1985 in Australian literature

This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1985.

Events

Christopher Koch won the 1985 Miles Franklin Award for The Doubleman

Major publications

Novels

Thea Astley — Beachmasters
Peter Carey — Illywhacker
Sumner Locke Elliott — About Tilly Beamis^[1]
David Foster — Dog Rock^[2]
Kate Grenville — Lilian's Story
Barbara Hanrahan — Annie Magdalene^[3]
Thomas Keneally — A Family Madness
Christopher Koch — The Doubleman

Short story collections

David Malouf — Antipodes
Olga Masters — A Long Time Dying^[4]

Crime and mystery

Peter Corris — Make Me Rich^[5]

Children's and young adult fiction

Pamela Allen — A Lion in the Night
Duncan Ball — Selby's Secret
Thurley Fowler – The Green Wind^[6]
Robin Klein — Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left
Gillian Rubinstein — Space Demons

Poetry

Robert Gray — Selected Poems 1963–1983^[7]
Chris Wallace-Crabbe — The Amorous Cannibal^[8]

Drama

Jack Davis — No Sugar
Michael Gow — The Astronaut’s Wife^[9]
Louis Nowra — The Golden Age
David Williamson — Sons of Cain

Non-fiction

John Bryson — Evil Angels^[10]

Awards and honours

Jack Davis , for "service to Aboriginal literature and theatre"[11]
Frank Moorhouse , for "service to Australian literature"[12]
Morris West , for "service to literature"[13]

Lifetime achievement

Award	Author
Christopher Brennan Award^[14]	Les Murray
Patrick White Award^[15]	Judah Waten (posthumous)

Literary awards

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
The Age Book of the Year Award^[16]	Peter Carey	Illywhacker	University of Queensland Press
ALS Gold Medal^[17]	David Ireland	Archimedes and the Seagle	Viking Press
Colin Roderick Award^[18]	John Gunn	The Defeat of Distance : Qantas 1919-1939	University of Queensland Press

Fiction awards

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
The Age Book of the Year Award^[16]	Peter Carey	Illywhacker	University of Queensland Press
The Australian/Vogel Literary Award^[19]	No award
Miles Franklin Award^[20]	Christopher Koch	The Doubleman	Chatto & Windus
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards^[21]	Elizabeth Jolley	Milk and Honey	Fremantle Arts Centre Press
Victorian Premier's Literary Awards^[22]	David Malouf	Antipodes	Chatto and Windus

Poetry

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
Anne Elder Award^[23]	Stephen J. Williams	A Crowd of Voices	Pariah Press Co-op
Grace Leven Prize for Poetry^[24]	Robert Gray	Selected Poems 1963–1983	Angus and Robertson
Grace Leven Prize for Poetry^[24]	Chris Wallace-Crabbe	The Amorous Cannibal	Oxford University Press
Mary Gilmore Award^[25]	Doris Brett	The Truth About Unicorns	Jacaranda Press
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards^[21]	Kevin Hart	Your Shadow	Angus & Robertson
Victorian Premier's Literary Awards^[22]	Rosemary Dobson	The Three Fates and Other Poems	Hale and Iremonger
Victorian Premier's Literary Awards^[22]	Kevin Hart	Your Shadow	Angus & Robertson

Children and Young Adult

Award	Category	Author	Title	Publisher
Children's Book of the Year Award	Older Readers^[26]	James Aldridge	The True Story of Lilli Stubeck	Hyland House
Children's Book of the Year Award	Picture Book^[27]	Not awarded
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards^[21]	Young People's Literature	Nadia Wheatley	The House that Was Eureka	Penguin

Drama

Award	Category	Author	Title
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards^[21]	Script	Bob Ellis and Paul Cox	My First Wife
	Script	Margaret Kelly, Chris Noonan, Phillip Noyce and Russell Braddon	The Cowra Breakout
	Play	Stephen Sewell	The Blind Giant is Dancing
Victorian Premier's Literary Awards^[22]	Drama	David Allen	Cheapside

