1982 in Australian literature
This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1982.
Events
- Thomas Keneally won the 1982 Booker–McConnell Prize for Schindler's Ark, the first Australian to win the award.
- Rodney Hall (writer) won the 1982 Miles Franklin Award for ''Just Relations''
Major publications
Novels
- Thea Astley — An Item from the Late News
- Jean Bedford — Sister Kate
- Rodney Hall — Just Relations
- Thomas Keneally — Schindler's Ark
- David Malouf
- * Child's Play
- * Fly Away Peter
- Gerald Murnane — The Plains
- Tim Winton — ''An Open Swimmer''
Crime and mystery
Science fiction and fantasy
- Glenda Adams — Games of the Strong
- Damien Broderick — The Judas Mandala
- Terry Dowling — "The Man Who Walks Away Behind the Eyes"
Short stories
- Beverley Farmer — "Snake"
Children's and young adult fiction
- Joan Lindsay — Syd Sixpence
- Jan Ormerod — Moonlight
- Nadia Wheatley — ''Five Times Dizzy''
Poetry
- Les Murray
- * Equanimities
- * The Vernacular Republic: Poems 1961–1981
- Vivian Smith – Tide Country
- John Tranter — ''Selected Poems''
Drama
- Jack Davis — The Dreamers
- Louis Nowra — Spellbound
- David Williamson — ''The Perfectionist''
Non-fiction
- Blanche d'Alpuget — Robert J. Hawke: A Biography
- Edmund Campion — Rockchoppers: Growing up Catholic in Australia
- Nancy Keesing — Lily on the Dustbin: Slang of Australian Women and Families
- Geoffrey Serle — ''John Monash''
Awards and honours
Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
Fiction
International
| Award | Author | Title | Publisher |
| Booker Prize | Thomas Keneally | Schindler's Ark | Hodder and Stoughton |
Poetry
| Award | Author | Title | Publisher |
| Anne Elder Award | Kate Llewellyn | Trader Kate and the Elephants | Friendly Street Poets |
| Anne Elder Award | Peter Goldsworthy | Readings from Ecclesiastes | Angus & Robertson |
| Grace Leven Prize for Poetry | Vivian Smith | Tide Country | Angus & Robertson |
| New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards | Fay Zwicky | Kaddish and Other Poems | University of Queensland Press |
Births
A list, ordered by date of birth of births in 1982 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.- 1 January — Craig Silvey, novelist, author of Jasper Jones
- 22 November — Alasdair Duncan, author and journalist
- 22 December — Sarah Holland-Batt, contemporary Australian poet, critic and academic
- Kate Gordon, author of young adult fiction
Deaths
A list, ordered by date of death of deaths in 1982 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.- 11 February — Albert Facey, writer, best known as author of A Fortunate Life
- 8 October — Joice NanKivell Loch, author, journalist and humanitarian worker
- 15 November — Eve Pownall, writer for children and historian