2012 in Australian literature

none October 2017 October 2017 This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 2012. Events Clive James is made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for "services to literature and the media" in the Queen Elizabeth II's New Year Honours List.British Honour for Clive James Five literary figures are named in the Australia Day Honours: Paul Brunton, Stuart Macintyre, Roy Masters, Ros Pesman and Carol Woodrow.Australia Day Honours Peter Carey is the recipient of the Bodleian Libraries' 2012 Bodley Medal. The medal is awarded by the Bodleian Libraries of the University of Oxford "to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the worlds in which the Bodleian is active: literature, culture, science, and communication".Carey Wins Oxford's Bodley Medal Incoming Premier Campbell Newman cancels the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards.Queensland Premier's Literary Awards Cancelled In response, a week later, the new Queensland Literary Awards are announced.Queensland Literary Awards to Proceed Under New Management The awards use a crowd-funding campaign to raise the prize-money for their initial set of awards.Queensland Literary Awards Funding Sophie Cunningham is appointed as the new head of the Australian Literature Board.Literature Board's New Head In the Queen's Birthday Honours, Peter Carey, Barbara Blackman, Rolf Harris, and Liz Jones were appointed Officers of the Order of Australia (AO), Grahame Bond and Peter Steele were appointed Members of the Order of Australia (AM), and Peter Singer was appointed Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).Queen's Birthday Honours 2012 Text Publishing launches its Text Classics line, reprinting Australian literary classics.Australian Writers Back in Print Melbourne City Council unveils "Literature Lane", a small laneway off Little LaTrobe Street near the State Library of Victoria, in recognition of Melbourne's status as a UNESCO City of Literature.Literature Lane The Grace Leven Prize for Poetry was discontinued.2013-07-23 Toby Fitch's Rawshock wins Grace Leven Poetry Prize https://puncherandwattmann.com/toby-fitchs-rawshock-wins-grace-leven-poetry-prize/ 13 February 2024 Puncher & Wattmann en-US Major publications Literary fiction Romy Ash – Floundering Floundering by Romy Ash National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5780246 15 April 2025 Murray Bail – The Voyage The Voyage by Murray Bail National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5983166 15 April 2025 Peter Carey – The Chemistry of Tears Brian Castro – Street to Street Street to Street by Brian Castro National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/6092771 15 April 2025 Courtney Collins – The Burial Michelle de Kretser – Questions of Travel Annah Faulkner – The Beloved Susan Johnson – My Hundred Lovers 'My Hundred Lovers by Susan Johnson National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5972642 15 April 2025 Toni Jordan – Nine Days Tom Keneally – The Daughters of Mars Christopher Koch – Lost Voices Lost Voices by Christopher Koch National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/7576786 15 April 2025 Drusilla Modjeska – The Mountain Stephanie Radok – An Opening: twelve love stories about art An Opening: twelve love stories about art by Stephanie Radok National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5739091 15 April 2025 Graeme Simsion – The Rosie Project M. L. Stedman – The Light Between Oceans Carrie Tiffany – Mateship with Birds Patrick White – The Hanging Garden Sue Woolfe – The Oldest Song in the World The Oldest Song in the World by Sue Woolfe National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/7575756 15 April 2025 Short stories Cate Kennedy – Like a House on Fire Children's and Young Adult fiction Michael Gerard Bauer – Epic Fail Epic Fail by Michael Gerard Bauer National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5969973 28 February 2024 Mem Fox Good Night, Sleep Tight Tell Me About Your Day Today Two Little Monkeys Jackie French – Pennies for Hitler Pennies for Hitler by Jackie French National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/7576470 28 February 2024 Morris Gleitzman – After After by Morris Gleitzman National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/7287250 28 February 2024 Sonya Hartnett – Children of the King Children of the King by Sonya Hartnett National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/7287149 28 February 2024 Steven Herrick – Pookie Aleera Is Not My Boyfriend Pookie Aleera Is Not My Boyfriend by Steven