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