1976 in Australian literature

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1976.

For an overview of world literature see 1976 in literature.

See also: 1975 in Australian literature, 1976 in Australia, 1977 in Australian literature.

Events

Major publications

Books

• Robert Drewe – The Savage Crows
• David Ireland – The Glass Canoe
• Thomas Keneally – Season in Purgatory
• Frank Moorhouse – Conference-Ville
• Gerald Murnane – A Lifetime on Clouds
• Christina Stead – Miss Herbert (The Suburban Wife)
• Morris West – The Navigator
• Patrick White – A Fringe of Leaves

Short stories

• Elizabeth Jolley – Five Acre Virgin and Other Stories
• Dal Stivens – The Unicorn and Other Tales

Science Fiction and Fantasy

• A. Bertram Chandler – The Way Back
• Lee Harding
  • The Altered I : An Encounter with Science Fiction (edited)
  • Future Sanctuary
• David Lake – Walkers on the Sky

Children's and Young Adult fiction

• Hesba Brinsmead – Under the Silkwood
• Elyne Mitchell – Son of the Whirlwind
• Eleanor Spence – The October Child

Poetry

• John Blight – Selected Poems, 1939-1975
• Geoffrey Lehmann – Selected Poems
• Les Murray
  • "The Buladelah-Taree Holiday Song Cycle"
  • Selected Poems : The Vernacular Republic
• Judith Wright – Fourth Quarter

Drama

• David Williamson
  • The Club
  • A Handful of Friends
• Steve J. Spears — The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin

Non-fiction

• Donald Horne – Death of the Lucky Country
• Gavin Souter – Lion and Kangaroo

Awards and honours

Lifetime achievement

Award	Author
Patrick White Award	John Blight

Literary

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
ALS Gold Medal	No award
Colin Roderick Award[1]	Gavin Souter	Lion and Kangaroo	Collins
Miles Franklin Award[2]	David Ireland	The Glass Canoe	Macmillan

Children and Young Adult

Award	Category	Author	Title	Publisher
Children's Book of the Year Award	Older Readers[3]	Ivan Southall	Fly West	Angus and Robertson
Picture Book[3]	Dick Roughsey	The Rainbow Serpent	Collins

Poetry

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
Grace Leven Prize for Poetry[4]	John Blight	Selected Poems 1939–1975	Nelson

Births

A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1976 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.

• 26 May — Marieke Hardy, writer

Unknown date

• Kate Morton, novelist

Deaths

A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1976 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.

• 16 April – Nina Murdoch, poet and biographer (born 1890)
• 22 August – Ella McFadyen, poet (born 1887)
• 15 October – James McAuley, poet (born 1917)
• 23 October – Ian Mudie, poet (born 1911)

See also

• 1976 in literature
• 1976 in poetry
• List of years in literature
• List of years in Australian literature

References

1. "Colin Roderick Award - Previous Winners", James Cook University
2. "Author's third Miles Franklin", The Canberra Times, 3 June 1980, p3
3. "1976 children's book awards announced", The Canberra Times, 10 July 1976, p3
4. Austlit - Selected Poems 1939–1975 by John Blight