Nine-year-old Luke Sweatman said he couldn't believe it when his mother got a phone call saying he had qualified as a zone winner in the Nestle Write Around Australia Competition.
Last Friday Luke was presented with prizes consisting of $500 worth of books and a backpack full of Nestle products by mayor Peter Waterford at the library.
Previously both Luke and another local boy, Rohan Maude had qualified as regional finalists for their creative entries.
But Luke said reaching the next stage was a surprise.
"No, I didn't think I'd win the zone, but I knew I'd win as a regional finalist, because I had read many of the other entries."
Luke was one of two Year 5 students who had qualified for this zone.
The next stage for him to qualify for is State level, where he would be one of four from of 17 zone finalists to be selected.
But Luke said he has his sights set on going even further.
"I want to be one of the two people to win nationally, because then I'd get a computer package."
As part of qualifying as a zone finalist, Luke will be travelling to Sydney on November 19 to visit the State library, where he will receive another $500 worth of books for his school.
Luke wrote a story on How I Saved the World.
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