Herrick National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5811579 28 February 2024 Doug MacLeod – The Shiny Guys The Shiny Guys by Doug MacLeod National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/7287139 28 February 2024 Emily Rodda – The Silver Door The Silver Door by Emily Rodda National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5720891 28 February 2024 Carole Wilkinson – Blood Brothers Blood Brothers by Carole Wilkinson National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5719180 28 February 2024 Science Fiction and Fantasy John Birmingham – Stalin's Hammer: Rome Stalin's Hammer: Rome by John Birmingham ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1531397 15 September 2024 Trudi Canavan – The Traitor Queen Greg Egan – The Eternal Flame Will Elliott – Nightfall Nightfall by Will Elliott ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1785166 15 September 2024 Jennifer Fallon – The Dark Divide The Dark Divide by Jennifer Fallon ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1770486 15 September 2024 Ian Irvine – Rebellion Rebellion by Ian Irvine ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1377152 15 September 2024 Margo Lanagan – Sea Hearts Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1372055 15 September 2024 Jaclyn Moriarty – A Corner of White A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty ISFDB https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1565798 15 September 2024 Garth Nix – A Confusion of Princes Crime and Mystery Jessie Cole – Darkness on the Edge of Town Darkness on the Edge of Town by Jessie Cole National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5815775 5 April 2025 Peter Corris – Comeback Comeback by Peter Corris National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/6103690 5 April 2025 Kathryn Fox – Cold Grave Cold Grave by Kathryn Fox National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5813735 5 April 2025 Kerry Greenwood – Unnatural Habits Unnatural Habits by Kerry Greenwood National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/6099842 5 April 2025 Maggie Groff – Mad Men, Bad Girls and the Guerilla Knitters Institute Katherine Howell – Silent Fear Silent Fear by Katherine Howell National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5716889 5 April 2025 L. A. Larkin – Thirst Thirst by L. A. Larkin National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/6039145 5 April 2025 Gabrielle Lord – Death by Beauty Death by Beauty by Gabrielle Lord National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5787163 5 April 2025 Zane Lovitt – The Midnight Promise The Midnight Promise by Zane Lovitt National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/6302562 5 April 2025 Colleen McCullough – The Prodigal Son The Prodigal Son by Colleen McCullough National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/6299259 5 April 2025 Geoffrey McGeachin – Blackwattle Creek Adrian McKinty – The Cold, Cold Ground The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5809121 5 April 2025 Tara Moss – Assassin Assassin by Tara Moss National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5951340 5 April 2025 Malla Nunn – Silent Valley Silent Valley by Malla Nunn National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5780586 5 April 2025 Michael Robotham – Say You're Sorry Say You're Sorry by Michael Robotham National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/6105122 5 April 2025 Poetry Rosemary Dobson – Collected Collected by Rosemary Dobson National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5783682 4 April 2025 Brook Emery — Collusion"Collusion / Brook Emery", National Library of Australia. Kate Fagan – First Light First Light by Kate Fagan National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5754038 4 April 2025 Robert Gray – Cumulus: Collected Poems Cumulus: Collected Poems by Robert Gray National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/6073840 4 April 2025 John Kinsella – Jam Tree Gully: Poems Kate Lilley – Ladylike Ladylike by Kate Lilley National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5779087 4 April 2025 Rhyll McMaster – Late Night Shopping Late Night Shopping by Rhyll McMaster National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5760751 4 April 2025 Jennifer Maiden – Liquid Nitrogen Les Murray The Best 100 Poems of Les Murray The Quadrant Book of Poetry 2001–2010 (edited) The Quadrant Book of Poetry 2001–2010 edited by Les Murray National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5742287 4 April 2025 John Shaw Neilson – Collected Verse of John Shaw Neilson Collected Verse of John Shaw Neilson by John Shaw Neilson National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5970584 4 April 2025 Peter Rose – Crimson Crop Crimson Crop by Peter Rose National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5745425 4 April 2025 Randolph Stow – The Land's Meaning: New Selected Poems (edited by John Kinsella) The Land's Meaning: New Selected Poems edited by John Kinsella National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5078221 4 April 2025 John Tranter ed. – The Best Australian Poems 2012 The Best Australian Poems 2012 edited by John Tranter Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C840687 4 April 2025 Biography John Bailey – Into the Unknown: The Tormented Life and Expeditions of Ludwig Leichhardt Into the Unknown: The Tormented Life and Expeditions of Ludwig Leichhardt by John Bailey National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5334290 3 April 2025 Daryl Dellora – Michael Kirby: Law, Love and Life Michael Kirby: Law, Love and Life by Daryl Dellora National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5907646 3 April 2025 Gideon Haigh – On Warne On Warne by Gideon Haigh National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/7287121 3 April 2025 Jenny Hocking – Gough Whitlam: His Time: Volume 2 Gough Whitlam: His Time: Volume 2 by Jenny Hocking National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5983157 3 April 2025 J. C. Kannemeyer – J. M. Coetzee: A Life in Writing J. M. Coetzee: A Life in Writing by J. C. Kannemeyer National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/8038705 3 April 2025 Malcolm Knox – Bradman's War: How the 1948 Invincibles Turned the Cricket Pitch into a Battlefield Bradman's War: How the 1948 Invincibles Turned the Cricket Pitch into a Battlefield by Malcolm Knox National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/6038246 3 April 2025 Mungo MacCallum – The Good, the Bad and the Unlikely: Australia's Prime Ministers The Good, the Bad and the Unlikely: Australia's Prime Ministers by Mungo MacCallum National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5695458 3 April 2025 David McKnight – Rupert Murdoch: An Investigation of Political Power Rupert Murdoch: An Investigation of Political Power by David McKnight National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5781789 3 April 2025 Brenda Niall – True North: The Story of Mary and Elizabeth Durack True North: The Story of Mary and Elizabeth Durack by Brenda Niall National Library of Australia https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/5782652 3 April 2025 Non-fiction Kerry Greenwood – Tamam Shud: The Somerton Man Mystery Drama Ian Meadows – Between Two Waves Tee O'Neill – Barassi Awards and honours Lifetime achievement Award Author Christopher Brennan Award"THORNE, Tim—poetry, ‘Running out of Entropy’" Walleah Press https://walleahpress.com.au/bookshop/product/thorne-tim-poetry-running-out-of-entropy/ 10 September 2023 Tim Thorne Melbourne Prize for Literature Austlit — Melbourne Prize Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v1513 9 November 2023 Alex Miller Patrick White Awardhttp://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/religion-shapes-winners-prose-20121116-29hf8.html Religion shapes winner's prose Sydney Morning Herald Susan Wyndham November 16, 2012 September 10, 2023 Amanda Lohrey Literary Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the YearSteger Jason 2012-08-24 The words that count https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/books/the-words-that-count-20120824-24qs5.html 2 February 2024 The Age en 13 June 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220613053204/https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/books/the-words-that-count-20120824-24qs5.html live James Boyce 1835: The Founding of Melbourne & The Conquest of Australia Black Inc 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 January 2024 Gillian Mears Foal's Bread Allen & Unwin 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 2 February 2024 Thomas Keneally The Daughters of Mars Random House Indie Book Awards Book of the Year"Indie Book Awards - Winners 2012 & prior" Australian Independent Booksellers https://www.indiebookawards.com.au/prior-2012-winners 12 March 2024 Anna Funder All That I Am Penguin Books Nita Kibble Literary Award 2009-06-09 Kibble Literary Award https://history.cass.anu.edu.au/centres/ncb/kibble-literary-award 9 March 2024 Australian National University en-AU Gail Jones Five Bells Vintage Books Victorian Prize for Literature2012 