our team of publishers, editors, designers, communications and marketing specialists could not weave the magic that has seen Magabala rewarded with these two prestigious awards.  

 At Magabala we have strived for almost 40 years to live up to the vision of Kimberley Cultural Bosses who invested in the power of story to change the narrative of the Kimberley, and the nation, building on the power of First Nations storytelling, one story at a time. Congratulations and our humble respect to all Australian publishers who have been awarded this year, and who strive to put big reads in small hands.” 

This is Magabala Books’ third time winning the ABIA Small Publisher of the Year: they received this award in 2020, 2024, and again in 2026.