Get in quick – entries for the Cairns Hatchlings 2026, presented by Yahoo, close tonight, Thursday, 12 February!
This is your last chance to get entries in for the Cairns Hatchlings 2026, presented by Yahoo.
We’re paying for all finalists’ flights and accommodation—from wherever in the Asia-Pacific region!
If you need help or inspiration to craft your entry, look no further than our one-stop homepage here!
If you might struggle to meet the deadline, request an extension here.
Hear from last year’s winners and finalists about why the experience was unforgettable below.
Annabel Cook and Maddy Merzvinskis, Design winners
“It was super rewarding to take part in the Hatchlings competition and get to work on a meaningful brief for an awesome organisation,” Cook said.
“We learnt from WOAM’s case studies that women take away really valuable leadership skills from the missions. Our brief was to engage corporate partners, so we felt it was important to highlight this mutual benefit. By taking part in a WOAM expedition, women can support women in war-affected areas and gain skills, experiences and perspectives that are just as valuable in the boardroom as they are on the top of a mountain,” Merzvinskis said.
Sarah Brighton and Sally Fiddes, Audio winners
“We’re really proud of the risk we took. We entered a category we’re typically so far removed from in our day-to-day work. We were thrilled to bring the trophies home, but even just producing our first audio pieces was a win for us,” Fiddes said.
“It’s an important reminder of what matters: killer insights and ideas. Creatives who can nail their thinking aren’t confined by their medium”.
Hilary O’Sullivan and Hughie Flannery, Marketing winners
“Meeting so many brilliant minds across the industry and hearing how they got their start was inspiring. Everyone had advice, war stories, and encouragement that they were so open and eager to share with us Hatchlings. There was a sense of pride for us having worked so hard on our applications and in the live pitching – it really felt like they were celebrating us as the emerging talent of the industry,” O’Sullivan said.
Keira Spencer and Laura Currie, Marketing finalists
“They say diamonds are made under pressure, and this competition proved that. The intense time constraints forced us to sharpen our thinking and set clear boundaries on how we allocated our time,” Currie added.
Komal Nathani and Rauf Shaikh, PR finalists
“We had so many observations, insights and disruptive executions in mind — narrowing it all down to one powerful insight and idea was tough. But that process really pushed us to think deeper and sharper. The adrenaline rush kept us going, and we loved how it helped us refine our thinking to create something more relatable, meaningful, strategic and community driven,” Shaikh said.
Don’t think twice – enter now, it’s your last chance!