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2012 https://www.wheelercentre.com/victorian-premier-s-literary-awards/past-awards/2012-victorian-premier-s-literary-awards 12 August 2025 The Wheeler Centre Bill Gammage The Biggest Estate on Earth Allen & Unwin Fiction International Award Region Author Title Publisher Commonwealth Book Prizehttp://www.commonwealthwriters.org/commonwealth-writers-announces-regional-winners-for-2012-prizes/ Commonwealth Writers announces regional winners for 2012 prizes Commonwealth Writers 21 May 2012 May 22, 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120525084228/http://www.commonwealthwriters.org/commonwealth-writers-announces-regional-winners-for-2012-prizes/ 25 May 2012 Pacific Cory Taylor Me and Mr Booker Text Publishing National Award Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for LiteratureState Library of South Australia https://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/past-literary-award-winners Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature – Past Literary Award Winners 7 May 2024 9 March 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260309180911/https://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/past-literary-award-winners dead Kim Scott That Deadman Dance Picador The Age Book of the Year Award Gillian Mears Foal's Bread Allen & Unwin The Australian/Vogel Literary Award"Austlit – Australian/Vogel Award 2009-2012" Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v385?mainTabTemplate=awardWorksAndAgents&from=9&count=3 19 February 2024 Paul D. Carter Eleven Seasons Allen & Unwin Barbara Jefferis Award"Barbara Jefferis Award" Australian Society of Authors https://www.asauthors.org.au/award/barbara-jefferis-award/ 20 January 2024 Anna Funder All That I Am Penguin Books Indie Book Awards Book of the Year – Fiction Elliot Perlman The Street Sweeper Vintage Books Indie Book Awards Book of the Year – Debut Fiction Anna Funder All That I Am Penguin Books Miles Franklin AwardNancarrow Daniel 2012-06-20 Anna Funder's All That I Am wins Miles Franklin https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/anna-funders-all-that-i-am-wins-miles-franklin-20120620-20ocj.html 2022-08-09 The Sydney Morning Herald en Anna Funder All That I Am Penguin Books Prime Minister's Literary Awards"Prime Minister's Literary Awards - Shortlist and winners: 2021-2008" Creative Australia https://creative.gov.au/advocacy-and-research/events/prime-ministers-literary-awards/ 11 January 2024 Gillian Mears Foal's Bread Allen & Unwin New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards"Huge power in sparse narratives" The Age, 20 May 2013 https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/books/huge-power-in-sparse-narratives-20130519-2jupo.html 30 December 2023 Kim Scott That Deadman Dance Picador Queensland Literary Awards "2012 Winners (Queensland Literary Awards)" State Library of Queensland http://www.qldliteraryawards.org.au/winners/2012-winners 11 January 2024 1 September 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170901105640/http://www.qldliteraryawards.org.au/winners/2012-winners dead Frank Moorhouse Cold Light Vintage Australia Victorian Premier's Literary Award Gillian Mears Foal's Bread Allen & Unwin 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 23 May 2025 Michelle de Kretser Questions of Travel Allen & Unwin Children and Young Adult National Award Category Author Title PublisherChildren's Book of the Year Award "CBCA – Winners 2012" CBCA https://www.cbca.org.au/winners-2012 17 January 2025 20 April 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20240420005633/https://www.cbca.org.au/winners-2012 dead Older Readers Scott Gardner The Dead I Know Allen & Unwin Younger Readers Kate Constable Crow Country Allen & Unwin Picture Book Bob Graham A Bus Called Heaven Walker Books Early Childhood Nick Bland, illus. Freya Blackwood Maudie Bear Scholastic Press Indie Book Awards Book of the Year Children's & YA Anh Do & Suzanne Do & Bruce Whatley (Illus) The Little Refugee Allen & UnwinNew South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Children's Kate Constable Crow Country Allen & Unwin Young People's Penni Russon Only Ever Always Allen & UnwinQueensland Literary Awards Children's Briony Stewart Kumiko and the Shadow Catchers University of Queensland Press Young Adult Neil Grant The Ink Bridge Allen & Unwin Victorian Premier's Literary Award Young Adult FictionJohn Larkin The Shadow Girl Random HouseWestern Australian Premier's Book AwardsChildren's Stephen Herrick Pookie Aleera Is Not My Boyfriend University of Queensland