1954 in Australian literature
This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1954.
Events
- Charlotte Jay won the inaugural Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel for ''Beat Not the Bones''
Books
- James Aldridge – Heroes of the Empty View
- Jon Cleary – The Climate of Courage
- Miles Franklin – Cockatoos : A Story of Youth and Exodists
- Catherine Gaskin – Sara Dane
- T. A. G. Hungerford – Sowers of the Wind : A Novel of the Occupation of Japan
- Eric Lambert
- * The Five Bright Stars
- * The Veterans
- Eve Langley – White Topee
- J. E. Macdonnell
- * Jim Brady, Leading Seaman
- * Wings Off the Sea
- Kenneth Mackenzie – The Refuge
- Alan Moorehead – A Summer Night
- E. V. Timms – The Fury
- Judah Waten – ''The Unbending''
Crime and mystery
- Arthur Upfield
- * Death of a Lake
- * ''Sinister Stones''
Short stories
- A. Bertram Chandler – "Shadow Before"
- David Martin – "Where a Man Belongs"
- John Morrison – "The Incense-Burner"
- Dal Stivens – "In the Depths"
- Judah Waten – "Well, What do You Say to My Boy?"
Children's and Young Adult fiction
- Nan Chauncy – A Fortune for the Brave
- Joan Phipson – Six and Silver
- Norman B. Tindale & Harold Arthur Lindsay – The First Walkabout, illustrated by Madeleine Boyce
Poetry
- Thea Astley – "Droving Man"
- Dorothy Auchterlonie – "The Tree"
- John Blight
- * "The Anchor"
- * "Death of a Whale"
- * "Nor'-Easter"
- * "Rope"
- * The Two Suns Met : Poems
- R. D. Fitzgerald
- * "Beginnings"
- * "Edge"
- Mary Gilmore – Fourteen Men : Verses
- A. D. Hope – "The Return of Persephone"
- Christopher Koch – "The Boy Who Dreamed the Country Night"
- James McAuley
- * "An Art of Poetry"
- * "New Guinea"
- * "To the Holy Spirit"
- Kenneth Mackenzie – "An Old Inmate"
- David Rowbotham – "Mullabinda"
- Douglas Stewart – "Spider-Gums"
- Colin Thiele – "The Mushroomer"
- John Thompson – Thirty Poems
- Judith Wright
- * "At Cooloolah"
- * "Flying Fox on Barbed Wire"
- * "The Two Fires"
Drama
Theatre
- James Workman – ''Eternal Night''
Biography
- Nevil Shute – Slide Rule : The Autobiography of an Engineer
- David Unaipon – ''My Life Story''
Non-Fiction
- Vance Palmer – ''The Legend of the Nineties''
Awards and honours
Literary
| Award | Author | Title | Publisher |
| ALS Gold Medal | Mary Gilmore | Fourteen Men : Verses | Angus and Robertson |
Children's and Young Adult
| Award | Category | Author | Title | Publisher |
| Children's Book of the Year Award | Older Readers | K. Langloh Parker, edited by Henrietta Drake-Brockman, illustrated by Elizabeth Durack | Australian Legendary Tales | Angus and Robertson |
Poetry
| Award | Author | Title | Publisher |
| Grace Leven Prize for Poetry | John Thompson | Thirty Poems | Edwards and Shaw |
Births
A list, ordered by date of birth of births in 1954 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.- 12 January
- * Brian Caswell, writer for children
- * Lee Tulloch, novelist
- 26 March – Dorothy Porter, poet
- 21 May – Paul Collins, author and editor
- 17 June – Kerry Greenwood, novelist
- 5 July – Kevin Hart, poet
- 20 September – James Moloney, writer for children
- 1 November – Andrew Lansdown, poet
- 16 November – Anne Morgan, writer of children's books
- Russell Blackford, novelist and critic
- Rory Harris, poet
- Shane McCauley, poet
- Rosemary Sorensen, journalist, editor and critic
Deaths
A list, ordered by date of death of deaths in 1954 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.- 16 May — Jack McLaren, novelist
- 28 June — Nancy Francis, poet, journalist and short story writer
- 19 September – Miles Franklin, novelist
- 2 November – Malcolm Afford, playwright and novelist