1972 in Australian literature

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In poetry 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975
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This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1972.

For an overview of world literature see 1972 in literature.

See also: 1971 in Australian literature, 1972 in Australia, 1973 in Australian literature.

Major publications

Books

• Thea Astley – The Acolyte
• Russell Braddon – End Play
• Jon Cleary – Man's Estate
• Sumner Locke Elliott – The Man Who Got Away
• Catherine Gaskin – A Falcon for a Queen
• David Ireland – The Flesheaters
• Thomas Keneally – The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith
• Peter Mathers – The Wort Papers

Short stories

• Peter Carey
  • "Crabs"
  • "Peeling"
• Frank Hardy – It's Moments Like These
• Elizabeth Jolley – "Dingle the Fool"
• Frank Moorhouse – The Americans, Baby
• Kath Walker – Stradbroke Dreaming

Children's and Young Adult fiction

• Hesba Brinsmead – Echo in the Wilderness
• Alan Marshall – Fight for Life
• Mary Elwyn Patchett – Rebel Brumby
• Ivan Southall – Head in the Clouds
• Eleanor Spence – The Nothing Place
• Patricia Wrightson – An Older Kind of Magic

Science fiction and fantasy

• A. Bertram Chandler – The Hard Way Up

Poetry

Main article: 1972 in poetry

• Michael Dransfield
  • Drug Poems
  • The Inspector of Tides
• Harry Payne Heseltine – The Penguin Book of Australian Verse (edited)
• Les Murray – Poems Against Economics
• Peter Porter
  • After Martial
  • Preaching to the Converted
• Thomas Shapcott – Begin With Walking
• Peter Skrzynecki – Head-Waters

Drama

• David Williamson – Juggler's Three

Awards and honours

Literary

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
ALS Gold Medal	Alex Buzo	Macquarie : A Play	Currency Press
	Alex Buzo	Tom	Angus and Robertson
Colin Roderick Award	Keith Hancock	Discovering Monaro	Cambridge University Press
Miles Franklin Award	Thea Astley	The Acolyte	Angus and Robertson

Children and Young Adult

Award	Category	Author	Title	Publisher
Children's Book of the Year Award	Older Readers	H. F. Brinsmead	Longtime Passing	Angus and Robertson
	Picture Book	No award

Poetry

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
Grace Leven Prize for Poetry	Peter Skrzynecki	Head-Waters	Normanhurst

Births

A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1972 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.

Unknown date

• Louis Armand, poet and critic
• Steve Toltz, novelist
• Samuel Wagan Watson, poet
• Helen Dale (born Helen Darville), 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 1972 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.

• 3 June – Martin Boyd, novelist (born 1893)
• 16 August – Dulcie Deamer, poet (born 1890)

See also

• 1972 in literature
• 1972 in poetry
• List of years in literature
• List of years in Australian literature