1978 in Australian literature explained

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1978.

Events

• Jessica Anderson won the 1978 Miles Franklin Award for Tirra Lirra by the River
• The Anne Elder Award for poetry is awarded for the first time

Major publications

Books

• Jessica Anderson – Tirra Lirra by the River
• Nancy Cato – All the Rivers Run
• David Malouf – An Imaginary Life
• Christopher Koch – The Year of Living Dangerously
• George Turner – Transit of Cassidy^[1]

Science fiction and fantasy

• A. Bertram Chandler — To Keep the Ship^[2]
• David Lake — The Gods of Xuma, or, Barsoom Revisited^[3]
• George Turner – Beloved Son^[4]

Crime and mystery

• Nicholas Hasluck — Quarantine^[5]

Children's and young adult fiction

• Peter Pavey – One Dragon's Dream^[6]
• Joan Phipson – Keep Calm^[7]
• Patricia Wrightson – The Dark Bright Water^[8]

Poetry

• David Campbell — "Lizard and Stone"^[9]
• Lee Cataldi — Invitation to a Marxist Lesbian Party^[10]
• Bruce Dawe — Sometimes Gladness: Collected Poems 1954–1978^[11]
• Jennifer Maiden — Birthstones^[12]

Non-fiction

• Patsy Adam-Smith – The ANZACS^[13]
• Mary Durack – The End of Dreaming^[14]
• Wendy Lowenstein – Weevils in the Flour^[15]
• Elyne Mitchell – Light Horse: The Story of Australia's Mounted Troops^[16]

Awards and honours

Order of Australia

• Margaret Hasluck appointed Dame of the Order of Australia (AD) for "pre-eminent achievement in the fields of literature and history and for extraordinary and meritorious public service to Australia".^[17]

Lifetime achievement

Award	Author
Christopher Brennan Award^[18]	Rosemary Dobson
Patrick White Award^[19]	Gwen Harwood

Literary

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
The Age Book of the Year Award^[20]	Christopher Koch	The Year of Living Dangerously	Nelson
ALS Gold Medal^[21]	No award
Colin Roderick Award^[22]	Leslie Rees	History of Australian Drama	Angus & Robertson

Fiction

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
The Age Book of the Year Award	Christopher Koch	The Year of Living Dangerously	Nelson
Miles Franklin Award^[23]	Jessica Anderson	Tirra Lirra by the River	Macmillan

Children and Young Adult

Award	Category	Author	Title	Publisher
Children's Book of the Year Award^[24]	Older Readers	Patricia Wrightson	The Ice is Coming	Hutchinson
	Picture Book	Jenny Wagner, illustrated by Ron Brooks	John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat	Viking Kestrel

Poetry

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
Anne Elder Award^[25]	Lee Cataldi	Invitation to a Marxist Lesbian Party	Wild & Woolley
Grace Leven Prize for Poetry^[26]	Bruce Dawe	Sometimes Gladness: Collected Poems 1954–1978	Longman Cheshire

Non-fiction

Births

A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1978 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.

• 28 December — Holly Throsby, novelist and musician^[27]

Unknown date

• Brett McBean, horror, thriller and speculative fiction writer^[28]
• Fiona McFarlane, novelist and short story writer^[29]
• Andrew O'Connor, 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 1978 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.

• 9 March – John K. Ewers, novelist, poet, schoolteacher and short story writer (born 1904)^[31]
• 16 April – Barbara Vernon, playwright, screenwriter and radio announcer (born 1916)^[32]
• 23 May – Rose Lindsay, artist's model, author, and printmaker (born 1885)^[33]
• 15 June – Paul McGuire, author, public servant and diplomat (born 1903)^[34]
• 23 July – T. Inglis Moore, writer, anthologist and academic (born 1901)^[35]
• 24 July – Annie Rattray Rentoul, children's poet and story writer (born 1882)^[36]
• 27 September – Margaret Horder, artist and children's book illustrator (born 1903)^[37]
• 7 December – Helen Haenke, poet, playwright and artist (born 1916)^[38]

See also

• 1978 in Australia
• 1978 in literature
• 1978 in poetry
• List of years in Australian literature
• List of years in literature

