SONARR, an Australian awards program that unites podcast, radio, audiobook and voice-over under one banner, has announced its inaugural finalist list.
SONAAR’s first awards night will include 91 finalists across 34 categories and five pillars, spanning both Commercial and Indie streams. The finalists are now in contention for category awards, the title of SONARR of the Year, and a share of the $10,000 cash prize pool.
SONARR is set out to change how audio work is judged. Every entry was assessed independently against six fixed criteria by industry practitioners and academics, rather than ranked head-to-head against competitors in its category. Judges scored entries independently and in writing, with no group deliberation, ensuring no single judge’s view could sway another’s.
The result was a standard that has to be earned, not a placing decided by comparison.
“We wanted this selection to reflect the very best of what the Australian audio industry has to offer. Introducing a new standard was a big step, but one the industry was ready for,” said Pariya Taherzadeh, founder of SONARR.
“Conventional awards, although well-intentioned, haven’t kept pace with an industry that has outgrown them. For years, many parts of audio production went unseen and unrecognised. The results of our first year show how strongly the industry has responded to the new categories we introduced to acknowledge those overlooked contributions.”
Thirty-three of the 34 inaugural categories drew finalists. The Marketing for Audio Award was the one exception, a sign that entering marketing work isn’t yet second nature to the industry, despite the calibre of campaigns already out there.
Listeners can also explore finalist podcasts in a dedicated Apple Podcasts collection.
The winners will be announced at the SONARR Gala Dinner on 15 October 2026.
The gala dinner will take place at Machine Hall, a 100-year-old former substation in the CBD, celebrating this year’s finalists and category winners. Attendees can expect a black-tie evening with entertainment, a three-course meal, pre-drinks and a party.
Without further ado, here are the finalists:
SOUND
Audio Production Award
Tony Martin’s Sizzletown – Pots and Pans (Podcast, Indie)
Conspiracy? War on the waterfront – Rewind – ABC Radio National (Radio, Commercial)
Real Made Up Stories – Coequal (Podcast, Indie)
Sound Design & Atmosphere Award
Nocturnal Worlds – Audiocraft (Podcast, Indie)
A Cyclone for Christmas – Caddie Brain – Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (Podcast, Indie)
Lone Actor – Secrets we keep – LiSTNR (Podcast, Commercial)
Original Sonic Identity Award
Shortwave – Ian Moorhead – Darwin Festival and ABC Radio Darwin (Radio, Indie)
All I can be with Sarah Macdonald – Faith Kayrooz – The Smith Family (Podcast, Indie)
The Mystery of the Lerp – Creek Kids series – The Creeks Kids (Podcast, Indie)
NARRATIVE
AFTRS Narrative Excellence Award
Real Made Up Stories – Coequal (Podcast, Indie)
No One Saw It Coming with Marc Fennell – Marc Fennell – ABC Radio National (Podcast, Commercial)
Kutalaani: From the Stars – Dr Chelinay Gates (Audiobook, Indie)
Audio Drama Award
The Glam Gizmo – Gizmo Verse (Podcast, Indie)
The Night Caller – Candice Fox – Penguin Random House ANZ (Audiobook, Commercial)
Investigative & Documentary Award
One Atoll’s Fight – Pacific Scientific – ABC Radio and ABC Radio National (Radio, Indie)
Dear Rachelle – True Crime Australia – News Corp Australia (Podcast, Commercial)
Corked with Marc Fennell – Marc Fennell – Audible (Audiobook, Indie)
Cultural & Social Insight Award
Prison Chronicles: The AIDS Unit – Sid Punts (Podcast, Indie)
Wiggle Talk – A Podcast for Parents – The Wiggles (Podcast, Commercial)
The Voices of Women Podcast – Lliane Clarke (Podcast, Indie)
News & Public Discourse Award
Lamestream – Lamestream Media (Podcast, Indie)
We Used to be Journos – Ette Media (Podcast, Indie)
Knowledge & Learning Award
Soil: Rewilding the Underground – Jessica Hamilton (Podcast, Indie)
Maiden Australia – Dr Corey Martin (Podcast, Indie)
No One Saw It Coming with Marc Fennell – Marc Fennell – ABC Radio National (Podcast, Commercial)
STEM Award
Nocturnal Worlds – Audiocraft (Podcast, Indie)
