1980 in Australian literature

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1980.

Events

The Australian/Vogel Literary Award: Inaugural award to Archie Weller, The Day Of The Dog; the award was initially given to Paul Radley, who, in 1996, admitted that his manuscript was actually written by his uncle.^[1]
Jessica Anderson won the 1980 Miles Franklin Award for The Impersonators

Major publications

Books

Jessica Anderson — The Impersonators
Murray Bail — Homesickness
Jon Cleary — A Very Private War
Shirley Hazzard — The Transit of Venus
Elizabeth Jolley — Palomino^[2]
Thomas Keneally — The Cut-Rate Kingdom
Randolph Stow — The Girl Green as Elderflower^[3]

Short story collections

Helen Garner – Honour & Other People's Children

Science fiction

Damien Broderick — The Dreaming Dragons^[4]

Crime and mystery

Peter Corris — The Dying Trade
Gabrielle Lord — Fortress^[5]

Children's and Young Adult fiction

Pamela Allen – The Archimedes' Bath^[6]
Mavis Thorpe Clark – A Stranger Came to the Mine^[7]
Robert Ingpen — The Voyage of the Poppykettle
Ruth Park — Playing Beatie Bow
Ruth Park and Deborah Niland – When the Wind Changed^[8]

Poetry

Jenny Boult – The Hotel Anonymous^[9]
Richard Lunn – Pompeii Deep Fry^[10]
Les Murray — The Boys Who Stole the Funeral
Judith Rodriguez — Mudcrab at Gambaro's^[11]
Gig Ryan – The Division of Anger^[12]
Philip Salom — The Silent Piano^[13]
Chris Wallace-Crabbe — The Golden Apples of the Sun: Twentieth Century Australian Poetry (anthology) editor, ^[14]

Non-fiction

Robyn Davidson – Tracks^[15]
Allan M. Grocott – Convicts, Clergymen and Churches^[16]
Clive James – Unreliable Memoirs
David Marr – Barwick^[17]

Awards and honours

Kylie Tennant – Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
Max Fatchen – Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
Marjorie Barnard – Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
Patsy Adam-Smith – Officer of the British Empire (OBE)

Lifetime achievement

Award	Author
Christopher Brennan Award^[18]	John Blight
Patrick White Award^[19]	Bruce Dawe

Literary

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
The Age Book of the Year Award^[20]	Murray Bail	Homesickness	Macmillan
The Age Book of the Year Award^[20]	David Ireland	A Woman of the Future	Penguin
ALS Gold Medal^[21]	No award
Colin Roderick Award^[22]	Allan Grocott	Convicts, Clergymen and Churches	Sydney University Press

Fiction

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
The Age Book of the Year Award^[20]	Murray Bail	Homesickness	Macmillan
The Age Book of the Year Award^[20]	David Ireland	A Woman of the Future	Penguin
The Australian/Vogel Literary Award^[1]	Archie Weller	The Day of the Dog	Allen & Unwin
Miles Franklin Award^[23]	Jessica Anderson	The Impersonators	Macmillan
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards^[24]	Peter Carey	War Crimes	University of Queensland Press

Children and Young Adult

Award	Category	Author	Title	Publisher
Children's Book of the Year Award^[25]	Older Readers	Lee Harding	Displaced Person	Hyland House
Children's Book of the Year Award^[25]	Picture Book	Peter Pavey	One Dragon's Dream	Nelson Australia
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards^[24]	Children's Book Award	Pamela Allen	Mr Archimedes' Bath	William Collins
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards^[24]	Special Children's Book Award	Catherine Berndt	Land of the Rainbow Snake	William Collins

Poetry

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
Anne Elder Award^[26]	Richard Lunn	Pompeii Deep Fry	Randolph Press
Grace Leven Prize for Poetry^[27]	Les Murray	The Boys Who Stole the Funeral	Angus & Robertson
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards^[24]	David Campbell	The Man in the Honeysuckle	Angus & Robertson

Non-fiction

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
The Age Book of the Year Award^[20]	Not awarded
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards^[24]	David Marr	Barwick	Allen & Unwin

Births

A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1980 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.

7 July – Brooke Davis, novelist^[28]

Unknown date

Elizabeth Campbell, poet^[29]
Ceridwen Dovey, novelist^[30]

Deaths

A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1980 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.

2 September – Frederick Macartney, poet and critic (born 1887)^[31]
3 February – Marnie Bassett, historian and biographer (born 1889)^[32]
18 October – Martin Haley, poet and translator (born 1905)^[33]

