1978 in Australian literature

none April 2019 April 2019 This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1978. Events Jessica Anderson won the 1978 Miles Franklin Award for Tirra Lirra by the River The Anne Elder Award for poetry is awarded for the first time Major publications Books Jessica Anderson – Tirra Lirra by the River Nancy Cato – All the Rivers Run David Malouf – An Imaginary Life Christopher Koch – The Year of Living Dangerously George Turner – Transit of Cassidy Transit of Cassidy by George Turner National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2653741 19 April 2024 Science fiction and fantasy A. Bertram Chandler — To Keep the Ship To Keep the Ship by A. Bertram Chandler ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?727 19 March 2024 David Lake — The Gods of Xuma, or, Barsoom Revisited The Gods of Xuma, or, Barsoom Revisited by David Lake ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?23148 19 March 2024 George Turner – Beloved Son Beloved Son by George Turner ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?8308 19 March 2024 Crime and mystery Nicholas Hasluck — Quarantine Quarantine by Nicholas Hasluck National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1046116 19 April 2024 Children's and young adult fiction Peter Pavey – One Dragon's Dream One Dragon's Dream by Peter Pavey National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2853710 19 April 2024 Joan Phipson – Keep Calm Keep Calm by Joan Phipson National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2612753 19 April 2024 Patricia Wrightson – The Dark Bright Water The Dark Bright Water by Patricia Wrightson National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2226102 19 April 2024 Poetry David Campbell — "Lizard and Stone" "Lizard and Stone" by David Campbell Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C29469 28 December 2023 Lee Cataldi — Invitation to a Marxist Lesbian Party Invitation to a Marxist Lesbian Party by Lee Cataldi National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1068256 8 December 2024 Bruce Dawe — Sometimes Gladness: Collected Poems 1954–1978 Sometimes Gladness: Collected Poems 1954–1978 by Bruce Dawe National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1159694 19 April 2024 Rosemary Dobson – "The Three Fates" Jennifer Maiden — Birthstones Birthstones by Jennifer Maiden Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C241406 28 December 2023 Drama Ron Blair – Marx Marx by Ron Blair Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C145138 27 June 2025 Non-fiction Patsy Adam-Smith – The ANZACS The ANZACS by Patsy Adam-Smith National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1270097 19 April 2024 Mary Durack – The End of Dreaming The End of Dreaming by Mary Durack National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2848770 19 April 2024 Wendy Lowenstein – Weevils in the Flour Weevils in the Flour by Wendy Lowenstein National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/69032 19 April 2024 Elyne Mitchell – Light Horse: The Story of Australia's Mounted Troops Light Horse: The Story of Australia's Mounted Troops by Elyne Mitchell National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2653658 19 April 2024 Awards and honours Order of Australia Margaret Hasluck appointed Dame of the Order of Australia (AD) for "pre-eminent achievement in the fields of literature and history and for extraordinary and meritorious public service to Australia".Australian Government Gazette – Special http://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/QB78.pdf Government House of The Commonwealth of Australia 21 April 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052947/http://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/QB78.pdf 4 March 2016 dead Lifetime achievement Award Author Christopher Brennan Award"Dobson, Rosemary de Brissac (1920 - 2012)" The Australian Women's Register https://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE4848b.htm 13 September 2023 Rosemary Dobson Patrick White Awardhttps://www.poemhunter.com/gwen-harwood/biography/ Gwen Harwood PoemHunter.com 2019-04-21 Gwen Harwood Literary Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award"Novel in a slice of history" The Age, 2 December 1978 https://www.proquest.com/docview/2520821566 12 May 2024 2520821566 Christopher Koch The Year of Living Dangerously Nelson ALS Gold Medal ALS Gold Medal — Previous Winners Association for the Study of Australian Literature https://www.asal.org.au/awards/als-gold-medal/ 22 August 2023 No award Colin Roderick Awardhttps://www.jcu.edu.au/foundation-for-australian-literary-studies/colin-roderick-award/2017-winner-and-shortlist/previous-winners2 Other Winners 2017-11-15 www.jcu.edu.au en-AU 2019-04-20 20 April 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190420205921/https://www.jcu.edu.au/foundation-for-australian-literary-studies/colin-roderick-award/2017-winner-and-shortlist/previous-winners2 dead Leslie Rees History of Australian Drama Angus & Robertson Fiction Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award