Soil: Rewilding the Underground – Jessica Hamilton (Podcast, Indie)
Why Though? with Dr. Matt Agnew – Dr Matt Agnew – MIK Studio (Podcast, Commercial)
Business & Entrepreneurship Award
Minted Kids with Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon – Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon – F+K Media (Podcast, Indie)
Health & Wellbeing Award
Soberly Speaking – Julia Rangiheuea (Podcast, Indie)
[TIE] A Brother’s Ultimate Gift of Life – Northern Territory Sundays – 105.7 ABC Darwin (Radio, Commercial)
[TIE] Head Above Water – Deadset Studios and SBS Audio (Podcast, Commercial)
Breaking Taboos: Older Australians Talk About Mental Health – Dr Helene Thomas, Dr Mia Lindgren, Professor Kate Burridge (Podcast, Indie)
Entertainment & Lifestyle Award
The World Cup, But Not Really – SBS Audio (Podcast, Commercial)
Home of the Century – Century 21 and MIK Studio (Podcast, Commercial)
Unpacked & Oversharing – Carly Portch (Podcast, Indie)
Comedy Award
Find and Tell: Uncle Roger – Micah Kickett – BlakCast & iHeart Australia (Podcast, Indie)
Comedy Karma with Aditya Gautam – SBS Audio (Podcast, Commercial)
Tony Martin’s Sizzletown – Pots and Pans (Podcast, Indie)
Youth & Family Award
The Mystery of the Lerp – Creek Kids series – The Creeks Kids (Podcast, Indie)
Small Voices Big Ideas – SBS Audio (Podcast, Commercial)
Fluff ‘n’ Stuff – Pevan & Sarah (Podcast, Commercial)
Arts & Culture Award
Lit Witches – Penguin Random House ANZ (Podcast, Commercial)
No One Saw It Coming with Marc Fennell – Marc Fennell – ABC Radio National (Podcast, Commercial)
Queersland – F+K Media (Podcast, Indie)
Music Award
Cassette Culture – Martin Franklin (Podcast, Indie)
SELVE on new album and being the first Aboriginal-led band to record at Abbey Road Studios – Celine Teo-Blockey – Deeper Listen – KEXP (Podcast, Indie)
VOICE
Indie Creator Excellence Award
Lindsey Vassallo (Podcast, Indie)
Kyla Brettle (Podcast, Indie)
Danni Stewart (Podcast, Indie)
First Nations Creator Excellence Award
Micah Kickett (Podcast, Indie)
Sajarn Stow (Radio, Indie)
Lowanna Grant (Podcast, Indie)
Female Creator Excellence Award
Liz Keen (Podcast, Indie)
Julia Rangiheuea (Podcast, Indie)
Dr Chelinay Gates (Audiobook, Indie)
LGBTQIA+ Creator Excellence Award
Laura Brierley Newton (Podcast, Indie)
Adam Richard (Podcast, Indie)
Sajarn Stow (Radio, Indie)
CALD Creator Excellence Award
Sienna Brown (Podcast, Indie)
Elaine Laforteza (Podcast, Indie)
Marc Fennell (Podcast, Indie)
Student Creator Excellence Award
Felicity Weaver – AFTRS (Podcast, Indie)
Cate McKenzie – AFTRS (Radio, Indie)
Kristy Hocking – TAFE NSW (Podcast, Indie)
Host / Presenter Excellence Award
Ashlynne McGhee (Podcast, Indie)
Ashlea Hansen (Podcast, Commercial)
Marc Fennell (Podcast, Commercial)
Producer Excellence Award
Zoe Ferguson – (Podcast, Commercial)
Rhys Gunter – (Podcast, Commercial)
Masako Fukui (Podcast, Indie)
Performance / Acting Excellence Award
Yannick Lawry (Audiobook, Indie)
Colin Cassidy (Voice-Over, Indie)
Felicity Jurd (Audiobook, Indie)
Network Excellence Award
SBS Audio (Radio, Podcast, Commercial)
IMPACT
Community Wave Maker Award
Soil: Rewilding the Underground – Jessica Hamilton (Podcast, Indie)
Gotta Go – Production Group (Podcast, Indie)
A Good Mind To – Coequal (Podcast, Indie)
Innovation Award
ASMR Garden with Jojo – MIK Studio and White Noise (Podcast, Indie)
Mudgin-Gal Yarns – UTS Impact Studios (Podcast, Indie)
The Dynamic Blood Supply Audio System – NOVA Entertainment and Original Audio – Lifeblood: Red Cross (Radio, Commercial)
Audience Connection Award
Motherland – Stephanie Trethewey (Podcast, Indie)
We Used to be Journos – Ette Media (Podcast, Indie)
Melanated in Melbourne – Ri’chard Caldwell (Podcast, Indie)
VISION
Video for Audio Award
Taking Root in Barkers Creek – Kyla Brettle (Podcast, Indie)
Wiggle Talk – A Podcast for Parents – The Wiggles (Podcast, Commercial)
Visual Identity Award
Real Made Up Stories – Coequal (Podcast, Indie)
The Moment with Myf Warhurst – MIK Studio (Podcast, Commercial)
Events for Audio Award
(Extra)ordinary Tales – All the Best and Read to Me (Podcast, Indie)
DomeFest – Dome and Finely Tuned (Podcast, Indie)
Lamestream Live – Lamestream Media (Podcast, Indie)
