The inaugural Stella Prize winner was announced last night at an event in Melbourne. Carrie Tiffany won for her second novel, Mateship with birds.

In accepting the award Ms Tiffany paid tribute to key Australian writers:

When I sit down to write I am anchored by all of the books I have read. My sentences would not have been possible without the sentences of Christina Stead, Thea Astley, Elizabeth Jolley, Beverley Farmer, Kate Grenville, Gillian Mears, Helen Garner and the many other fine Australian writers that I have read and continue to read.

In its first year, The Stella Prize aimed to significantly raise the profile of Australian women's writing and awarded a monetary prize of $50,000 to the winner. To find out more about the prize and the awards night, visit The Stella Prize website. The winning novel, Mateship with birds is currently on display in the Fryer Reading Room.