1980 in Australian literature
This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1980.
Events
- The Australian/Vogel Literary Award: Inaugural award to Archie Weller, The Day Of The Dog; the award was initially given to Paul Radley, who, in 1996, admitted that his manuscript was actually written by his uncle.
- Jessica Anderson won the 1980 Miles Franklin Award for The Impersonators
Major publications
Books
- Jessica Anderson – The Impersonators
- Peter Corris – The Dying Trade
- Shirley Hazzard – The Transit of Venus
- Elizabeth Jolley – Palomino
Short story collections
- Helen Garner – Honour & Other People's Children
Children's and Young Adult fiction
- Mavis Thorpe Clark – A Stranger Came to the Mine
- Robert Ingpen — The Voyage of the Poppykettle
- Ruth Park — Playing Beatie Bow
Poetry
- Judith Rodriguez – Mudcrab at Gambaro's
- Philip Salom – The Silent Piano
- Chris Wallace-Crabbe, editor, The Golden Apples of the Sun: Twentieth Century Australian Poetry
Drama
- Louis Nowra – Beauty and the Beast
- Steve J. Spears – The Time of the Bodgie
- David Williamson – Celluloid Heroes
Non-fiction
- Robyn Davidson – Tracks
- Clive James – Unreliable Memoirs
Awards and honours
- Kylie Tennant – Officer of the Order of Australia
- Max Fatchen – Member of the Order of Australia
- Marjorie Barnard – Medal of the Order of Australia
- Patsy Adam-Smith – Officer of the British Empire
Lifetime achievement
Literary
Children and Young Adult
Poetry
| Award | Author | Title | Publisher |
| Grace Leven Prize for Poetry | Les Murray | The Boys Who Stole the Funeral | Angus & Robertson |
| Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry | David Campbell | Man in the Honeysuckle |
Births
A list, ordered by date of birth of births in 1980 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.- 7 July – Brooke Davis, novelist
- Elizabeth Campbell, poet
- Ceridwen Dovey, novelist
Deaths
- 2 September – Frederick Macartney, poet and critic
- 3 February – Marnie Bassett, historian and biographer