Non-fiction

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
The Age Book of the Year Award^[16]	Chester Eagle	Mapping the Paddocks	McPhee Gribble
The Age Book of the Year Award^[16]	Hugh Lunn	Vietnam: A Reporter's War	University of Queensland Press
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards^[21]	Elsie Webster	The Moon Man	Melbourne University Press
Victorian Premier's Literary Awards^[22]	Bernard Smith	The Boy Adeodatus : The Portrait of a Lucky Young Bastard	Allen Lane

Births

A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1985 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.

Unknown date

Hannah Kent, historical novelist ^[28]

Deaths

A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1985 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.

26 January — Anne Spencer Parry, pioneer fantasy writer (born 1931)^[29]
14 February — Douglas Stewart, poet, short story writer, essayist and literary editor (born 1913)^[30]
19 April — John Manifold, poet and critic (born 1915)^[31]
5 May — Carter Brown, writer of detective fiction (born in England, 1923)^[32]
18 July — F. B. Vickers, novelist (born 1903)^[33]
29 July — Judah Waten, novelist (born 1911)^[34]
11 September — Eleanor Dark, novelist (born 1901)^[35]
4 November — A. A. Phillips, writer, critic and teacher, best known for coining the term "Cultural Cringe" (born 1900)^[36]

References

^ "Austlit — About Tilly Beamis by Sumner Locke Elliott". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ "Austlit — Dog Rock by David Foster". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ "Austlit — Annie Magdalene by Barbara Hanrahan". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ "Austlit — A Long Time Dying by Olga Masters". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ "Austlit — Make Me Rich by Peter Corris". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ "The Green Wind (Rigby)". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ "Austlit — Selected Poems 1963–1983 by Robert Gray". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ "Austlit — The Amorous Cannibal by Chris Wallace-Crabbe". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ "Austlit — The Astronaut's Wife by Michael Gow". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ "Evil Angels by John Bryson". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
^ "Jack Leonard Davis". honours.pmc.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
^ "Frank Thomas Moorhouse". honours.pmc.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
^ "Morris Langlo West". honours.pmc.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
^ ""Interview with Les A. Murray" by Barbara Williams" (PDF). Westerly, Winter 1992. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
^ "Austlit — Patrick White Award - Past Winners". Austlit. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ""Another award for Carey's 'Illywacker'"". The Canberra Times, 7 March 1986, p1. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
^ "ALS Gold Medal - Previous Winners". Association for the Study of Australian Literature. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
^ "Colin Roderick Award - Other Winners". James Cook University. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
^ "Austlit — The Australian/Vogel National Literary Award 1985". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ "Koch wins literary award". The Canberra Times. Vol. 60, no. 18, 487. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 14 May 1986. p. 7. Retrieved 25 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Scholarly biography wins Premier's award". Sydney Morning Herald, 10 September 1985, p4. ProQuest 2526272676. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Malouf takes $15,000 Palmer prize". The Age, 15 August 1985, p3. ProQuest 2521256342. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
^ "Austlit — Anne Elder Award 1985-88". Austlit. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
^ "Austlit — Grave Leven prize 1985". Austlit. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
^ "Mary Gilmore Award". Association for the Study of Australian Literature. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
^ "Austlit — Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers 1985". Austlit. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
^ "Austlit — Children's Book of the Year Award: Picture Book 1985". Austlit. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
^ "Hannah Kent". Austlit. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
^ "Austlit — Anne Parry (1931-1985)". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ "Douglas Alexander Stewart (1913–1985) by Ivor Indyk". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ "J. S. Manifold (1915-1985)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
^ "Alan Yates (1923-1985)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
^ "Austlit — F. B. Vickers (1903-1985)". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ "Judah Leon Waten (1911–1985) by David Carter". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ "Dark, Eleanor (1901–1985) by Marivic Wyndham". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
^ "Austlit — A. A. Phillips (1900-1985)". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[1] "Austlit — About Tilly Beamis by Sumner Locke Elliott". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[2] "Austlit — Dog Rock by David Foster". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[3] "Austlit — Annie Magdalene by Barbara Hanrahan". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[4] "Austlit — A Long Time Dying by Olga Masters". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[5] "Austlit — Make Me Rich by Peter Corris". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[6] "The Green Wind (Rigby)". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.

