From those stories submitted, 100 are chosen to be included in a publication that is made freely available through the NSW Government website.

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In 2025, three of those stories will come from Port Stephens.

Rosemary Osborne is one of the contributors selected after submitting a story inspired by this year’s competition theme, “What Made Me?”

“I thought ‘I’ve got a story there’,”

Rosemary’s story is “Hall’s Brown Leather Lace-Up Shoes” and may well strike a chord with many other women of her generation that shared her profession.

“I did have a very extensive career,” she said of her more than 50 years in nursing.

“I worked in lots of different areas.”

Though Rosemary spent the bulk of her working life in the city, she describes herself as essentially “a country girl”, originally hailing from the NSW central west.

“I think that comes through in all my stories.”

Her winning entry this year fixates on the titular shoes that were a constant companion throughout her many years of nursing.

“I wore those shoes nearly my whole career, so they were in quite a state by the end.”

A brief memoir that is equal parts melancholy and pride, Rosemary’s story touches on a myriad of her experiences in emergency departments, operating theatres, saving lives, delivering babies and walking endless hospital corridors.

“Senior’s Stories” was introduced in 2013 “as a way of recognising and valuing the experiences of NSW seniors and building connections between the young and old.”

Printed editions of the collections can be found at public libraries, and can be downloaded from nsw.gov.au.

Rosemary believes the competition is a wonderful opportunity for people to share their life experiences.

“Anyone can do it.”

One of her fellow winners this year “had never written anything at all, but he saw it and it struck a chord with him as well, and he ended up being selected.

“Until you sit down and have a go, you don’t really know. It’s such a thrill.”

The winners are invited to attend a launch event at Parliament House each year which Rosemary describes as very exciting for everyone.

The “Senior’s Stories” competition is conducted each year by the Fellowship of Australian Writers.

By Lindsay HALL