Christopher Koch The Year of Living Dangerously Nelson Miles Franklin Awardhttps://www.betterreading.com.au:443/book_list/miles-franklin-literary-award-every-winner-since-1957/ Miles Franklin Literary Award – Every Winner Since 1957 Better Reading en 2019-04-21 Jessica Anderson Tirra Lirra by the River Macmillan Children and Young Adult Award Category Author Title PublisherChildren's Book of the Year Awardhttp://cbca.org.au/7079.htm Winners and Commended Books 1970 - 1979 - CBCA 2009-11-12 https://web.archive.org/web/20091112005708/http://cbca.org.au/7079.htm 2019-04-21 12 November 2009 Older Readers Patricia Wrightson The Ice is Coming Hutchinson Picture Book Jenny Wagner, illustrated by Ron Brooks John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat Viking Kestrel Science fiction and fantasy Award Category Author Title Publisher Australian SF Achievement Award "Ditmar Awards 1978" SFADB https://www.sfadb.com/Ditmar_Awards_1978 12 December 2024 Best Australian Science Fiction Cherry Wilder The Luck of Brin's Five Atheneum Poetry Award Author Title Publisher Anne Elder Award Austlit — Anne Elder Award 1977-78 Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v148?mainTabTemplate=awardWorksAndAgents&from=42&count=3 8 February 2024 Lee Cataldi Invitation to a Marxist Lesbian Party Wild & Woolley Grace Leven Prize for Poetryhttp://www.brisbanewritersfestival.com.au/2003/content/standard_c1.asp?name=Bio_Dawe_Bruce Brisbane Writers Festival - Bruce Dawe 2007-08-06 https://web.archive.org/web/20070806112016/http://www.brisbanewritersfestival.com.au/2003/content/standard_c1.asp?name=Bio_Dawe_Bruce 2019-04-21 6 August 2007 Bruce Dawe Sometimes Gladness: Collected Poems 1954–1978 Longman Cheshire Drama Award Author Title AWGIE Award for Stagehttps://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awgau/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/17162451/Past-AWGIE-Award-Winners-1968-2016FINAL.pdf AWGIE Award Winners 1968-2016 Australian Writers' Guild 27 June 2025 David Williamson The Club Non-fiction Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award Patsy Adam-Smith The ANZACS Nelson Births A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1978 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death. 28 December — Holly Throsby, novelist and musician Austlit - Holly Throsby Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/9578393 6 July 2023 Unknown date Brett McBean, horror, thriller and speculative fiction writer Austlit - Brett McBean Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A100954 6 July 2023 Fiona McFarlane, novelist and short story writer Austlit - Fiona McFarlane Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A69636 6 July 2023 Andrew O'Connor, novelist Austlit - Andrew O'Connor Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A90733 6 July 2023 Deaths A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1978 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth. 9 March – John K. Ewers, novelist, poet, schoolteacher and short story writer (born 1904) Ewers, John Keith (1904–1978) by Jenny Gregory and Rebecca Shepherd Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/ewers-john-keith-10138 6 July 2023 16 April – Barbara Vernon, playwright, screenwriter and radio announcer (born 1916) Vernon, Barbara Mary (1916–1978) Jane Connors (academic) Jane Connors Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/vernon-barbara-mary-11922 6 July 2023 23 May – Rose Lindsay, artist's model, author, and printmaker (born 1885) Lindsay, Rose (1885–1978) by Ana Carden-Coyne Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lindsay-rose-13047 6 July 2023 15 June – Paul McGuire, author, public servant and diplomat (born 1903) McGuire, Dominic Mary Paul (1903–1978) by Katharine Massam Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcguire-dominic-mary-paul-10965 30 June 2023 20 July – Velia Ercole, short story writer and novelist (born 1903)Velia Ercole (1903–1978) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A29718 2025-03-23 AustLit 23 July – T. Inglis Moore, writer, anthologist and academic (born 1901) Austlit – T. Inglis Moore (1901-1978) Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A64634 23 June 2023 24 July – Annie Rattray Rentoul, children's poet and story writer (born 1882) Rentoul, Annie Rattray (1882–1978) by Diane Langmore Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/rentoul-annie-rattray-8535 6 July 2023 27 September – Margaret Horder, artist and children's book illustrator (born 1903) Austlit - Margaret Horder (1903-1978) Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A51360 6 July 2023 7 December – Helen Haenke, poet, playwright and artist (born 1916) Haenke, Helen Joyce (1916–1978) by Delyse Anthony Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/haenke-helen-joyce-10387 6 July 2023 See also 1978 in Australia 1978 in literature 1978 in poetry List of years in Australian literature List of years in literature References Category:Australian literature by year Category:20th-century Australian literature Category:1978 in literature