1976 in Australian literature

none October 2016 July 2026 This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1976. Events Major publications Books Nancy Cato and Vivienne Rae Ellis – Queen Trucanini Queen Trucanini by Nancy Cato and Vivienne Rae Ellis National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2820899 12 March 2026 Robert Drewe – The Savage Crows The Savage Crows by Robert Drewe National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/842038 12 May 2024 Helen Hodgman – Blue Skies Blue Skies by Helen Hodgman National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2262568 12 March 2026 David Ireland – The Glass Canoe Gwen Kelly – Middle-Aged Maidens Middle-Aged Maidens by Gwen Kelly National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2233450 12 March 2026 Thomas Keneally – Season in Purgatory Frank Moorhouse – Conference-Ville Conference-Ville by Frank Moorhouse National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2614 12 May 2024 Gerald Murnane – A Lifetime on Clouds A Lifetime on Clouds by Gerald Murnane National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1089756 12 May 2024 Betty Roland – Beyond CapricornBeyond Capricorn / Betty Roland https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/2191475 National Library of Australia 8 March 2026 Wendy Scarfe – The Lotus ThroneThe Lotus Throne by Wendy Scarfe https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/2364452 National Library of Australia 10 March 2026 Christina Stead – Miss Herbert (The Suburban Wife) Morris West – The Navigator Glen Tomasetti – Thoroughly Decent People: A Folk TaleThoroughly Decent People by Glen Tomasetti https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/335753 National Library of Australia 10 March 2026 Christine Townend – Travels with MyselfTravels With Myself by Christine Townend https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/2450324 National Library of Australia 10 March 2026 Patrick White – A Fringe of Leaves Short stories Glenda Adams – Lies and Stories Lies and Stories by Glenda Adams National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2231526 12 March 2026 Shirley Hazzard – "A Long Story Short" "A Long Story Short" by Shirley Hazzard Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C452637 12 March 2026 Elizabeth Jolley – Five Acre Virgin and Other Stories Five Acre Virgin and Other Stories by Elizabeth Jolley National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2512695 12 May 2024 Dal Stivens – The Unicorn and Other Tales The Unicorn and Other Tales by Dal Stivens National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/506844 12 May 2024 Science Fiction and Fantasy A. Bertram Chandler – The Way Back The Way Back by A. Bertam Chandler ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?725 15 April 2024 Lee Harding The Altered I : An Encounter with Science Fiction (edited) The Altered I edited by Lee Harding ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?35803 15 April 2024 Beyond Tomorrow (edited) Beyond Tomorrow edited by Lee Harding ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?4429 15 April 2024 Future Sanctuary Future Sanctuary by Lee Harding ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?8304 15 April 2024 David Lake – Walkers on the Sky Children's and Young Adult fiction Hesba Brinsmead – Under the Silkwood Under the Silkwood by Hesba Brinsmead National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2755465 12 May 2024 Elyne Mitchell – Son of the Whirlwind Son of the Whirlwind by Elyne Mitchell National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/834903 12 May 2024 Anne Parry – The Land Behind the World The Land Behind the World by Anne Parry National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/62696 12 March 2026 Ruth Park – Merchant Campbell Merchant Campbell by Ruth Park National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2371506 12 March 2026 Eleanor Spence – The October Child Colin Thiele – The Hammerhead LightThe Hammerhead Light Colin Thiele https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/697966 National Library of Australia 11 March 2026 Poetry 1976 in poetry Stefanie Bennett The MediumThe Medium : Poetry and Prose by Stefanie Bennett https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/2644448 National Library of Australia 8 March 2026 Tongues and PinnaclesTongues and pinnacles by Stefanie Bennett https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/2425831 National Library of Australia 8 March 2026 John Blight – Selected Poems, 1939-1975 Selected Poems, 1939-1975 by John Blight National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/3913841 12 May 2024 Joanne Burns – Adrenaline FlicknifeHooton Joy Heseltine Harry Annals of Australian Literature 1992 Oxford University Press Melbourne 200 2nd Laurie Duggan – East: Poems 1970-74 East: Poems 1970-74 by Laurie Duggan National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2911781 23 May 2025 Anne Elder – Crazy Woman and Other Poems Crazy Woman and Other Poems by Anne Elder National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2428444 12 March 2026 Geoffrey Lehmann – Selected Poems Selected Poems by Geoffrey Lehmann National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/945708 12 May 2024 Les Murray "The Buladelah-Taree Holiday Song Cycle" Selected Poems: The Vernacular Republic Selected Poems: The Vernacular Republic by Les Murray