1976 in Australian literature
This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1976.
Events
*Major publications
Books
- Robert Drewe – The Savage Crows
- David Ireland – The Glass Canoe
- Thomas Keneally – Season in Purgatory
- Frank Moorhouse – Conference-Ville
- Gerald Murnane – A Lifetime on Clouds
- Christina Stead – Miss Herbert (The Suburban Wife)
- Morris West – The Navigator
- Patrick White – ''A Fringe of Leaves''
Short stories
- Elizabeth Jolley – Five Acre Virgin and Other Stories
- Dal Stivens – ''The Unicorn and Other Tales''
Science Fiction and Fantasy
- A. Bertram Chandler – The Way Back
- Lee Harding
- * The Altered I : An Encounter with Science Fiction
- * Beyond Tomorrow
- * Future Sanctuary
- David Lake – ''Walkers on the Sky''
Children's and Young Adult fiction
- Hesba Brinsmead – Under the Silkwood
- Elyne Mitchell – Son of the Whirlwind
- Eleanor Spence – ''The October Child''
Poetry
- John Blight – Selected Poems, 1939-1975
- Laurie Duggan – East: Poems 1970-74
- Geoffrey Lehmann – Selected Poems
- Les Murray
- * "The Buladelah-Taree Holiday Song Cycle"
- * Selected Poems: The Vernacular Republic
- Judith Wright – ''Fourth Quarter''
Drama
- Dorothy Hewett – The Tatty Hollow Story
- Peter Kenna – Mates
- Steve J. Spears – The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin
- Ric Throssell – For Valour
- David Williamson – ''A Handful of Friends''
Non-fiction
- Donald Horne – Death of the Lucky Country
- Gavin Souter – Lion and Kangaroo
- Hugh Stretton – ''Capitalism, Socialism and the Environment''
Awards and honours
Poetry
| Award | Author | Title | Publisher |
| Grace Leven Prize for Poetry | John Blight | Selected Poems 1939–1975 | Nelson |
Drama
| Award | Author | Title |
| AWGIE Award for Stage | Not awarded |
Births
A list, ordered by date of birth of births in 1976 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.- 26 May — Marieke Hardy, writer
- Kate Morton, novelist
Deaths
A list, ordered by date of death of deaths in 1976 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.- 18 February — Catherine Shepherd, playwright
- 16 April – Nina Murdoch, poet and biographer
- 2 June – Lyndall Hadow, short story writer and journalist
- 6 August — George Farwell, novelist
- 14 August — James Devaney, novelist
- 22 August – Ella McFadyen, poet
- 15 October – James McAuley, poet
- 23 October – Ian Mudie, poet