1971 in Australian literature
This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1971.
Events
- Ivan Southall becomes the first Australian author to win the Carnegie Medal for Writing.
Major publications
Books
- Jon Cleary – Mask of the Andes
- Kenneth Cook – Piper in the Market-Place
- Dymphna Cusack – A Bough in Hell
- Frank Hardy – The Outcasts of Foolgarah
- Donald Horne – But What If There Are No Pelicans?
- David Ireland – The Unknown Industrial Prisoner
- George Johnston – A Cartload of Clay
- Thomas Keneally – A Dutiful Daughter
- Hal Porter – The Right Thing
- Judah Waten – So Far No Further
- Morris West – ''Summer of the Red Wolf''
Short stories
- Elizabeth Jolley – "Bill Sprockett's Land"
- Hal Porter
- * "Brett"
- * ''Selected Stories''
Children's and Young Adult fiction
- Hesba Brinsmead – Longtime Passing
- David Martin – Hughie
- Christobel Mattingley – Windmill at Magpie Creek
- Elyne Mitchell – Light Horse to Damascus
- Ivan Southall – Josh
- P. L. Travers – ''Friend Monkey''
Science fiction and fantasy
- John Baxter – The Second Pacific Book of Science Fiction
- A. Bertram Chandler
- * Alternate Orbits
- * To Prime the Pump
- Lindsay Gutteridge – Cold War in a Country Garden
- Lee Harding – "Fallen Spaceman"
- Jack Wodhams – ''The Authentic Touch''
Poetry
- Robert Adamson – The Rumour
- Bruce Dawe – Condolences of the Season : Selected Poems
- Gwen Harwood – "Oyster Cove"
- A. D. Hope – "Inscription for a War"
- James McAuley – Collected Poems 1936-1970
- Dorothea Mackellar – The Poems of Dorothea Mackellar
- Geoff Page – "Smalltown Memorials"
- David Rowbotham – The Pen of Feathers : Poems
- T. G. H. Strehlow – Songs of Central Australia
- Chris Wallace-Crabbe
- * "Other People"
- * Where the Wind Came : poems
- Judith Wright – ''Collected Poems, 1942-1970''
Drama
- Alex Buzo – Macquarie : A Play
- Dorothy Hewett – The Chapel Perilous
- Ray Lawler – The Man Who Shot the Albatross
- Jim McNeil – The Chocolate Frog
- David Williamson
- * Don's Party
- * ''The Removalists''
Awards and honours
Poetry
| Award | Author | Title | Publisher |
| Grace Leven Prize for Poetry | Judith Wright | Collected Poems, 1942-1970 | Angus and Robertson |
| Grace Leven Prize for Poetry | James McAuley | Collected Poems 1936-1970 | Angus and Robertson |
Drama
| Award | Author | Title |
| AWGIE Award for Stage | Michael Boddy & Bob Ellis | The Legend of King O'Malley |
Births
A list, ordered by date of birth of births in 1971 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.- 18 November – Leigh Redhead, novelist
- Helen Dale, novelist
- Libby Hart, poet
- James Ley, literary critic and founder of the Sydney Review of Books
- John Mateer, poet and author
Deaths
A list, ordered by date of death of deaths in 1971 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.- 19 January – Joe Walker, novelist and newspaper editor
- 3 February – Richard Harry Graves, poet and novelist
- 11 March – Frank Clune, novelist and travel writer
- 10 June – Maysie Coucher Greig, writer of romantic novels and thrillers
- 30 June – Kenneth Slessor, poet
- 11 September – Hilda Bridges, novelist and short story writer
- 7 November – Minnie Agnes Filson, poet
- G. C. Bleeck – novelist