1979 in Australian literature

none April 2019 April 2019 This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1979. Events David Ireland won the 1979 Miles Franklin Award for A Woman of the Future The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards are presented for the first time About the Awards NSW Premier's Literary Awards http://www.pla.nsw.gov.au/about-the-awards 22 July 2026 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120219030418/http://www.pla.nsw.gov.au/about-the-awards 19 February 2012 Major publications Books Gabrielle Carey and Kathy Lette – Puberty Blues David Ireland – A Woman of the Future Thomas Keneally Confederates Passenger Roger McDonald – 1915: A Novel of Gallipoli Randolph Stow – Visitants Visitants by Randolph Stow National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1471379 22 July 2026 Morris West — Proteus Patrick White – The Twyborn Affair Short stories Glenda Adams — "A Snake Down Under" Austlit — "A Snake Down Under" by Glenda Adams Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C131311 25 November 2023 Thea Astley — Hunting the Wild Pineapple Peter Carey — War Crimes Elizabeth Jolley – The Travelling Entertainer and Other Stories The Travelling Entertainer and Other Stories by Elizabeth Jolley National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1304969 22 July 2026 Science Fiction and Fantasy A. Bertram Chandler – Matilda's Stepchildren Matilda's Stepchildren by A. Bertram Chandler ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?735 19 April 2024 Anne Spencer Parry – The Crown of Darkness The Crown of Darkness by Anne Spencer Parry ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?910915 19 April 2024 Children's and Young Adult fiction Catherine Berndt – Land of the Rainbow Snake Land of the Rainbow Snake by Catherine Berndt National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2791914 22 July 2026 Mavis Thorpe Clark – The Lilly-Pilly The Lilly-Pilly by Mavis Thorpe Clarke National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1514837 22 July 2026 Lee Harding – Displaced Person Joan Phipson: No Escape No Escape by Joan Phipson National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2871113 22 July 2026 Mr Pringle and the Prince Mr Pringle and the Prince by Joan Phipson National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/10782 22 July 2026 Poetry Robert Adamson – Where I Come From Where I Come From by Robert Adamson National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1303922 19 April 2024 David Campbell – The Man in the Honeysuckle Rosemary Dobson and David Campbell – Seven Russian Poets Seven Russian Poets by Rosemary Dobson and David Campbell National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1293093 19 April 2024 Robert Gray – Grass Script Grass Script by Robert Gray National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1288247 19 April 2024 Les Harrop – The Hum of the Old Suit: Poems The Hum of the Old Suit: Poems by Lesd Harrop National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2810494 23 May 2025 Gwen Harwood – "A Simple Story" Dorothy Hewett – Greenhouse Greenhouse by Dorothy Hewett National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2826248 19 April 2024 Jennifer Maiden – The Border Loss The Border Loss by Jennifer Maiden National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1288223 19 April 2024 Les Murray – The Boys Who Stole the Funeral John Tranter Dazed in the Ladies Lounge Dazed in the Ladies Lounge by John Tranter National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1325816 19 April 2024 Editor, The New Australian Poetry (anthology)Preminger, Alex and T.V.F. Brogan, et al., editors, The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, 1993, Princeton University Press and MJF Books, "Australian Poetry" article, Anthologies section, p 108 Chris Wallace-Crabbe The Emotions Are Not Skilled Workers The Emotions Are Not Skilled Workers by Chris Wallace-Crabbe National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1288230 19 April 2024 Toil and Spin: Two Directions in Modern Poetry Toil and Spin: Two Directions in Modern Poetry by Chris Wallace-Crabbe National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1286897 19 April 2024 Drama Dorothy Hewett – The Man From Mukinupin Louis Nowra The Lady of the Camellias"The Golden Age (STC) – theatre review" The Blurb https://theblurb.com.au/wp/httptheblurb-com-aureviewsthe-golden-age-stc-theatre-review/ 19 April 2024 Visions Austlit — Vision by Louis Nowra Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C97688 19 April 2024 Non-fiction Manning Clark — A History of Australia Volume IV Terry Irving and Raewyn Connell — Class Structure in Australian History Awards and honours Order of Australia John Jefferson Bray appointed Companion of the Order of Australia (AC)https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/882306 The Hon Dr John Jefferson Bray honours.pmc.gov.au 2019-04-21 Nancy Keesing appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM)https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/870257 Nancy Florence Keesing (Mrs A.M. Hertzberg) honours.pmc.gov.au 2019-04-21 Douglas Stewart appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/870305 Douglas Alexander Stewart, OBE honours.pmc.gov.au 2019-04-21 Judah Waten appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM)https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/870028 Judah Leon Waten honours.pmc.gov.au 2019-04-21 Lifetime achievement Award Author Christopher Brennan Award Austlit — FAW Christopher Brennan Award 1978-79 Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v539?mainTabTemplate=awardWorksAndAgents&from=21&count=3 13 September 2023 Not awarded Patrick White