2000 in Australian literature

none December 2019 December 2019 This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 2000. Events Drylands by Thea Astley and Benang by Kim Scott were joint winners of the Miles Franklin Award Major publications Literary fiction Peter Carey — True History of the Kelly Gang Arabella Edge — The Company: The Story of a Murderer Rodney Hall — The Day We Had Hitler Home Rosalie Ham — The Dressmaker Thomas Keneally An Angel in Australia Bettany's Book Colleen McCullough — Morgan's Run Alex Miller — Conditions of Faith Frank Moorhouse — Dark Palace Morris West — The Last Confession Crime and mystery Jon Cleary — Bear Pit Catherine Jinks — The Notary The Notary by Catherine Jinks National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1880005 9 March 2024 Dorothy Johnston — The Trojan Dog Andrew McGahan — Last Drinks Barry Maitland — Silvermeadow Silvermeadow by Barry maitland National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/837128 9 March 2024 Shane Maloney — The Big Ask The Big Ask by Shane Maloney National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1117294 9 March 2024 Andrew Masterson — The Second Coming Caroline Shaw — Eye to Eye Peter Temple — Dead Point Meredith Webber — Trust Me Austlit — Trust Me by Meredith Webber Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C678354 9 March 2024 Science fiction and fantasy Sara Douglass — The Nameless Day Michel Faber — Under the Skin Jennifer Fallon — Medalon Kate Forsyth — The Forbidden Land The Forbidden Land by Kate Forsyth National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/4465550 9 March 2024 Ian Irvine — The Last Albatross Juliet Marillier — Son of the Shadows Sean McMullen — The Miocene Arrow Garth Nix Castle The Fall Emily Rodda — The Forests of Silence Kim Wilkins — The Resurrectionists Sean Williams and Shane Dix — The Dying Light The Dying Light by Sean Williams & Shane Dix National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/3667087 9 March 2024 Children's and young adult fiction Jaclyn Moriarty — Feeling Sorry for Celia Sonya Hartnett — Thursday's Child James Moloney — Touch Me John Marsden — Winter Shaun Tan — The Lost Thing Markus Zusak — Fighting Ruben Wolfe Short story anthologies Carmel Bird (editor) — The Penguin Century of Australian Stories The Penguin Century of Australian Stories edited by Carmel Bird National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2140836 9 March 2024 Poetry Rosemary Dobson – Untold Lives and Later Poems Untold Lives and Later Poems by Rosemary Dobson National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2096983 14 September 2025 Brook Emery — and dug my fingers in the sand"And dug my fingers in the sand / Brook Emery", National Library of Australia. Dorothy Hewett and John Kinsela — Wheatlands Wheatlands by Dorothy Hewett and John Kinsella National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1766490 9 March 2024 John Mateer – Barefoot Speech Barefoot Speech by John Mateer National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1855971 14 September 2025 Mark Reid – Parochial Parochial by Mark Reid National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1856007 14 September 2025 Arthur M. Spyrou – The Garden of Delights The Garden of Delights by National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/8564583 14 September 2025 Plays Hannie Rayson — Life After George Life After George by Hannie Rayson National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2155165 9 March 2024 David Williamson Face to Face The Great Man Non-fiction Bill Bryson — Down Under Brian Matthews — A Fine and Private Place A Fine and Private Place by Brian Matthews National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2038634 9 March 2024 Wendy McCarthy — Don't Fence Me In Don't Fence Me In by Wendy McCarthy National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1844356 9 March 2024 Margaret Scott — Changing Countries: On moving from one island to another Changing Countries by Margaret McCarthy National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1905888 9 March 2024 Awards and honours Ray Parkin, AUS AM, "for service to Australian war literature through autobiographical works, and to historical research as author of HM Bark Endeavourhttps://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1129717 Raymond Edward Parkin honours.pmc.gov.au live https://web.archive.org/web/20191218185717/https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1129717 18 December 2019 2019-12-18 Lifetime achievement Award Author Christopher Brennan Award"Results of the 2000 National Literary Awards" FAW https://writers.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2000-FAW-National-Literary-Awards-Results.pdf 11 September 2023 J. S. Harry Patrick White Award Austlit — Patrick White Award - Past Winners Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v617?mainTabTemplate=awardWorksAndAgents 8 September 2023 22 August 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230822040912/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v617?mainTabTemplate=awardWorksAndAgents dead Thomas Shapcott Literary Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award"Writing's late starter improves with age" The Age, 26 August 2000, p4 https://www.proquest.com/docview/2521728940 17 June 2024 2521728940 Amy Witting Isobel on the Way to the Corner Shop Penguin ALS Gold Medal ALS Gold Medal — Previous Winners Association for the Study of Australian Literature https://www.asal.org.au/awards/als-gold-medal/ 10 January 2024 Drusilla Modjeska Stravinsky's Lunch Picador Colin Roderick Award Colin Roderick Award - Other Winners James Cook University https://www.jcu.edu.au/foundation-for-australian-literary-studies/roderick-award/previous-winners2 16 January 2024 Peter Carey