References

^ ^a ^b "Paul Radley". Australia Day Council. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
^ "Austlit — Palomino by Elizabeth Jolley". Austlit. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
^ "Austlit — The Girl Green as Elderflower by Randolph Stow". Austlit. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
^ "Austlit — The Dreaming Dragons by Damien Broderick". Austlit. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
^ "Austlit — Fortress by Gabrielle Lord". Austlit. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
^ "The Archimedes' Bath by Pamela Allen". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
^ "A Stranger Came to the Mine by Mavis Thorpe Clark". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
^ "When the Wind Changed by Ruth Park and Deborah Niland". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
^ "The Hotel Anonymous by Jenny Boult". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
^ "Pompeii Deep Fry by Richard Lunn". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
^ "Austlit — Mudcrab at Gambaro's by Judith Roderiguez". Austlit. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
^ "The Division of Anger by Gig Ryan". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
^ "Austlit — The Silent Piano by Philip Salom". Austlit. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
^ "Austlit — The Golden Apples of the Sun: Twentieth Century Australian Poetry ed by Chris Wallace-Crabbe". Austlit. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
^ "Tracks by Robyn Davidson". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
^ "Convicts, Clergymen and Churches by Allan M. Grocott". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
^ "Barwick by David Marr". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
^ "Austlit — FAW Christopher Brennan Award 1980-87". Austlit. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
^ "Brisbane Writers Festival – Bruce Dawe". Brisbane Writers Festival. Archived from the original on 6 August 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c ""Authors share 'Age' award"". The Age, 29 November 1980, p23. ProQuest 2676337338. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
^ "ALS Gold Medal — Previous Winners". Association for the Study of Australian Literature. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
^ "Colin Roderick Award — Other Winners". James Cook University. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
^ "In Brief: Novelist wins second award". The Canberra Times. Vol. 55, no. 16, 687. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 4 June 1981. p. 3. Retrieved 23 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ""New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards 1980"". The Canberra Times, 23 September 1980, p3. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
^ "Children's". The Canberra Times. Vol. 54, no. 16, 361. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 12 July 1980. p. 13. Retrieved 23 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Austlit — Anne Elder Award 1979-81". Austlit. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
^ "Austlit — The Boys Who Stole the Funeral by Les Murray". Austlit. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
^ "Austlit — Brooke Davis". Austlit. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
^ "Austlit — Elizabeth Campbell". Austlit. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
^ "Austlit — Ceridwen Dovey". Austlit. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
^ "Austlit — Frederick T. Macartney (1887-1980)". Austlit. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
^ Blainey, Ann, "Bassett, Lady Flora Marjorie (Marnie) (1889–1980)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 27 August 2023
^ "Martin Nelson Haley (1905–1980) by Martin Duwell". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 10 October 2023.

[Vogel-1] "Paul Radley". Australia Day Council. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2022.

[2] "Austlit — Palomino by Elizabeth Jolley". Austlit. Retrieved 11 October 2023.

[3] "Austlit — The Girl Green as Elderflower by Randolph Stow". Austlit. Retrieved 11 October 2023.

[Austlitsf1-4] "Austlit — The Dreaming Dragons by Damien Broderick". Austlit. Retrieved 7 November 2023.

[Austlitc1-5] "Austlit — Fortress by Gabrielle Lord". Austlit. Retrieved 7 November 2023.

[6] "The Archimedes' Bath by Pamela Allen". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.

[7] "A Stranger Came to the Mine by Mavis Thorpe Clark". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.

[8] "When the Wind Changed by Ruth Park and Deborah Niland". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.

[9] "The Hotel Anonymous by Jenny Boult". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.

[10] "Pompeii Deep Fry by Richard Lunn". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.

[11] "Austlit — Mudcrab at Gambaro's by Judith Roderiguez". Austlit. Retrieved 7 November 2023.

[12] "The Division of Anger by Gig Ryan". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.

[13] "Austlit — The Silent Piano by Philip Salom". Austlit. Retrieved 7 November 2023.

[14] "Austlit — The Golden Apples of the Sun: Twentieth Century Australian Poetry ed by Chris Wallace-Crabbe". Austlit. Retrieved 7 November 2023.

[15] "Tracks by Robyn Davidson". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.

[16] "Convicts, Clergymen and Churches by Allan M. Grocott". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.

[17] "Barwick by David Marr". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 19 April 2024.

[CB1980-18] "Austlit — FAW Christopher Brennan Award 1980-87". Austlit. Retrieved 13 September 2023.

[19] "Brisbane Writers Festival – Bruce Dawe". Brisbane Writers Festival. Archived from the original on 6 August 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2019.

[Age80-20] ""Authors share 'Age' award"". The Age, 29 November 1980, p23. ProQuest 2676337338. Retrieved 20 May 2024.

[ALS-21] "ALS Gold Medal — Previous Winners". Association for the Study of Australian Literature. Retrieved 22 August 2023.

[CRA-22] "Colin Roderick Award — Other Winners". James Cook University. Retrieved 27 August 2023.

[23] "In Brief: Novelist wins second award". The Canberra Times. Vol. 55, no. 16, 687. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 4 June 1981. p. 3. Retrieved 23 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.

[NSWP1980-24] ""New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards 1980"". The Canberra Times, 23 September 1980, p3. Retrieved 28 December 2023.

[25] "Children's". The Canberra Times. Vol. 54, no. 16, 361. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 12 July 1980. p. 13. Retrieved 23 May 2019 – via National Library of Australia.

[26] "Austlit — Anne Elder Award 1979-81". Austlit. Retrieved 8 February 2024.

[GLP1980-27] "Austlit — The Boys Who Stole the Funeral by Les Murray". Austlit. Retrieved 3 September 2023.

[AustlitB1-28] "Austlit — Brooke Davis". Austlit. Retrieved 11 October 2023.

[AustlitB2-29] "Austlit — Elizabeth Campbell". Austlit. Retrieved 11 October 2023.

[AustlitB3-30] "Austlit — Ceridwen Dovey". Austlit. Retrieved 11 October 2023.

[31] "Austlit — Frederick T. Macartney (1887-1980)". Austlit. Retrieved 21 August 2023.

[32] Blainey, Ann, "Bassett, Lady Flora Marjorie (Marnie) (1889–1980)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 27 August 2023

[33] "Martin Nelson Haley (1905–1980) by Martin Duwell". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 10 October 2023.

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v t e Years in Australian literature (1852–present)
19th century	1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900
20th century	1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
21st century	2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Events

Major publications

Books

Short story collections

Science fiction

Crime and mystery

Children's and Young Adult fiction

Poetry

Non-fiction

Awards and honours

Lifetime achievement

Literary

Fiction

Children and Young Adult

Poetry

Non-fiction

Births

Deaths

See also

References