This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1984.
Events
Tim Winton’s Shallows won the 1984 Miles Franklin Award
Major publications
Novels
Sumner Locke Elliott — About Tilly Beamis Helen Garner — The Children's Bach Nicholas Hasluck — The Bellarmine Jug David Ireland — Archimedes and the Seagle Peter Kocan — The Treatment; and, the Cure Elizabeth Jolley — Milk and Honey Amanda Lohrey — The Morality of Gentlemen David Malouf — Harland's Half Acre Jill Neville — Last Ferry to Manly Randolph Stow — The Suburbs of Hell Tim Winton — Shallows
Crime and mystery Marshall Browne — Dark Harbour Peter Corris — Heroin Annie and Other Cliff Hardy Stories Evan Green — Alice to Nowhere Tony Kenrick — Blast William Marshall — The Far Away Man
Science fiction and fantasy A. Bertram Chandler — The Wild Ones Victor Kelleher — The Beast of Heaven Keith Taylor — Bard II Cherry Wilder A Princess of the Chameln Yorath the Wolf
Short story anthologies John Morrison — Stories of the Waterfront
Children's and young adult fiction James Aldridge — The True Story of Lilli Stubeck Robin Klein — Hating Alison Ashley Emily Rodda — Something Special Nadia Wheatley — Dancing in the Anzac Deli
Poetry John Barnes and Brian McFarlane – Cross Country : A Book of Australian Verse Doris Brett — The Truth about Unicorns Chris Wallace-Crabbe and Peter Pierce (editors) — Clubbing the Gunfire : 101 Australian War Poems Rosemary Dobson — The Three Fates & Other Poems Robert Gray — The Skylight Syd Harrex — Atlantis and Other Islands Kevin Hart — Your Shadow Les Murray — "The Dream of Wearing Shorts Forever" Dorothy Porter — The Night Parrot
Awards and honours Nancy Cato , for "service to Australian literature" John Manifold , for "service literature as a poet and musician Dorothy Auchterlonie Green , for "service to Australian literature"
Lifetime achievement Award Author Christopher Brennan Award Not awarded Patrick White Award Rosemary Dobson
Literary awards Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award Nicholas Hasluck The Bellarmine Jug Penguin ALS Gold Medal Les Murray The People's Otherworld : Poems Angus and Robertson Colin Roderick Award Alan Gould The Man Who Stayed Below Angus and Robertson NSW Premier's Special Award Marjorie Barnard
Fiction awards Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award Nicholas Hasluck The Bellarmine Jug Penguin The Australian/Vogel Literary Award Kate Grenville Lilian's Story Allen and Unwin Miles Franklin Award Tim Winton Shallows Allen and Unwin New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Beverley Farmer Milk McPhee Gribble Western Australian Premier's Book Awards T. A. G. Hungerford Stories From Suburban Road Fremantle Arts Centre Press
Children and Young Adult Award Category Author Title PublisherChildren's Book of the Year Award Older Readers Patricia Wrightson A Little Fear Hutchinson Picture Book Pamela Allen Bertie and the Bear Nelson Books New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Young People's Literature Mem Fox and Julie Vivas Possum Magic Omnibus Books
Science fiction and fantasy Award Category Author Title Publisher Australian SF Achievement Award Best Australian Science Fiction George Turner Yesterday's Men Faber & Faber
Poetry
Award Author Title PublisherAnne Elder Award Doris Brett The Truth About Unicorns Jacaranda Press Max Richards Under Mount Egmont and Other Poems Neptune Press Grace Leven Prize for Poetry Rosemary Dobson The Three Fates & Other Poems Hale & Iremonger New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Les Murray The People's Otherworld : Poems Angus & Robertson
Drama
Award Category Author TitleNew South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Script Michael Jenkins Careful, He Might Hear You Robert Caswell Scales of Justice Play Warwick Moss Down an Alley Filled with Cats
Non-fiction Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award John Rickard H.B. Higgins: The Rebel and Judge Allen and Unwin New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Sylvia Lawson The Archibald Paradox Allen Lane
Deaths A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1984 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.
21 January — Alan Marshall, writer, story teller, humanist and social documenter (born 1902) 12 March — Peg Maltby, artist, book illustrator and children's writer (born 1899 in England) 6 June — A. Bertram Chandler, mariner-turned-science fiction writer (born 1912) 24 June — Francis Brabazon, poet and member of Meher Baba's mandali (born 1907) 29 September — Hal Porter, novelist, playwright, poet and short story writer (1911) 10 November — Xavier Herbert, writer (born 1901) 10 December — Jean Campbell, novelist (born 1901) 23 December — Joan Lindsay, novelist, playwright, essayist and visual artist (born 1896)
See also 1984 in Australia 1984 in literature 1984 in poetry List of years in literature List of years in Australian literature
References