True History of the Kelly Gang University of Queensland Press Nita Kibble Literary AwardKibble Literary Award Australian National University https://history.cass.anu.edu.au/centres/ncb/kibble-literary-award 26 February 2024 Drusilla Modjeska Stravinsky's Lunch Picador Fiction International Award Category Author Title Publisher Commonwealth Writers' Prize Commonwealth Writers' Prize Regional Winners 1987-2007 Commonwealth Foundation http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/uploads/documents/Regional%20Winners%201987-20071.pdf 18 January 2024 23 October 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20071023223729/http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/uploads/documents/Regional%20Winners%201987-20071.pdf dead Best Novel, SE Asia and South Pacific region Lily Brett Too Many Men Picador National Award Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for LiteratureState Library of South Australia https://stories.slsa.sa.gov.au/south-australian-literary-awards/ Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature – Past Literary Award Winners 15 July 2026 Roger McDonald Mr Darwin's Shooter Vintage Books The Age Book of the Year Award Amy Witting Isobel on the Way to the Corner Shop Penguin Books The Australian/Vogel Literary Award "Austlit – Australian/Vogel Award 2000-2002" Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v385?mainTabTemplate=awardWorksAndAgents&from=18&count=3 19 February 2024 15 February 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20240215222631/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v385?mainTabTemplate=awardWorksAndAgents&from=18&count=3 dead Stephen Gray The Artist is a Thief Allen and Unwin Kathleen Mitchell Award Austlit — Kathleen Mitchell Literary Award Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v225 17 February 2026 Julia Leigh The Hunter Penguin AustraliaMiles Franklin Award Austlit — Miles Franklin Literary Award : 2000-2002 Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v254?mainTabTemplate=awardWorksAndAgents&from=21&count=3 15 September 2023 Thea Astley Drylands Penguin Books Kim Scott Benang Fremantle Press New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards"Aboriginal book floors competition" Sydney Morning Herald, 16 May 2000 https://www.proquest.com/docview/2527651786 10 May 2024 2527651786 Michael Meehan The Salt of Broken Tears Vintage Books Queensland Premier's Literary Awards"Queensland Premier's Literary Awards - Previous Winners" Queensland Government http://www.qld.gov.au/about/events-awards-honours/awards/literary-awards/past-winners/ https://web.archive.org/web/20120717073830/http://www.qld.gov.au/about/events-awards-honours/awards/literary-awards/past-winners/ dead 2012-07-17 13 May 2025 Thea Astley Drylands Penguin Books Victorian Premier's Literary Awards"Victorian Literary Honours Awarded To Canberra Writers" The Canberra Times, 7 October 2000, p6 https://www.proquest.com/docview/1012368318 15 January 2025 1012368318 Christopher Koch Out of Ireland Doubleday Western Australian Premier's Book Awards"Australian Literary Awards: Western Australian Premier's" University Libraries, University of Washington https://guides.lib.uw.edu/c.php?g=341672&p=2299464 19 March 2025 Simone Lazaroo The Australian Fiancé Pan Macmillan Crime and Mystery National Award Category Author Title PublisherNed Kelly Award2000 Ned Kelly Award Winners http://www.austcrimewriters.com/ned-kelly-award-winners/1 https://web.archive.org/web/20160327181222/http://www.austcrimewriters.com/ned-kelly-award-winners/6 2016-03-27 17 January 2024 Australian Crime Writers Novel Peter Temple Shooting Star Bantam Books First novel Marshall Browne The Wooden Leg of Inspector Anders Duffy & SnellgroveTrue crime John Dale Huckstepp: A Dangerous Life Allen & Unwin Andrew Rule & John Silvester Underbelly 3 Floradale Productions & Sly Ink Lifetime Achievement Not awarded Children and Young Adult Award Category Author Title PublisherChildren's Book of the Year Award "CBCA Awards – Winners 2000-2006" CBCA http://cbca.org.au/2009.htm 17 February 2026 5 January 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100105155208/http://cbca.org.au/2009.htm dead Older Readers Nick Earls 48 Shades of Brown Penguin Books Picture Book Margaret Wild & Anne Spudvilas Jenny Angel Viking BooksNew South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Children's Literature Steven Herrick The Spangled Drongo University of Queensland Press Young People's Literature Meme McDonald and Boori Monty Pryor The Binna-Binna Man Allen & Unwin Victorian Premier's Prize for Young Adult Fiction Helen Barnes Killing Aurora Penguin Poetry Award Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature Dimitris Tsaloumas The Harbour University of Queensland Press The Age Book of the Year Peter Minter Empty Texas Paper Bark Press Anne Elder Award Austlit — Anne Elder Award 1998-2000 Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v148?mainTabTemplate=awardWorksAndAgents&from=21&count=3 13 February 2024 Arthur M. Spyrou The Garden of Delights Monogene Grace Leven Prize for Poetry Austlit — Grace Leven Poetry Prize 1994-2001 Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v186?mainTabTemplate=awardWorksAndAgents&from=9&count=3 13 February 2024August 2026 InternetArchiveBot Not awarded Mary Gilmore AwardMary Gilmore Award Association for the Study of Australian Literature https://www.asal.org.au/awards/mary-gilmore-award/ 10 February 2024 Lucy Dougan Memory Shell Five Islands Press New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Jennifer Maiden Mines Paper Bark Press Victorian Premier's Literary Awards John Millett Iceman Five Islands Press Western Australian Premier's Book Awards Mark Reid Parochial Fremantle Arts Centre Press Drama Award Category Author TitleNew South Wales Premier's