1954 in Australian literature

none April 2024 April 2024 This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1954. Events Charlotte Jay (pseudonym of Geraldine Halls) won the inaugural Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel for Beat Not the Boneshttp://www.theedgars.com/edgarsDB/index.php Edgar Award Winners and Nominees Database 2 October 2024 27 September 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180927165310/http://www.theedgars.com/edgarsDB/index.php dead Novels James Aldridge – Heroes of the Empty View Heroes of the Empty View by James Aldridge National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1025351 2 October 2024 Jon Cleary – The Climate of Courage Miles Franklin – Cockatoos : A Story of Youth and Exodists Catherine Gaskin – Sara Dane T. A. G. Hungerford – Sowers of the Wind : A Novel of the Occupation of Japan Sowers of the Wind by T. A. G. Hungerford National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1027700 2 October 2024 Eric Lambert The Five Bright Stars The Five Bright Stars by Eric Lambert National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/711859 2 October 2024 The Veterans The Veterans by Eric Lambert National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2248364 2 October 2024 Eve Langley – White Topee Kenneth Mackenzie – The Refuge Alan Moorehead – A Summer Night A Summer Night by Alan Moorehead National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2296339 2 October 2024 E. V. Timms – The Fury Judah Waten – The Unbending The Unbending by Judah Waten National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2230667 2 October 2024 Crime and mystery Arthur Upfield Death of a Lake Sinister Stones Sinister Stones by Arthur Upfield National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2493756 2 October 2024 Short stories A. Bertram Chandler – "Shadow Before" "Shadow Before" by A. Bertram Chandler ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?640605 2 October 2024 David Martin – "Where a Man Belongs" "Where a Man Belongs" by David Martin Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C255051 2 October 2024 John Morrison – "The Incense-Burner" "The Incense-Burner" by John Morrison Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C176547 2 October 2024 Dal Stivens – "In the Depths" "In the Depths" by Dal Stivens Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C175498 2 October 2024 Judah Waten – "Well, What do You Say to My Boy?" "Well, What do You Say to My Boy?" by Judah Waten Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C244254 2 October 2024 Children's and Young Adult fiction Nan Chauncy – A Fortune for the Brave A Fortune for the Brave by Nan Chauncy National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/954755 2 October 2024 Joan Phipson – Six and Silver Six and Silver by Joan Phipson National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/950469 2 October 2024 Norman B. Tindale & Harold Arthur Lindsay – The First Walkabout, illustrated by Madeleine Boyce Poetry 1954 in poetry Thea Astley – "Droving Man" Austlit — "Droving Man" by Thea Astley Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C189070 13 May 2024 Dorothy Auchterlonie – "The Tree" Austlit — "The Tree" by Dorothy Auchterlonie Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C121749 13 May 2024 John Blight "Death of a Whale" "Rope" Austlit — "Rope" by John Blight Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C160549 13 May 2024 The Two Suns Met : Poems The Two Suns Met by John Blight National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2126589 13 May 2024 R. D. Fitzgerald "Beginnings" Austlit — "Beginnings" by R. D. Fitzgerald Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C128225 13 May 2024 "Edge" Austlit — "Edge" by R. D. Fitzgerald Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C127212 13 May 2024 Mary Gilmore – Fourteen Men : Verses A. D. Hope – "The Return of Persephone" Austlit — "The Return of Persephone" by A. D. Hope Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C131285 13 May 2024 Christopher Koch – "The Boy Who Dreamed the Country Night" Austlit — "The Boy Who Dreamed the Country Night" by Christopher Koch Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C186552 13 May 2024 James McAuley "New Guinea" Austlit — "New Guinea" by James McAuley Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C63901 13 May 2024 "To the Holy Spirit" Austlit — "To the Holy Spirit" by James McAuley Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C69996 13 May 2024 Kenneth Mackenzie – "An Old Inmate" Austlit — "An Old Inmate" by Seaforth Mackenzie Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C87923 13 May 2024 David Rowbotham – "Mullabinda" Austlit — "Mullabinda" by David Rowbotham Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C177667 13 May 2024 Douglas Stewart – "Spider-Gums" Austlit — "Spider-Gums" by Douglas Stewart Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C129802 