1972 in Australian literature

none September 2016 July 2026 This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1972. Events Thomas Keneally becomes the first Australian to be shortlisted for the Booker Prize for Fiction for The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith.Cain Sian 2022-10-17 Booker prize: it has been six years since an Australian was nominated. What gives? https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/oct/18/booker-prize-its-been-six-years-since-an-australian-was-nominated-what-gives Guardian Australia 2023-11-01 Major publications Books Thea Astley – The Acolyte Russell Braddon – End Play End Play by Russell Braddon National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1238839 9 December 2024 Jon Cleary – Man's Estate Sumner Locke Elliott – The Man Who Got Away Catherine Gaskin – A Falcon for a Queen A Falcon for a Queen by Catherine Gaskin National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2665256 9 December 2024 David Ireland – The Flesheaters The Flesheaters by David Ireland National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/397709 9 December 2024 Thomas Keneally – The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith Peter Mathers – The Wort Papers The Wort Papers by Peter Mathers National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/398939 9 December 2024 Short stories Peter Carey "Crabs" "Crabs" by Peter Carey Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C136424 9 December 2024 "Peeling" "Peeling" by Peter Carey Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C136280 9 December 2024 Frank Hardy – It's Moments Like These It's Moments Like These by Frank Hardy National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2507875 9 December 2024 Elizabeth Jolley – "Dingle the Fool" "Dingle the Fool" by Elizabeth Jolley Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C87330 9 December 2024 Frank Moorhouse – The Americans, Baby The Americans, Baby by Frank Moorhouse National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/303895 9 December 2024 Children's and Young Adult fiction Hesba Brinsmead – Echo in the Wilderness Echo in the Wilderness by Hesba Brinsmead National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2153093 9 December 2024 Alan Marshall – Fight for Life Fight for Life by Alan Marshall National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1993523 9 December 2024 Mary Elwyn Patchett – Rebel Brumby Rebel Brumby by Mary Elwyn Patchett National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/529180 9 December 2024 Ivan Southall – Head in the Clouds Head in the Clouds by Ivan Southall National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/181888 9 December 2024 Eleanor Spence – The Nothing Place The Nothing Place by Eleanor Spence National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1787505 9 December 2024 Patricia Wrightson – An Older Kind of Magic An Older Kind of Magic by Patricia Wrightson National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/899671 9 December 2024 Science fiction and fantasy A. Bertram Chandler – The Hard Way Up The Hard Way Up by A. Bertram Chandler ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?22635 9 December 2024 Poetry 1972 in poetry Michael Dransfield Drug Poems Drug Poems by Michael Dransfield National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1906706 9 December 2024 The Inspector of Tides The Inspector of Tides by Michael Dransfield National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/481167 9 December 2024 Harry Payne Heseltine – The Penguin Book of Australian Verse (edited) Les Murray – Poems Against Economics Poems Against Economics by Les Murray National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/384415 9 December 2024 Peter Porter After Martial After Martial by Peter Porter National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/.1902390 9 December 2024 "Mort aux Chats" Preaching to the Converted Preaching to the Converted by Peter Porter National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/470828 9 December 2024 Thomas Shapcott – Begin With Walking Begin With Walking by Thomas Shapcott National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2732079 9 December 2024 Peter Skrzynecki – Head-Waters Drama Dorothy Hewett – Bonbons and Roses for Dolly David Williamson – Jugglers Three Awards and honours Literary Award Author Title PublisherALS Gold Medal ALS Gold Medal — Previous Winners Association for the Study of Australian Literature https://www.asal.org.au/awards/als-gold-medal/ 9 December 2024 Alex Buzo Macquarie : A Play Currency Press Alex Buzo Tom Angus and Robertson Colin Roderick Award"Colin Roderick Award - Previous Winners", James Cook University Keith Hancock Discovering Monaro Cambridge University Press Miles Franklin Award"Sydney Writer Wins Award for Novel", The Canberra Times, 11 April 1973, p3 Thea Astley The Acolyte Angus and Robertson Children and Young Adult Award Category Author Title PublisherChildren's Book of the Year Award Older Readers"Children's Book Week" The Canberra Times, 8 July 1972, p15 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article101993472 9 December 2024 H. F. Brinsmead Longtime Passing Angus and Robertson Picture Book No award Science fiction and fantasy Award Category Author Title PublisherAustralian SF Achievement Award "Ditmar Awards 1972" SFADB https://www.sfadb.com/Ditmar_Awards_1972 9 December 2024 Best Australian Science Fiction Lee Harding "Fallen Spaceman" If : Worlds of Science Fiction Poetry Award Author Title Publisher Grace Leven Prize for PoetryAustlit - Head-Waters by Peter Skrzynecki Peter Skrzynecki Head-Waters Lyre Bird Writers 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 Removalists Births A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1972 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death. 11 August – Danielle Wood, journalist, writer and academicDanielle Wood https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A6471 2025-11-14 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland Unknown date Louis Armand, poet and criticLouis Armand https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A3338 2024-03-05 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland Steve Toltz, novelistSteve Toltz https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A101407 2024-03-05 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland Samuel Wagan Watson, poetSamuel Wagan Watson https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A22192 2024-03-05 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland Deaths A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1972 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth. 3 June – Martin Boyd, novelist (born 1893) Boyd, Guy Martin à Beckett (1923–1988) by Brenda Niall Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/boyd-guy-martin-a-beckett-12240 24 June 2023 16 August – Dulcie Deamer, poet (born 1890) Deamer, Mary Elizabeth Kathleen Dulcie (1890–1972) by Martha Rutledge Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/deamer-dulcie-5928 24 June 2023 16 October – Eunice Hanger, playwright and educator (born 1911) Hanger, Eunice (1911–1972) by Richard Fotheringham Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hanger-eunice-10407 24 June 2023 See also 1972 in Australia 1972 in literature 1972 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:1972 in literature