This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1952.
Events The Melbourne Science Fiction Club is formed on 9 May 1952, making it the oldest current sf club outside the USA."Oldest Science Fiction Clubs Still Active" by Sam Lubell, SF/Fan Origins 71, Summer 2025, pp8-9
Books
Martin Boyd – The Cardboard Crown Jon Cleary – The Sundowners Helen Fowler – The Shades Will Not Vanish T. A. G. Hungerford – The Ridge and the River Rex Ingamells – Of Us Now Living Philip Lindsay The Merry Mistress The Shadow of the Red Barn Charles Shaw – Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison Nevil Shute – The Far Country Christina Stead – The People with the Dogs E. V. Timms – The Challenge
Short stories
A. Bertram Chandler – "Finishing Touch" Peter Cowan – "The Red-Backed Spiders" D'Arcy Niland – "Away to Moonlight" Dal Stivens – "Ironbark Bill Meets the Bunyip" Kylie Tennant – "The Face of Despair"
Crime and mystery
Charlotte Jay — Beat Not the Bones Arthur Upfield – Venom House June Wright – The Devil's Caress
Children's and Young Adult fiction
Nan Chauncy – World's End was Home
Poetry
David Campbell "Dance of Flame and Shadow : Hobo Chorus" "Snow Gums" C. J. Dennis and Margaret Herron – Random Verse : A Collection of Verse and Prose Rosemary Dobson – "The Mirror : Jan Vermeer Speaks" R. D. Fitzgerald – Between Two Tides Max Harris – "Martin Buber in the Pub" James McAuley "Invocation" "Mating Swans" Kenneth Mackenzie Australian Poetry 1951-1952 "The Snake" "Two Trinities" Ian Mudie – "They'll Tell You about Me" Olive Pell – "Monte Bello" Vivian Smith – "Bedlam Hills" Douglas Stewart "Marree" Sun Orchids and Other Poems Judith Wright "The Ancestors" "Birds" "Our Love is So Natural"
Biography
Russell Braddon – The Naked Island Frank Hardy – Journey Into the Future Jack McLaren – My Civilised Adventure Nettie Palmer – Henry Lawson
Children's and Young Adult non-fiction Eve Pownall – The Australia Book, illustrated by Margaret Senior
Drama
Radio Vance Palmer – Two Worlds
Awards and honours
Literary
Award Author Title Publisher ALS Gold Medal Tom Hungerford The Ridge and the River Angus and Robertson
Children's and Young Adult
Award Category Author Title Publisher Children's Book of the Year AwardAustlit – The Australia Book by Eve Pownall Older Readers Eve Pownall, illustrated by Margaret Senior The Australia Book John Sands
Poetry
Award Author Title Publisher Grace Leven Prize for PoetryAustlit – Between Two Tides by R. D. Fitzgerald R. D. Fitzgerald Between Two Tides Halstead Press
Births
A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1952 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.
13 July – Kim Gamble, illustrator of children's books (died 2016) 9 November – Nicholas Jose, novelist
Unknown date Janine Burke, novelist Patricia Cornelius, playwright Wendy Jenkins, poet, editor and YA novelist (died 2022) Rod Moran, poet and journalist
Deaths
A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1952 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.
14 January — Victor Kennedy, poet (born 1895) 13 June – Harold Mercer, poet (born 1882) 22 July – E. J. Brady, poet (born 1869) 29 August – J. M. Walsh, novelist (born 1897) 27 December— Patrick Joseph Hartigan, priest and poet (born 1878)
See also 1952 in Australia 1952 in literature 1952 in poetry List of years in Australian literature List of years in literature
References