Fin's writing wins Heywire honours

Finbah Neill.

EVEN through crackling mobile phone reception, Finbah Neill could not hide the excitement in his voice.

The 16-year-old Year 10 student was named on Friday as one of the 40 winners of the ABC’s Heywire competition, which gives young people from Rural and Regional Australia the chance to tell their story, and get formal recognition.

Finbah said that initially he submitted photographs that depicted his life in Grafton. However, he received the award for his writing.

“After I put my photos up I was encouraged to write something so I wrote about what it was like to be in Grafton,” he said.

“It was pretty personal. I just wrote about what I do and how I do it.”

An event that featured in the piece was Finbah’s regular bike ride down to Carrs Creek to watch the sunset.

“I am pretty amazed that I am one of the winners. It’s the first time I have ever written anything like that. I am really excited to go to Canberra for the Youth Forum though. It will be a really good experience,” he said.

The competition is open to all rural and regional youth aged between 16 and 22.