Literary Awards FilmScript Melina Marchetta Looking for Alibrandi Play Daniel Keene Scissors, Paper, Rock Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Drama Hannie Rayson Life After GeorgePatrick White Playwrights' Award"Patrick White Playwrights' Award – Past Winners" Sydney Theatre Company https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/about/information-for-artists/patrick-white-playwrights-award-and-fellowship/past-winners 7 December 2025 Ben Ellis Who Are You, Mr James? Bette Guy Three Men - Three Chairs Ailsa Piper Small Mercies Non-fiction Award Category Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature Non-Fiction Tim Flannery Throw'im Way Leg: An Adventure Text Publishing The Age Book of the Year Non-Fiction Kim Mahood Craft for a Dry Lake AnchorNational Biography Award"National Biography Award – Past Winners" State Library of NSW https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/awards/national-biography-award?page=2 22 March 2024Biography Peter Robb M, a biography of European painter Caravaggio Duffy and Snellgrove Mandy Sayer Dreamtime Alice: A Memoir Random House Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Non-Fiction Adrian Caesar The White Picador Deaths A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 2000 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth. 5 March – Michael Noonan, novelist and radio scriptwriter (born 1921 in New Zealand)Michael Noonan (1921-2000) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A11022 2023-09-26 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 26 September 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230926062009/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A11022 dead 11 March – Gerald Glaskin, writer (born 1923)G. M. Glaskin (1923-2000) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A4580 2023-09-26 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 26 September 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230926061411/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A4580 dead 17 March – Jack Davis, playwright, poet and Indigenous rights campaigner (born 1917)Jack Davis (1917-2000) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A286 2023-09-16 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 10 November 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231110190912/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A286 dead 6 May – Elizabeth O'Conner, novelist (born 1913) Austlit — Elizabeth O'Conner (1913-2000) Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A10132 1 December 2023 3 December 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231203224700/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A10132 dead 25 May – Elizabeth Durack, artist and writer (born 1915)Elizabeth Durack (1915-2000) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A18882 2023-09-14 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 23 November 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20231123040750/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A18882 dead 16 June — Colin Roderick, editor and critic (born 1911) Austlit — Colin Roderick (1911-2000) Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A21740 23 November 2023 3 September 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230903162116/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A21740 dead 25 June – Judith Wright, poet, environmentalist and campaigner for Aboriginal land rights (born 1915) Judith Arundell Wright (1915–2000) by Georgina Arnott Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/wright-judith-arundell-34325 15 July 2026 3 July – Nancy Cato, historical novelist, biographer and poet (born 1917)Nancy Cato (1917-2000) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A35293 2023-09-16 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 10 August 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230810233558/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A35293 dead 13 July – A. D. Hope, poet and essayist (born 1907) Alec Derwent (A. D.) Hope (1907–2000) by Susan Lever Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hope-alec-derwent-a-d-503 9 November 2023 August – John Joseph Jones, poet, folk singer, musician, playwright and theatre director (born in London, 1930)John Joseph Jones (1930-2000) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A32159 2024-03-05 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 10 August – Clement Semmler, author, literary critic, broadcaster and radio and television executive (born 1914)Clement Semmler (1914-2000) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A2746 2023-09-14 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 31 August 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230831072325/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A2746 dead 17 August – Leslie Rees, children's writer and dramatist (born 1905)Leslie Rees (1905-2000) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A33219 2023-09-08 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 8 September 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230908055152/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A33219 dead 1 November – Ian Moffitt, journalist and novelist (born 1926)Ian Moffitt (1926-2000) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A30585 2023-09-26 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 12 August 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230812085140/https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A30585 dead See also 2000 in Australia 2000 in literature 2000 in poetry List of years in literature List of years in Australian literature References Category:2000 in Australia Category:Australian literature by year Category:20th-century Australian literature Category:2000 in literature