Press Peter Macinnis Australian Backyard Naturalist National Library of Australia Writing for Young Adults Margo Lanagan Sea Hearts Allen and Unwin Crime and Mystery National Award Category Author Title PublisherDavitt Award"LibraryThing: Davitt Awards 2012" LibraryThing https://www.librarything.com/award/2525.0.0.2010/Davitt-Award-2012 29 January 2024 Novel Sulari Gentill A Decline in Prophets Pantera Press Young adult novel Meg McKinlay Surface Tension Walker Books True crime Liz Porter Cold Case Files: Past Crimes Solved by New Forensic Science Pan Macmillan Debut novel Jaye Ford Beyond Fear Bantam BooksReaders' choice YA Erskine The Brotherhood Bantam Books Jaye Ford Beyond Fear Bantam BooksNed Kelly Award2012-08-29 Ned Kelly Award Winners 2012 Announced https://www.readings.com.au/news/ned-kelly-award-winners-2012-announced 29 January 2024 Readings Books en 2012-11-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20121110032613/http://www.readings.com.au/news/ned-kelly-award-winners-2012-announced live Novel J. C. Burke Pig Boy Random House Australia First novel Peter Twohig The Cartographer Fourth Estate True crime Eamonn Duff Sins of the Father: The Untold Story Behind Schapelle Corby's Ill-Fated Drug Run Allen & Unwin Life achievement Gabrielle Lord Science fiction Award Category Author Title PublisherAurealis Award SF Novel Daniel O'Malley The Rook HarperCollins SF Short Story Margo Lanagan "Significant Dust" Twelfth Planet Press (Cracklescape) Fantasy Novel Margo Lanagan Sea Hearts Allen & Unwin Fantasy Short Story Margo Lanagan "Bajazzle" Twelfth Planet Press (Cracklescape) Horror Novel Kirstyn McDermott Perfections Xuom Horror Short Story Kaaron Warren "Sky" Twelfth Planet Press (Through Splintered Walls) Anthology Jonathan Strahan The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of the Year Volume 6 Night Shade Books Collection K. J. Bishop That Book Your Mad Ancestor Wrote K. J. BishopAustralian Shadows Awards Novel Kirstyn McDermott Perfections Xoum Long Fiction Kaaron Warren "Sky" Through Splintered Walls: A Twelve Planets Collection edited by Alisa Krasnostein Short Fiction Martin J. Livings "Birthday Suit" Living with the Dead by Martin J. Livings Edited Publication Craig Bezant, editor Surviving The End Dark Prints Press Collected Works Kaaron Warren Through Splintered Walls: A Twelve Planets Collection Twelfth Planet PressDitmar Award Novel Kim Westwood The Courier's New Bicycle HarperVoyager Novella/Novelette Paul Haines "The Past is a Bridge Best Left Burnt" The Last Days of Kali Yuga Short Story Tansy Rayner Roberts "The Patrician" Love and Romanpunk Collected Work Paul Haines The Last Days of Kali Yuga Brimstone Poetry Award Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature Les Murray Taller When Prone Black Inc Publishing The Age Book of the Year Mal McKimmie The Brokenness Sonnets I-III And Other Poems Five Islands Press Anne Elder Award Austlit — Anne Elder Award (2011-2013) Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v148?mainTabTemplate=awardWorksAndAgents&from=9&count=3 28 February 2024 Elizabeth Allen Body Language Vagabond PressGrace Leven Prize for Poetry Austlit — Grace Leven Poetry prize (2008-2012) Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v186 28 February 2024 Toby Fitch Rawshock Puncher and Wattmann Michael Brennan Autoethnographic Giramondo Publishing Laurie Duggan The Collected Blue Hills Puncher and Wattmann John Kinsella Jaguar's Dream Alma Books Michael Sharkey Another Fine Morning in Paradise Five Island Press Mary Gilmore PrizeMary Gilmore Award Association for the Study of Australian Literature https://www.asal.org.au/awards/mary-gilmore-award/ 29 February 2024 Fiona Wright Knuckled Giramondo PublishingPrime Minister's Literary Awards Luke Davies Interferon Psalms Allen and Unwin New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Gig Ryan New and Selected Poems Giramondo Publishing Queensland Literary Awards Peter Rose Crimson Crop UWA Publishing Victorian Premier's Literary Award John Kinsella Armour Picador Western Australian Premier's Book Awards Robert Gray Cumulus John Leonard Press Drama Award Category Author Title PublisherNew South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsPlay Joanna Murray-Smith The Gift Melbourne Theatre Company Vanessa Bates Porn.Cake Beckett Theatre, Melbourne Script Peter Duncan Rake (Episode 1): "R v Murray" ABC TelevisionPatrick 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 25 December 2025 Award Anna Barnes Minus One Sister Griffin Theatre Company Fellowship Hilary Bell Non-Fiction Award Category Author Title