Growing up on the Hope Vale Mission in Queensland's far north, Gibson's family were allowed one holiday each year, and she would pack three dresses for a camping trip at the beach - one to wash, one to wear and one spare.
The first-time author hopes young readers will enjoy the picture book, and maybe understand the experiences of earlier generations.
"We didn't have the things what they got today, I didn't own a bike in my life, other toys, lollies and soft drinks and those kind of things - we was happy with the things we had," she said.
With Gibson still based at Hope Vale on the Cape York Peninsula, her son Bruce Gibson accepted the prestigious award, as well as the $25,000 prize for children's literature on her behalf at a ceremony in Melbourne on Wednesday.
Both of Gibson's parents were members of the Stolen Generation and with five children, eleven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, she keeps her family's many trophies - for activities such as horse riding and singing - on show in a cabinet at home.
Her wins will not only be life-changing for her whole family, they also mean she finally has trophy-cabinet bragging rights.
"The only person who hasn't got anything up there is me, so I'll tell my children and grandchildren - I beat you," she joked.
The winner of the inaugural John Clarke Prize for Humour Writing isn't yet sure how to use his prize money: his car needs a new gearbox, or he might invest in a trampoline.
Robert Skinner has won the $25,000 prize named for the late comedy legend John Clarke, as well as taking out the $2000 People's Choice Award with his wry memoir I'd Rather Not.
"It's a sort of series of triumphs and disadvantages of someone moving to Melbourne filled with big city dreams and trying to make ends meet, in a city that often has other ideas," said Skinner.
After tour-guiding in the South Australian desert, he relocated to Melbourne and attempted to stay on the dole long enough to read War and Peace, a book he admits he is yet to finish.
Skinner worked as a dishwasher, bicycle valet and assistant cabinet-maker before landing a job at independent Melbourne bookshop Brunswick Bound.
"If you've ever seen someone slumped in despair behind the counter, or skiving off work and turning the customers away, that was probably me," he said.
The author appears an extremely worthy proponent of that Clarkian invention, farnarkling, and is a fan of the late comedian from his days on Clarke and Dawe, as well as the classic movie Death in Brunswick.
Sales of I'd Rather Not have greatly exceeded his publisher's expectations, says Skinner, though he is uncertain just how low these expectations actually were.
John Clarke's daughter, the writer-director Lorin Clarke, was on the judging panel for the award and announced Skinner as the inaugural winner.
2025 VICTORIAN PREMIER'S LITERARY AWARD WINNERS
* Victorian Prize for Literature: Three Dresses by Wanda Gibson
* Prize for Fiction: Highway 13 by Fiona McFarlane
* Prize for Non-Fiction: anything can happen by Susan Hampton
* Prize for Poetry: Gawimarra: Gathering by Jeanine Leane
* Prize for Drama: 37 by Nathan Maynard
* Prize for Indigenous Writing: Black Witness by Amy McQuire
* Prize for Children's Literature: Three Dresses by Wanda Gibson
* Prize for Writing for Young Adults: Anomaly by Emma Lord
* John Clarke Prize for Humour Writing: I'd Rather Not by Robert Skinner
* Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript: I Made This Just for You by Chris Ames
* People's Choice Award: I'd Rather Not by Robert Skinner
