2002 in Australian literature


This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 2002.

Major publications

Literary fiction

Note: these awards were presented in the year in question.

Lifetime achievement

Fiction

International

AwardCategoryAuthorTitlePublisher
Commonwealth Writers' PrizeBest Novel, SE Asia and South Pacific regionRichard FlanaganGould's Book of FishPicador
Commonwealth Writers' PrizeBest First Novel, SE Asia and South Pacific regionMeaghan DelahuntIn the Blue HouseBloomsbury
Commonwealth Writers' PrizeOverall winnerRichard FlanaganGould's Book of FishPicador

National

AwardCategoryAuthorTitlePublisher
The Age Book of the YearFictionJoan LondonGilgameshGrove Press
The Australian/Vogel Literary AwardDanielle WoodThe Alphabet of Light and DarkAllen & Unwin
Miles Franklin AwardTim WintonDirt MusicPicador
New South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsFictionTim WintonDirt MusicPicador
Queensland Premier's Literary AwardsFictionTim WintonDirt MusicPicador
Victorian Premier's Literary AwardFictionPeter CareyTrue History of the Kelly GangUniversity of Queensland Press
Western Australian Premier's Book AwardsFictionGail JonesBlack MirrorPicador

Children and Young Adult

National

AwardCategoryAuthorTitlePublisher
Children's Book of the Year AwardSonya HartnettForestViking Books
Children's Book of the Year AwardJohn Heffernan, illus. Andrew McLeanMy DogMargaret Hamilton Books
Children's Book of the Year AwardLibby Gleeson, illus. Armin GrederAn Ordinary DayScholastic Press
Children's Book of the Year AwardBob GrahamLet's Get a Pup!Walker Books
New South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsChildren'sShaun TanThe Red TreeLothian Books
New South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsYoung People'sAnthony HillSoldier Boy: The True Story of Jim Martin, the Youngest AnzacPenguin Books
Queensland Premier's Literary AwardsChildren'sMichael StephensBlat MagicHarperCollins
Queensland Premier's Literary AwardsYoung AdultMarkus ZusakWhen Dogs CryPan Macmillan
Victorian Premier's Literary AwardYoung Adult FictionMeme McDonald and Boori Monty PryorNjunjul the SunAllen & Unwin
Western Australian Premier's Book AwardsWriting for Young AdultsPat LoweFeeling the HeatPenguin Books
Western Australian Premier's Book AwardsChildren'sMark Greenwood and Frané LessacThe Legend of Moondyne Joe Cygnet

Crime and Mystery

National

AwardCategoryAuthorTitlePublisher
Davitt AwardNovelCarolyn MorwoodA Simple DeathWomen's Press
Ned Kelly AwardNovelGabrielle LordDeath DelightsHodder Headline Australia
Ned Kelly AwardFirst novelBunty AviesonApartment 255Pan Macmillan
Ned Kelly AwardFirst novelEmma DarcyWho Killed Angelique?Pan Macmillan

Science Fiction

AwardCategoryAuthorTitlePublisher
Aurealis AwardSf NovelDamien BroderickTranscensionTor Books
Aurealis AwardSf Short StorySean McMullen"Walk to the Full Moon"F&SF
Aurealis AwardFantasy NovelSean WilliamsThe Storm Weaver and the SandVoyager Books
Aurealis AwardFantasy Short StoryNo award presented
Aurealis AwardHorror NovelA. L. McCannThe White Body of EveningFlamingo
Aurealis AwardHorror Short StoryKim Westwood"Oracle"Redsine
Aurealis AwardYoung Adult NovelSophie MassonThe Hand of GloryHodder Headline
Ditmar AwardNovelGarth NixLiraelAllen and Unwin
Ditmar AwardShort FictionJack Dann"The Diamond Pit"Jubilee
Ditmar AwardShort FictionLucy Sussex"Absolute Uncertainty"F&SF
Ditmar AwardCollected WorkDamien Broderick ed.Earth is But a StarUWA Press

Non-Fiction

AwardCategoryAuthorTitlePublisher
The Age Book of the YearNon-FictionDon WatsonRecollections of a Bleeding Heart: A Portrait of Paul Keating PMRandom House Australia
Colin Roderick AwardDon WatsonRecollections of a Bleeding Heart: A Portrait of Paul Keating PMRandom House Australia
National Biography AwardJacqueline KentA Certain Style: Beatrice Davis, a Literary LifeViking Books
New South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsNon-FictionGail BellThe Poison PrinciplePan Macmillan
New South Wales Premier's History AwardsAustralian HistoryNadia WheatleyThe Life and Myth of Charmian CliftHarperCollins
New South Wales Premier's History AwardsCommunity and Regional HistoryJohn BaileyThe White Divers of Broome: the true story of a fatal experimentPan Macmillan
New South Wales Premier's History AwardsGeneral HistoryDavid GarriochThe Making of Revolutionary ParisUniversity of California Press
New South Wales Premier's History AwardsYoung People'sPapunya SchoolPapunya School Book of Country and HistoryAllen and Unwin
Nita Kibble Literary AwardInga ClendinnenTiger's Eye: A MemoirText Publishing
Queensland Premier's Literary AwardsNon-fictionBrenda NiallThe Boyds: A Family BiographyMelbourne University Press
Queensland Premier's Literary AwardsHistoryLes CarlyonGallipoliPan Macmillan
Victorian Premier's Literary AwardNon-fictionBrenda NiallThe Boyds: A Family BiographyMelbourne University Press

Poetry

AwardAuthorTitlePublisher
The Age Book of the YearRobert GrayAfterimagesDuffy and Snellgrove
Grace Leven Prize for PoetryKate LilleyVersarySalt Publishing
Mary Gilmore PrizeGeraldine McKenzieDutyPaper Bark Press
New South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsAlan WearneThe LovemakersPenguin Books
Victorian Premier's Literary AwardRobert GrayAfterimagesDuffy and Snellgrove
Western Australian Premier's Book AwardsBarbara TempertonGoing FeralFremantle Arts Centre Press

Drama

AwardAuthorTitlePublisher
Patrick White Playwrights' AwardReg CribbLast Cab to DarwinLast Cab Productions
Patrick White Playwrights' AwardIan WildingEven Amongst Dogs

Deaths