1973 in Australian literature
This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1973.
Events
- Patrick White is awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, becoming the first, and so far only, Australian writer to be presented with the award.
Major publications
Books
- Kit Denton – The Breaker : A Novel
- Hammond Innes – Golden Soak
- Morris Lurie – Rappaport's Revenge
- Christina Stead – The Little Hotel
- F. J. Thwaites – Tracks I Knew Not
- Morris West – The Salamander
- Patrick White – ''The Eye of the Storm''
Short stories
- Murray Bail – "Zoellner's Definition"
- Elizabeth Jolley – "Another Holiday for the Prince"
- Frank Moorhouse
- * "The Airport, the Pizzeria, the Motel, the Rented Car, and the Mysteries of Life"
- * The Illegal Relatives
- Fay Zwicky – "Hostages"
Children's and Young Adult fiction
- James Aldridge – A Sporting Proposition
- Mavis Thorpe Clark – Wildfire
- Max Fatchen – The Spirit Wind
- Elyne Mitchell – Silver Brumby Whirlwind
- Mary Elwyn Patchett – Roar of the Lion
- Ivan Southall – Matt and Jo
- Eleanor Spence – Time to Go Home
- Colin Thiele – The Fire in the Stone
- Patricia Wrightson – ''The Nargun and the Stars''
Poetry
- Rosemary Dobson – Selected Poems
- Rodney Hall – A Soapbox Omnibus
- A. D. Hope
- * "Hay Fever"
- * Selected Poems
- Roger McDonald – "Two Summers in Moravia"
- Peter Porter – Jonah
- Vivian Smith – "The Man Fern Near the Bus Stop"
- Judith Wright – ''Alive : Poems 1971-72''
Drama
- Ron Blair – President Wilson in Paris
- Peter Kenna – A Hard God
- John Powers – The Last of the Knucklemen
- David Williamson – ''What If You Died Tomorrow?''
Awards and honours
Poetry
| Award | Author | Title | Publisher |
| Grace Leven Prize for Poetry | Rodney Hall | A Soapbox Omnibus | University of Queensland Press |
Drama
| Award | Author | Title |
| AWGIE Award for Stage | David Williamson | Don's Party |
Births
A list, ordered by date of birth of births in 1973 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.- 18 March — Max Barry, novelist
- 26 October — Chloe Hooper, author
- 12 November — Jay Kristoff, fantasy and science fiction writer
Deaths
A list, ordered by date of death of deaths in 1973 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.- 20 April – Michael Dransfield, poet
- 24 July — Isabel Mary Mitchell, novelist
- 25 July – Gina Ballantyne, poet
- 30 September — Doris Egerton Jones, novelist
- 24 October — Pat Hanna, dramatist
- 11 November — Jim Crawford, playwright
- 23 November – Francis Webb, poet