1947 in Australian literature

none May 2024 May 2024 This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1947. Events The Grace Leven Prize for Poetry, worth £50, is awarded for the first time to Pacific Sea by Nan McDonald."Strength and Sunshine" The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 February 1948, p6 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18060944 23 May 2024 Books Jon Cleary – You Can't See 'Round Corners Erle Cox – The Missing Angel The Missing Angel by Erle Cox National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2279594 23 May 2024 M. Barnard Eldershaw – Tomorrow and Tomorrow Tomorrow and Tomorrow by M. Barnard Eldershaw National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2273858 23 May 2024 Miles Franklin – The Thorny Rose Austlit — The Thorny Rose by Miles Franklin Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C38071 23 May 2024 Arthur Gask – The Dark Mill Stream The Dark Mill Stream by Arthur Gask National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2355859 23 May 2024 Catherine Gaskin – With Every Year With Every Year by Catherine Gaskin National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2352866 23 May 2024 Ion L. Idriess – Isles of Despair Norman Lindsay – Halfway to Anywhere Vance Palmer – Cyclone Cyclone by Vance Palmer National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2241232 23 May 2024 Nevil Shute – The Chequer Board Short stories Myra Morris – The Township The Township by Myra Morris National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/935133 25 September 2024 Judah Waten – "To a Country Town" "To a Country Town" by Judah Waten Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C24012 25 September 2024 Children's and Young Adult fiction Ruth C. Williams – Timothy Tatters Timothy Tatters by Ruth C. Williams National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/962501 25 September 2024 Poetry 1947 in poetry David Campbell – "Small-Town Gladys" "Small-Town Gladys" by David Campbell Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C149596 25 September 2024 Victor Daley – Creeve Roe : Poetry Creeve Roe : Poetry by Victor Daley National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/814464 25 September 2024 Rosemary Dobson – "Country Press" "Country Press" by Rosemary Dobson Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C235053 25 September 2024 R. D. Fitzgerald – "Fifth Day" "Fifth Day" by R. D. Fitzgerald Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C127067 25 September 2024 A. D. Hope – "Conquistador" "Conquistador" by A. D. Hope Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C198562 25 September 2024 Nancy Keesing – "Detective Story" "Detective Story" by Nancy Keesing Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C153774 25 September 2024 Nan McDonald – Pacific Sea John Shaw Neilson – Unpublished Poems of John Shaw Neilson Unpublished Poems of John Shaw Neilson by John Shaw Neilson National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1042166 25 September 2024 Will H. Ogilvie – "Harry Morant" "Harry Morant" by Will H. Ogilvie Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C183771 25 September 2024 Elizabeth Riddell – "The Train in the Night" "The Train in the Night" by Elizabeth Riddell Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C103657 25 September 2024 Roland Robinson – "Drifting Dug-Out" "Drifting Dug-Out" by Roland Robinson Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C101737 25 September 2024 Douglas Stewart — Glencoe Judith Wright "Flame-Tree in a Quarry" "The Bull" "The Bull" by Judith Wright Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C22890 25 September 2024 "The Cycads" "The Cycads" by Judith Wright Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C21546 25 September 2024 "The Killer" Drama Radio John Appleton – Hester's Diary Sumner Locke Elliott – Wicked is the Vine Theatre Vance Palmer – Hail Tomorrow Douglas Stewart – Shipwreck Shipwreck by Douglas Stewart National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2317911 17 April 2024 Patrick White – The Ham Funeral Awards and honours Note: these awards were presented in the year in question. 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/ 13 August 2023 Not awarded Children's and Young Adult Award Category Author Title Publisher Children's Book of the Year Award"No Book Award by Society", The Age, 29 September 1947, p4 Older Readers No award Poetry Award Author Title Publisher Grace Leven Prize for Poetry"Strength and Sunshine" The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 February 1948, p6 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18060944 17 October 2024 Nan McDonald Pacific Sea Angus and Robertson Births A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1947 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death. 10 January – Arnold Zable, novelist (in Wellington, New Zealand) Arnold Zable Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A14409 23 May 2024 15 January – Richard Harland, novelist Richard Harland Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A21008 23 May 2024 22 January – Geoffrey Bewley, journalist and short story writer (died 2006)Geoffrey Bewley (1947-2006) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A5678 2023-09-23 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 7 February – Elizabeth Honey, children's author, illustrator and poethttps://www.ncacl.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/HoneyElizabethFindingAidFinalpdf.pdf A Guide to the Elizabeth Honey Papers September 2009 Lu Rees Archives, University of Canberra Library 8 November 2025 21 March – Terry Dowling, novelist and short story writer Terry Dowling Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A435 23 May 2024 13 April – Amanda Lohrey, novelist Amanda Lohrey Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A20535 23 May 2024 4 May Marele Day, novelist Marele Day Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A1744 23 May 2024 Peter Kocan, author and poet Peter Kocan Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A28258 23 May 2024 13 July – David Marr, journalist and biographer David Marr Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A9943 23 May 2024 23 September – Gary Crew, novelist Gary Crew Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A23335 23 May 2024 29 September – Cassandra Pybus, historian and biographerCassandra Pybus https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A12250 2025-11-14 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 9 October – Michael Dugan, poet (died 2006)Michael Dugan (1947-2006) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A4595 2023-09-23 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 30 October – Gary Catalano, poet and art critic (died 2002)Gary Catalano (1947-2002) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A50345 2023-09-23 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 12 November – Martin Johnston, novelist and poet (died 1990)Martin Johnston (1947-1990) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A27678 2023-09-23 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland Unknown date Eric Beach, poet and playwright (in New Zealand)(died 2024)Eric Beach https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A9168 2025-02-12 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland Jacqueline Kent, writer and biographerJacqueline Kent https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A11415 2023-09-23 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland Rhyll McMaster, novelistRhyll McMaster https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A3550 2023-09-23 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 10 May 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250510120819/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A3550 dead Bruce Pascoe, novelistBruce Pascoe https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A30613 2023-09-23 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland Graham Rowlands, poetGraham Rowlands https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A33210 2023-09-23 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 1947 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth. 25 January — Pinchas Goldhar, writer and translator (born 1901) Goldhar, Pinchas (1901–1947) by Judah Waten Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/goldhar-pinchas-6415 23 September 2023 12 February – Douglas Sladen, poet and biographer (born 1856) Sladen, Douglas Brooke (1856–1947) by K. J. Cable Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/sladen-douglas-brooke-4590 23 August 2023 19 July – Lennie Lower, journalist and novelist (born 1903) Lower, Leonard Waldemere (Lennie) (1903–1947) by Julian Croft and Keith Willey Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lower-leonard-waldemere-lennie-7251 30 June 2023 18 October – R. H. Croll, poet and writer (born 1869) Croll, Robert Henderson (Bob) (1869–1947) by Geoffrey Serle Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/croll-robert-henderson-bob-5824 23 August 2023 1 November – Tilly Aston, blind writer and teacher (born 1873) Aston, Matilda Ann (Tilly) (1873–1947) by O. S. Green Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/aston-matilda-ann-tilly-5078 29 July 2023 See also 1947 in Australia 1947 in literature 1947 in poetry List of years in Australian literature List of years in literature References Literature Category:Australian literature by year Category:20th-century Australian literature Category:1947 in literature