1980 in Australian literature explained

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
	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	Murray Bail	Homesickness	Macmillan
	David Ireland	A Woman of the Future	Penguin
The Australian/Vogel Literary Award	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
	Picture Book	Peter Pavey	One Dragon's Dream	Nelson Australia
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards	Children's Book Award	Pamela Allen	Mr Archimedes' Bath	William Collins
	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	David Campbell	The Man in the Honeysuckle	Angus & Robertson

Non-fiction

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
The Age Book of the Year Award	Not awarded
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards	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)
• 18 October – Martin Haley, poet and translator (born 1905)^[32]

See also

• 1980 in Australia
• 1980 in literature
• 1980 in poetry
• List of years in literature
• List of years in Australian literature

Notes and References

1. Web site: Paul Radley. https://web.archive.org/web/20200806015142/https://australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients/paul-radley/125/. dead. 6 August 2020. Australia Day Council. 7 February 2022.
2. Web site: Austlit — Palomino by Elizabeth Jolley . Austlit. 11 October 2023.
3. Web site: Austlit — The Girl Green as Elderflower by Randolph Stow . Austlit. 11 October 2023.
4. Web site: Austlit — The Dreaming Dragons by Damien Broderick . Austlit. 7 November 2023.
5. Web site: Austlit — Fortress by Gabrielle Lord . Austlit. 7 November 2023.
6. Web site: The Archimedes' Bath by Pamela Allen. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
7. Web site: A Stranger Came to the Mine by Mavis Thorpe Clark. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
8. Web site: When the Wind Changed by Ruth Park and Deborah Niland. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
9. Web site: The Hotel Anonymous by Jenny Boult. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
10. Web site: Pompeii Deep Fry by Richard Lunn. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
11. Web site: Austlit — Mudcrab at Gambaro's by Judith Roderiguez . Austlit. 7 November 2023.
12. Web site: The Division of Anger by Gig Ryan. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
13. Web site: Austlit — The Silent Piano by Philip Salom . Austlit. 7 November 2023.
14. Web site: Austlit — The Golden Apples of the Sun: Twentieth Century Australian Poetry ed by Chris Wallace-Crabbe . Austlit. 7 November 2023.
15. Web site: Tracks by Robyn Davidson. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
16. Web site: Convicts, Clergymen and Churches by Allan M. Grocott. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
17. Web site: Barwick by David Marr. National Library of Australia. 19 April 2024.
18. Web site: Austlit — FAW Christopher Brennan Award 1980-87. Austlit. 13 September 2023.
19. Web site: Brisbane Writers Festival – Bruce Dawe . Brisbane Writers Festival . 23 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070806112016/http://www.brisbanewritersfestival.com.au/2003/content/standard_c1.asp?name=Bio_Dawe_Bruce . 6 August 2007 . dead . dmy .
20. Web site: "Authors share 'Age' award" . The Age, 29 November 1980, p23. 20 May 2024. .
21. Web site: ALS Gold Medal — Previous Winners . Association for the Study of Australian Literature. 22 August 2023.
22. Web site: Colin Roderick Award — Other Winners . James Cook University. 27 August 2023.
23. News: In Brief: Novelist wins second award . . 55 . 16,687 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 4 June 1981 . 23 May 2019 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
24. Web site: "New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards 1980" . The Canberra Times, 23 September 1980, p3. 28 December 2023.
25. News: Children's . . 54 . 16,361 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 12 July 1980 . 23 May 2019 . 13 . National Library of Australia.
26. Web site: Austlit — Anne Elder Award 1979-81 . Austlit. 8 February 2024.
27. Web site: Austlit — The Boys Who Stole the Funeral by Les Murray . Austlit. 3 September 2023.
28. Web site: Austlit — Brooke Davis . Austlit. 11 October 2023.
29. Web site: Austlit — Elizabeth Campbell . Austlit. 11 October 2023.
30. Web site: Austlit — Ceridwen Dovey . Austlit. 11 October 2023.
31. Web site: Austlit — Frederick T. Macartney (1887-1980). Austlit. 21 August 2023.
32. Web site: Martin Nelson Haley (1905–1980) by Martin Duwell . Australian Dictionary of Biography. 10 October 2023.