Awardhttps://guides.lib.uw.edu/c.php?g=341672&p=2299457 Library Guides: Australian Literary Awards: Patrick White Christenberry Faye guides.lib.uw.edu en 2019-04-21 Randolph Stow Literary Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award"Rewards of many kinds for our gifted writers" The Age, 8 December 1979, p23 https://www.proquest.com/docview/2676332120 20 May 2024 2676332120 Roger McDonald 1915: A Novel of Gallipoli University of Queensland 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 Not awarded Colin Roderick Awardhttps://www.jcu.edu.au/foundation-for-australian-literary-studies/colin-roderick-award/2017-winner-and-shortlist/previous-winners2 Other Winners 2017-11-15 www.jcu.edu.au en-AU 2019-04-21 20 April 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190420205921/https://www.jcu.edu.au/foundation-for-australian-literary-studies/colin-roderick-award/2017-winner-and-shortlist/previous-winners2 dead Thea Astley Hunting the Wild Pineapple Thomas Nelson Fiction Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award Roger McDonald 1915: A Novel of Gallipoli University of Queensland Press Miles Franklin Awardhttps://www.betterreading.com.au:443/book_list/miles-franklin-literary-award-every-winner-since-1957/ Miles Franklin Literary Award – Every Winner Since 1957 Better Reading en 2019-04-21 David Ireland A Woman of the Future Penguin Books New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards NSW Premier's Literary Awards The Canberra Times, 4 September 1979, p6 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110595138 28 December 2023 David Malouf An Imaginary Life Chatto & Windus Children and Young Adult Award Category Author Title PublisherChildren's Book of the Year Awardhttp://cbca.org.au/awardshistory.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20100106162923/http://cbca.org.au/awardshistory.htm dead 2010-01-06 Previous Winners - CBCA 2010-01-06 2019-04-21 Older Readers Ruth Manley The Plum-Rain Scroll Hodder and Stoughton Picture Book No awardNew South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Children's Book Award Jenny Wagner, and Ron Brooks (illus) John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat Kestrel Special Children's Book Award Patricia Wrightson The Dark Bright Water Hutchinson Science fiction and fantasy Award Category Author Title Publisher Australian SF Achievement Award "Ditmar Awards 1979" SFADB https://www.sfadb.com/Ditmar_Awards_1979 12 December 2024 Best Australian Science Fiction George Turner Beloved Son Faber Poetry Award Author Title Publisher Anne Elder Award Austlit — Anne Elder Award 1979-81 Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v148?mainTabTemplate=awardWorksAndAgents&from=39&count=3 8 February 2024 Les Harrop The Hum of the Old Suit: Poems Angus & Robertson Grace Leven Prize for Poetry Austlit — The Man in the Honeysuckle by David Campbell Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C142554 3 September 2023 David Campbell The Man in the Honeysuckle Angus & Robertson 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 Ron Blair Marx Non-fiction Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award Not awarded New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards A History of Australia Volume IV Manning Clark Melbourne 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 1979 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death. 21 May – James Clancy Phelan, writer of thrillers and young adult novels Austlit — James Clancy Phelan Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A90135 11 October 2023 6 June – Randa Abdel-Fattah, novelist Austlit — Randa Abdel-Fattah Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A90134 11 October 2023 Unknown date Maxine Beneba Clarke, writer and slam poet Austlit — Maxine Beneba Clarke Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A121996 11 October 2023 Andrew Hutchinson, novelist Austlit — Andrew Hutchinson Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A70938 11 October 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 1979 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth. 6 March – Helen Palmer, socialist publisher (born 1917) Helen Gwynneth Palmer (1917–1979) by Robin Gollan Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/palmer-helen-gwynneth-11333 11 October 2023 6 June – Ion Idriess, writer (born 1889) Idriess, Ion Llewellyn (1889–1979) by Julian Croft Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/idriess-ion-llewellyn-6786 12 August 2023 29 July – David Campbell, poet (born 1915)David Campbell (1915-1979) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A16125 2023-09-14 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 13 August – F. J. Thwaites, novelist (born 1908) Frederick Joseph Thwaites (1908–1979) by Ron Blaber Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/thwaites-frederick-joseph-8810 11 October 2023 21 November – Marie Byles, travel writer and non-fiction writer (born 1900) Marie Beuzeville Byles (1900–1979) by Heather Radi Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/byles-marie-beuzeville-9652 11 October 2023 24 November — Tom Quilty, pastoralist and bush poet (born 1887) Quilty, Thomas John (1887–1979) by Cathie Clement Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/quilty-thomas-john-11471 21 August 2023 8 December – Jennifer Rankin, poet and playwright (born 1941)Jennifer Rankin (1941-1979) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A27263 2023-08-27 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland See also 1979 in Australia 1979 in literature 1979 in poetry List of years in literature List of years in Australian literature References Category:Australian literature by year Category:20th-century Australian literature Category:1979 in literature