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 David Foster — Dog Rock Kate Grenville — Lilian's Story Barbara Hanrahan — Annie Magdalene Thomas Keneally — A Family Madness Christopher Koch — The Doubleman
Short story collections David Malouf — Antipodes Olga Masters — A Long Time Dying
Crime and mystery Peter Corris The Big Drop, and Other Cliff Hardy Stories Make Me Rich Pokerface
Children's and young adult fiction Pamela Allen — A Lion in the Night Duncan Ball — Selby's Secret Thurley Fowler – The Green Wind Robin Klein — Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left Gillian Rubinstein — Space Demons
Poetry John Blight — Holiday Sea Sonnets Robert Gray — Selected Poems 1963-1983 A. D. Hope — The Age of Reason Leonie Kramer and Adrian Mitchell — The Oxford Anthology of Australian Literature Judith Rodriguez — "In-Flight Note" Chris Wallace-Crabbe — The Amorous Cannibal Judith Wright — Phantom Dwelling
Drama
Janis Balodis – Too Young for Ghosts Jack Davis — No Sugar Michael Gow — The Astronaut’s Wife Louis Nowra — The Golden Age David Williamson — Sons of Cain
Non-fiction John Bryson — Evil Angels
Awards and honours Jack Davis , for "service to Aboriginal literature and theatre" Frank Moorhouse , for "service to Australian literature" Morris West , for "service to literature"
Lifetime achievement Award Author Christopher Brennan Award Les Murray Patrick White Award Judah Waten (posthumous)
Literary awards Award Author Title Publisher The Age Book of the Year Award Peter Carey Illywhacker University of Queensland Press ALS Gold Medal David Ireland Archimedes and the Seagle Viking Press Colin Roderick Award 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 Peter Carey Illywhacker University of Queensland Press The Australian/Vogel Literary Award No award Miles Franklin Award Christopher Koch The Doubleman Chatto & Windus New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Elizabeth Jolley Milk and Honey Fremantle Arts Centre Press Victorian Premier's Literary Awards David Malouf Antipodes Chatto and WindusWestern Australian Premier's Book AwardsTim Winton Shallows Allen & Unwin Scission and Other Stories McPhee Gribble
Children and Young Adult Award Category Author Title PublisherChildren's Book of the Year Award Older Readers James Aldridge The True Story of Lilli Stubeck Hyland House Picture Book Not awarded New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Young People's Literature Nadia Wheatley The House that Was Eureka Penguin
Science fiction and fantasy Award Category Author Title Publisher Australian SF Achievement Award Best Australian Science Fiction Victor Kelleher The Beast of Heaven University of Queensland Press
Poetry
Award Author Title Publisher Anne Elder Award Stephen J. Williams A Crowd of Voices Pariah Press Co-op Grace Leven Prize for Poetry Robert Gray Selected Poems 1963-1983 Angus and Robertson Chris Wallace-Crabbe The Amorous Cannibal Oxford University Press Mary Gilmore Award Doris Brett The Truth About Unicorns Jacaranda Press New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Kevin Hart Your Shadow Angus & RobertsonVictorian Premier's Literary Awards Rosemary Dobson The Three Fates & Other Poems Hale & Iremonger Kevin Hart Your Shadow Angus & Robertson
Drama
Award Category Author TitleNew South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Script Bob Ellis and Paul Cox My First Wife Margaret Kelly, Chris Noonan, Phillip Noyceand Russell Braddon The Cowra Breakout Play Stephen Sewell The Blind Giant is Dancing Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Drama David Allen Cheapside
Non-fiction Award Author Title PublisherThe Age Book of the Year Award Chester Eagle Mapping the Paddocks McPhee Gribble Hugh Lunn Vietnam: A Reporter's War University of Queensland Press New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Elsie Webster The Moon Man Melbourne University Press Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 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
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) 14 February — Douglas Stewart, poet, short story writer, essayist and literary editor (born 1913) 19 April — John Manifold, poet and critic (born 1915) 5 May — Carter Brown, writer of detective fiction (born in England, 1923) 18 July — F. B. Vickers, novelist (born 1903) 29 July — Judah Waten, novelist (born 1911) 11 September — Eleanor Dark, novelist (born 1901) 4 November — A. A. Phillips, writer, critic and teacher, best known for coining the term "Cultural Cringe" (born 1900)
See also 1985 in Australia 1985 in literature 1985 in poetry List of years in literature List of years in Australian literature
References