Publisher Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature Non-fiction Mark McKenna An Eye for Eternity: The Life of Manning Clark Miegunyah Press The Age Book of the Year Non-fictionJames Boyce 1835: The Founding of Melbourne & The Conquest of Australia Black Inc. Children's Book of the Year Award Eve Pownall Award for Information Books Alison Lester and Coral Tulloch One Small Island: The Story of Macquarie Island Penguin Group Davitt Award True crime Liz Porter Cold Case Files: Past crimes solved by new forensic science Pan Macmillan National Biography AwardDr Martin Thomas wins 2012 National Biography Award http://history.cass.anu.edu.au/story/dr-martin-thomas-wins-2012-national-biography-award Australian National University 1 August 2024 25 February 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140225052103/http://history.cass.anu.edu.au/story/dr-martin-thomas-wins-2012-national-biography-award dead Biography Martin Thomas The Many Worlds of R. H. Mathews: In Search of an Australian Anthropologist Allen & Unwin Indie Book Awards Book of the Year Non-Fiction William McInnes & Sarah Watt Worse Things Happen at Sea Hachette Prime Minister's Literary Awards Non-fiction Mark McKenna An Eye for Eternity: The Live of Manning Clark Melbourne University Publishing New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Non-fiction Mark McKenna An Eye for Eternity: The Live of Manning Clark Melbourne University PublishingNew South Wales Premier's History Awards Australian History Russell McGregor Indifferent Inclusion: Aboriginal People and the Australian Nation Aboriginal Studies Press Community and Regional History Deborah Beck Set in Stone: A History of the Cell Block Theatre UNSW Press General History Tim Bonyhady Good Living Street: The Fortunes of My Viennese Family Allen & Unwin Young People's Stephanie Owen Reeder Amazing Grace: An Adventure at Sea National Library of AustraliaQueensland Literary Awards Non-fiction Robin De Crespigny The People Smuggler Penguin Group History Bill Gammage The Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines Made Australia Allen & Unwin Victorian Premier's Literary Award Non-fiction Bill Gammage The Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines Made Australia Allen & UnwinWestern Australian Premier's Book Awards Non-fiction Roger Averill Exile: The Lives and Hopes of Werner Pelz Transit Lounge Western Australian history edited by Anne Scrimgeour; transcribed and translated by Barbara Hale, Mark Clendon Kurlumarniny: We come from the Desert Aboriginal Studies Press Deaths 14 April – Bruce Bennett, literary academic (born 1941)Bruce Bennett (1941-2012) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A32904 2023-08-27 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 18 June – Don Charlwood, writer (born 1915)D. E. Charlwood (1915-2012) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A10349 2024-02-16 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 24 June – Ralph Elliott, critic and academic (born 1921)Ralph Elliott (1921-2012) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A36353 2023-09-23 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 27 June – Rosemary Dobson, poet (born 1920)Rosemary Dobson (1920-2012) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A23073 2023-09-05 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland Peter Steele, poet (born 1939)Peter Steele (1939-2012) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A21662 2024-02-16 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 6 August – Robert Hughes, writer and critic (born 1938)Robert Hughes (1938-2012) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A32267 2024-02-17 Austlit 20 September – Robert G. Barrett, novelist (born 1942) Robert G. Barrett (1942-2012) Austlit https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A53741 22 May 2024 14 October – Max Fatchen, writer for children (born 1920)Max Fatchen (1920-2012) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A35463 2023-09-05 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland 22 November – Bryce Courtenay, novelist (born 1933 in Johannesburg)Bryce Courtenay (1933-2012) https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A35074 2024-02-16 AustLit: Discover Australian Stories The University of Queensland See also 2012 in Australia 2012 in literature 2012 in poetry List of years in Australian literature List of years in literature List of Australian literary awards References Literature Category:Australian literature by year Category:21st-century Australian literature Category:2012 in literature