13 May 2024 Colin Thiele – "The Mushroomer" Austlit — "The Mushroomer" by Colin Thiele Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C234055 13 May 2024 John Thompson – Thirty Poems Judith Wright "At Cooloolah" "Flying Fox on Barbed Wire" Austlit — "Flying Fox on Barbed Wire" by Judith Wright Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C20186 13 May 2024 "The Two Fires" Drama Theatre James Workman – Eternal Night Biography Nevil Shute – Slide Rule : The Autobiography of an Engineer Slide Rule : The Autobiography of an Engineer by Nevil Shute National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2340744 18 April 2024 David Unaipon – My Life Story My Life Story by David Unaipon National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/311340 18 April 2024 Non-Fiction Frank Clune – The Kelly Hunters Frank Clune and P. R. Stephensen – The Viking of Van Diemen's Land Vance Palmer – The Legend of the Nineties The Legend of the Nineties by Vance Palmer National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/721293 18 April 2024 Awards and honours Literary Award Author Title Publisher 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 July 2026 Mary Gilmore Fourteen Men : Verses Angus and Robertson Children's and Young Adult Award Category Author Title Publisher Children's Book of the Year AwardAustlit - Australian Legendary Tales by K. Langloh Parker Older Readers K. Langloh Parker, edited by Henrietta Drake-Brockman,illustrated by Elizabeth Durack Australian Legendary Tales Angus and Robertson Poetry Award Author Title Publisher Grace Leven Prize for PoetryPoetry Prize Awarded The Sydney Morning Herald, 6 July 1955 https://www.proquest.com/docview/2524953064 1 September 2026 2524953064 John Thompson Thirty Poems Edwards and Shaw Births A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1954 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death. 12 January Brian Caswell, writer for children Austlit — Brian Caswell Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A17925 18 April 2024 Lee Tulloch, novelist Austlit — Lee Tulloch Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A24922 18 April 2024 26 March – Dorothy Porter, poet (died 2008)Dorothy Porter (1954-2008) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A5888 2024-02-21 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 10 February 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250210195029/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A5888 dead 21 May – Paul Collins, author and editor Austlit — Paul Collins Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A5995 18 April 2024 17 June – Kerry Greenwood, novelist (died 2025) Austlit — Kerry Greenwood Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A22250 18 April 2024 5 July – Kevin Hart, poet Austlit — Kevin Hart Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A18721 18 April 2024 20 September – James Moloney, writer for children Austlit — James Moloney Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A33101 18 April 2024 1 November – Andrew Lansdown, poetAndrew Lansdown https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?115406 2024-02-21 Internet Speculative Fiction Database 16 November – Anne Morgan, writer of children's booksAnne Morgan https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A72063 2025-11-14 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland Unknown date Russell Blackford, novelist and critic Austlit — Russell Blackford Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A40 18 April 2024 Rory Harris, poet Austlit — Rory Harris Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A26776 18 April 2024 Shane McCauley, poet Austlit — Shane McCauley Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A20243 18 April 2024 Rosemary Sorensen, journalist, editor and critic Austlit — Rosemary Sorensen Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A16716 18 April 2024 Deaths A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1954 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth. 16 May — Jack McLaren, novelist (born 1884) McLaren, John (Jack) (1884–1954) by Cheryl Taylor Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mclaren-john-jack-7407 14 August 2023 28 June — Nancy Francis, poet, journalist and short story writer (born 1873) Austlit - Nancy Francis (1873-1954) Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A7011 29 July 2023 19 September – Miles Franklin, novelist (born 1879) Franklin, Stella Maria Sarah Miles (1879–1954) by Jill Roe Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/franklin-miles-6235 8 August 2023 2 November – Malcolm Afford, playwright and novelist (born 1906) Lindsay, Philip (1906–1958) by Bernard Smith Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lindsay-philip-7761 10 July 2023 See also 1954 in Australia 1954 in literature 1954 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:1954 in literature