Notes and References

1. Web site: Transit of Cassidy by George Turner. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
2. Web site: To Keep the Ship by A. Bertram Chandler . ISFDB. 19 March 2024.
3. Web site: The Gods of Xuma, or, Barsoom Revisited by David Lake . ISFDB. 19 March 2024.
4. Web site: Beloved Son by George Turner . ISFDB. 19 March 2024.
5. Web site: Quarantine by Nicholas Hasluck. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
6. Web site: One Dragon's Dream by Peter Pavey. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
7. Web site: Keep Calm by Joan Phipson. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
8. Web site: The Dark Bright Water by Patricia Wrightson. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
9. Web site: Austlit — "Lizard and Stone" by David Campbell . Austlit. 28 December 2023.
10. Web site: Austlit — Invitation to a Marxist Lesbian Party by Lee Cataldi . Austlit. 28 December 2023.
11. Web site: Sometimes Gladness: Collected Poems 1954–1978 by Bruce Dawe. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
12. Web site: Austlit — Birthstones by Jennifer Maiden . Austlit. 28 December 2023.
13. Web site: The ANZACS by Patsy Adam-Smith. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
14. Web site: The End of Dreaming by Mary Durack. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
15. Web site: Weevils in the Flour by Wendy Lowenstein. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
16. Web site: Light Horse: The Story of Australia's Mounted Troops by Elyne Mitchell. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
17. Web site: Australian Government Gazette – Special . Government House of The Commonwealth of Australia . 21 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052947/http://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/QB78.pdf . 4 March 2016 . dead .
18. Web site: "Dobson, Rosemary de Brissac (1920 - 2012)" . The Australian Women's Register. 13 September 2023.
19. Web site: Gwen Harwood. PoemHunter.com. 2019-04-21.
20. Web site: "Novel in a slice of history" . The Age, 2 December 1978. 12 May 2024. .
21. Web site: ALS Gold Medal — Previous Winners . Association for the Study of Australian Literature. 22 August 2023.
22. Web site: Other Winners. 2017-11-15. www.jcu.edu.au. en-AU. 2019-04-20. 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.
23. Web site: Miles Franklin Literary Award – Every Winner Since 1957. Better Reading. en. 2019-04-21.
24. Web site: Winners and Commended Books 1970 - 1979 - CBCA. 2009-11-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20091112005708/http://cbca.org.au/7079.htm. 2019-04-21. 12 November 2009.
25. Web site: Austlit — Anne Elder Award 1977-78 . Austlit. 8 February 2024.
26. Web site: Brisbane Writers Festival - Bruce Dawe. 2007-08-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20070806112016/http://www.brisbanewritersfestival.com.au/2003/content/standard_c1.asp?name=Bio_Dawe_Bruce. 2019-04-21. 6 August 2007.
27. Web site: Austlit - Holly Throsby . Austlit. 6 July 2023.
28. Web site: Austlit - Brett McBean . Austlit. 6 July 2023.
29. Web site: Austlit - Fiona McFarlane . Austlit. 6 July 2023.
30. Web site: Austlit - Andrew O'Connor . Austlit. 6 July 2023.
31. Web site: Ewers, John Keith (1904–1978) by Jenny Gregory and Rebecca Shepherd . Australian Dictionary of Biography. 6 July 2023.
32. Web site: Vernon, Barbara Mary (1916–1978) by Jane Connors . Australian Dictionary of Biography. 6 July 2023.
33. Web site: Lindsay, Rose (1885–1978) by Ana Carden-Coyne . Australian Dictionary of Biography. 6 July 2023.
34. Web site: McGuire, Dominic Mary Paul (1903–1978) by Katharine Massam . Australian Dictionary of Biography. 30 June 2023.
35. Web site: Austlit – T. Inglis Moore (1901-1978). Austlit. 23 June 2023.
36. Web site: Rentoul, Annie Rattray (1882–1978) by Diane Langmore . Australian Dictionary of Biography. 6 July 2023.
37. Web site: Austlit - Margaret Horder (1903-1978). Austlit. 6 July 2023.
38. Web site: Haenke, Helen Joyce (1916–1978) by Delyse Anthony . Australian Dictionary of Biography. 6 July 2023.