National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2241591 12 May 2024 Judith Wright – Fourth Quarter Fourth Quarter by Judith Wright National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/698915 12 May 2024 Drama Jennifer Compton – CrossfireJennifer Compton's play Crossfire (No man's land) : the role of women in Australian society, with historical comment on women's suffrage, status and the politics of motherhood edited by Meaghan Morris https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/2385725 National Library of Australia Dorothy Hewett This Old Man Comes Rolling Home The Tatty Hollow Story Peter Kenna – Mates Mates by Peter Kenna Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C246627 12 December 2024 Steve J. Spears – The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin Ric Throssell – For Valour (first performed 1960) David Williamson – A Handful of Friends Non-fiction Donald Horne – Death of the Lucky Country Death of the Lucky Country by Donald Horne National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2219884 12 May 2024 Gavin Souter – Lion and Kangaroo Lion and Kangaroo by Gavin Souter National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1041004 12 May 2024 Hugh Stretton – Capitalism, Socialism and the Environment Awards and honours Lifetime achievement Award Author Christopher Brennan Award"Poetry prize" The Canberra Times, 4 March 1976, p3 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110806489 13 September 2023 A. D. Hope Patrick White Award Austlit — Patrick White Award - Past Winners Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v617?mainTabTemplate=awardWorksAndAgents 22 August 2023 John Blight Literary Award Author Title PublisherThe Age Book of the Year Award"'AGE' award to historian, poet" The Age, 24 November 1976 https://www.proquest.com/docview/2520883088 12 May 2024 2520883088 A. D. Hope A Late Picking : Poems 1965-1974 Angus & Robertson Hugh Stretton Capitalism, Socialism and the Environment Cambridge University Press 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 Award"Colin Roderick Award - Previous Winners", James Cook University Gavin Souter Lion and Kangaroo Collins Fiction Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award A. D. Hope A Late Picking : Poems 1965-1974 Angus & Robertson Miles Franklin Award"Author's third Miles Franklin", The Canberra Times, 3 June 1980, p3 David Ireland The Glass Canoe Macmillan Children and Young Adult Award Category Author Title PublisherChildren's Book of the Year Award Older Readers"1976 children's book awards announced", The Canberra Times, 10 July 1976, p3 Ivan Southall Fly West Angus and Robertson Picture Book Dick Roughsey The Rainbow Serpent Collins Science fiction and fantasy Award Category Author Title PublisherAustralian SF Achievement Award "Ditmar Awards 1976" SFADB https://www.sfadb.com/Ditmar_Awards_1976 12 December 2024 Best Australian Science Fiction A. Bertram Chandler The Big Black Mark DAW Books Poetry Award Author Title Publisher Grace Leven Prize for PoetryAustlit - Selected Poems 1939–1975 by John Blight John Blight Selected Poems 1939–1975 Nelson 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 Not awarded Non-fiction Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award Hugh Stretton Capitalism, Socialism and the Environment Cambridge University Press Births A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1976 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death. 26 May — Marieke Hardy, writer Austlit — Marieke Hardy Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A69361 27 September 2023 Unknown date Kate Morton, novelist Austlit — Kate Morton Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A95096 27 September 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 1976 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth. 18 February — Catherine Shepherd, playwright (born 1901) Shepherd, Catherine (1901–1976) by Gillian Winter Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/shepherd-catherine-11677 23 September 2023 16 April – Nina Murdoch, poet and biographer (born 1890) Murdoch, Madoline (Nina) (1890–1976) by Suzanne Edgar Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/murdoch-madoline-nina-7694 25 June 2023 2 June – Lyndall Hadow, short story writer and journalist (born 1903) Lyndall Hadow (1903-1976) Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A24343 25 June 2023 6 August — George Farwell, novelist (born 1911) George Michell Farwell (1911–1976) by Stuart Inder Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/farwell-george-michell-10159 23 November 2023 14 August — James Devaney, novelist (born 1890) Devaney, James Martin (1890–1976) by M. D. O'Hagan Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/devaney-james-martin-9959 26 August 2023 22 August – Ella McFadyen, poet (born 1887) McFadyen, Ella May (1887–1976) by Emily Gallagher Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcfadyen-ella-may-27619 25 June 2023 15 October – James McAuley, poet (born 1917) McAuley, James Phillip (1917–1976) by Peter Pierce Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcauley-james-phillip-10896 25 June 2023 23 October – Ian Mudie, poet (born 1911) Mudie, Ian Mayelston (1911–1976) by Philip Butterss Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mudie-ian-mayelston-11192 25 June 2023 See also 1976 in Australia 1976 in literature 1976 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:1976 in literature