[7] "Austlit — Selected Poems 1963–1983 by Robert Gray". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[8] "Austlit — The Amorous Cannibal by Chris Wallace-Crabbe". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[9] "Austlit — The Astronaut's Wife by Michael Gow". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[10] "Evil Angels by John Bryson". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 20 May 2024.

[11] "Jack Leonard Davis". honours.pmc.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.

[12] "Frank Thomas Moorhouse". honours.pmc.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.

[13] "Morris Langlo West". honours.pmc.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.

[CB1985-14] ""Interview with Les A. Murray" by Barbara Williams" (PDF). Westerly, Winter 1992. Retrieved 13 September 2023.

[AustlitPWA-15] "Austlit — Patrick White Award - Past Winners". Austlit. Retrieved 22 August 2023.

[Age85-16] ""Another award for Carey's 'Illywacker'"". The Canberra Times, 7 March 1986, p1. Retrieved 30 December 2023.

[ALS-17] "ALS Gold Medal - Previous Winners". Association for the Study of Australian Literature. Retrieved 25 June 2023.

[CRA-18] "Colin Roderick Award - Other Winners". James Cook University. Retrieved 25 June 2023.

[Vogel85-19] "Austlit — The Australian/Vogel National Literary Award 1985". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[20] "Koch wins literary award". The Canberra Times. Vol. 60, no. 18, 487. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 14 May 1986. p. 7. Retrieved 25 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.

[NSWPLA1985-21] "Scholarly biography wins Premier's award". Sydney Morning Herald, 10 September 1985, p4. ProQuest 2526272676. Retrieved 3 May 2024.

[vpp1985-22] "Malouf takes $15,000 Palmer prize". The Age, 15 August 1985, p3. ProQuest 2521256342. Retrieved 26 April 2024.

[AEA1985-88-23] "Austlit — Anne Elder Award 1985-88". Austlit. Retrieved 9 February 2024.

[AustlitGL85-24] "Austlit — Grave Leven prize 1985". Austlit. Retrieved 9 November 2023.

[MGA-25] "Mary Gilmore Award". Association for the Study of Australian Literature. Retrieved 8 February 2024.

[CBAOR85-26] "Austlit — Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers 1985". Austlit. Retrieved 25 November 2023.

[AustlitCBAPB85-27] "Austlit — Children's Book of the Year Award: Picture Book 1985". Austlit. Retrieved 25 November 2023.

[28] "Hannah Kent". Austlit. Retrieved 27 June 2023.

[29] "Austlit — Anne Parry (1931-1985)". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[30] "Douglas Alexander Stewart (1913–1985) by Ivor Indyk". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[31] "J. S. Manifold (1915-1985)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 14 September 2023.

[32] "Alan Yates (1923-1985)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 23 September 2023.

[33] "Austlit — F. B. Vickers (1903-1985)". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[34] "Judah Leon Waten (1911–1985) by David Carter". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

[35] "Dark, Eleanor (1901–1985) by Marivic Wyndham". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 23 June 2023.

[36] "Austlit — A. A. Phillips (1900-1985)". Austlit. Retrieved 14 November 2023.

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v t e Years in Australian literature (1853–present)
19th century	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

Novels

Short story collections

Crime and mystery

Children's and young adult fiction

Poetry

Drama

Non-fiction

Awards and honours

Lifetime achievement

Literary awards

Fiction awards

Poetry

Children and Young Adult

Drama

Non-fiction

Births

Deaths

See also

References