2000 in Australian literature

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This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 2000.

Events

Drylands by Thea Astley and Benang by Kim Scott were joint winners of the Miles Franklin Award

Major publications

Literary fiction

Peter Carey — True History of the Kelly Gang
Arabella Edge — The Company: The Story of a Murderer
Rodney Hall — The Day We Had Hitler Home
Rosalie Ham — The Dressmaker
Thomas Keneally
- An Angel in Australia
- Bettany's Book
Colleen McCullough — Morgan's Run
Alex Miller — Conditions of Faith
Frank Moorhouse — Dark Palace
Morris West — The Last Confession

Crime and mystery

Science fiction and fantasy

Sara Douglass — The Nameless Day
Michel Faber — Under the Skin
Jennifer Fallon — Medalon
Kate Forsyth — The Forbidden Land^[5]
Ian Irvine — The Last Albatross
Juliet Marillier — Son of the Shadows
Sean McMullen — The Miocene Arrow
Garth Nix
- Castle
- The Fall
Emily Rodda — The Forests of Silence
Kim Wilkins — The Resurrectionists
Sean Williams and Shane Dix — The Dying Light^[6]

Children's and young adult fiction

Jaclyn Moriarty — Feeling Sorry for Celia
Sonya Hartnett — Thursday's Child
James Moloney — Touch Me
John Marsden — Winter
Shaun Tan — The Lost Thing
Markus Zusak — Fighting Ruben Wolfe

Short story anthologies

Carmel Bird (editor) — The Penguin Century of Australian Stories^[7]

Poetry

Dorothy Hewett and John Kinsela — Wheatlands^[8]

Plays

Hannie Rayson — Life After George^[9]
David Williamson
- Face to Face
- The Great Man

Non-fiction

Brian Matthews — A Fine and Private Place^[10]
Wendy McCarthy — Don't Fence Me In^[11]
Margaret Scott — Changing Countries: On moving from one island to another^[12]

Awards and honours

Ray Parkin, , "for service to Australian war literature through autobiographical works, and to historical research as author of HM Bark Endeavour[13]

Lifetime achievement

Award	Author
Christopher Brennan Award^[14]	J. S. Harry
Patrick White Award^[15]	Thomas Shapcott

Literary

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
The Age Book of the Year Award^[16]	Amy Witting	Isobel on the Way to the Corner Shop	Penguin
ALS Gold Medal^[17]	Drusilla Modjeska	Stravinsky's Lunch	Picador
Colin Roderick Award^[18]	Peter Carey	True History of the Kelly Gang	University of Queensland Press
Nita Kibble Literary Award^[19]	Drusilla Modjeska	Stravinsky's Lunch	Picador

Fiction

International

Award	Category	Author	Title	Publisher
Commonwealth Writers' Prize^[20]	Best Novel, SE Asia and South Pacific region	Lily Brett	Too Many Men	Picador

National

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature^[21]	Roger McDonald	Mr Darwin's Shooter	Vintage Books
The Age Book of the Year Award^[16]	Amy Witting	Isobel on the Way to the Corner Shop	Penguin Books
The Australian/Vogel Literary Award^[22]	Stephen Gray	The Artist is a Thief	Allen and Unwin
Miles Franklin Award^[23]	Thea Astley	Drylands	Penguin Books
Miles Franklin Award^[23]	Kim Scott	Benang	Fremantle Press
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards^[24]	Michael Meehan	The Salt of Broken Tears	Vintage Books

Crime and Mystery

National

Award	Category	Author	Title	Publisher
Ned Kelly Award^[25]
	Novel	Peter Temple	Shooting Star	Bantam Books
	First novel	Marshall Browne	The Wooden Leg of Inspector Anders	Duffy & Snellgrove
	True crime	John Dale	Huckstepp: A Dangerous Life	Allen & Unwin
	True crime	Andrew Rule & John Silvester	Underbelly 3	Floradale Productions & Sly Ink
	Lifetime Achievement	Not awarded

Poetry

Award	Author	Title	Publisher
Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature^[21]	Dimitris Tsaloumas	The Harbour	University of Queensland Press
The Age Book of the Year^[16]	Peter Minter	Empty Texas	Paper Bark Press
Anne Elder Award^[26]	Arthur M. Spyrou	Garden of Delights	Monogene
Grace Leven Prize for Poetry^[27]	Not awarded
Mary Gilmore Award^[28]	Lucy Dougan	Memory Shell	Five Islands Press

Non-fiction

Award	Category	Author	Title	Publisher
Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature^[21]	Non-Fiction	Tim Flannery	Throw'im Way Leg: An Adventure	Text Publishing
The Age Book of the Year^[16]	Non-Fiction	Kim Mahood	Craft for a Dry Lake	Anchor
National Biography Award^[29]	Biography	Peter Robb	M, a biography of European painter Caravaggio	Duffy and Snellgrove
National Biography Award^[29]	Biography	Mandy Sayer	Dreamtime Alice: A Memoir	Random House

Deaths

A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 2000 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.

5 March – Michael Noonan, novelist and radio scriptwriter (born 1921 in New Zealand)^[30]
11 March – Gerald Glaskin, writer (born 1923)^[31]
17 March – Jack Davis, playwright, poet and Indigenous rights campaigner (born 1917)^[32]
6 May – Elizabeth O'Conner, novelist (born 1913)^[33]
25 May – Elizabeth Durack, artist and writer (born 1915)^[34]
16 June — Colin Roderick, editor and critic (born 1911)^[35]
25 June – Judith Wright, poet, environmentalist and campaigner for Aboriginal land rights (born 1915)^[36]
3 July – Nancy Cato, historical novelist, biographer and poet (born 1917)^[37]
13 July – A. D. Hope, poet and essayist (born 1907)^[38]
August – John Joseph Jones, poet, folk singer, musician, playwright and theatre director (born in London, 1930)^[39]
10 August – Clement Semmler, author, literary critic, broadcaster and radio and television executive (born 1914)^[40]
17 August – Leslie Rees, children's writer and dramatist (born 1905)^[41]
1 November – Ian Moffitt, journalist and novelist (born 1926)^[42]

References

^ "The Notary by Catherine Jinks". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ "Silvermeadow by Barry maitland". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ "The Big Ask by Shane Maloney". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ "Austlit — Trust Me by Meredith Webber". Austlit. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ "The Forbidden Land by Kate Forsyth". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ "The Dying Light by Sean Williams & Shane Dix". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ "The Penguin Century of Australian Stories edited by Carmel Bird". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ "Wheatlands by Dorothy Hewett and John Kinsella". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ "Life After George by Hannie Rayson". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ "A Fine and Private Place by Brian Matthews". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ "Don't Fence Me In by Wendy McCarthy". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ "Changing Countries by Margaret McCarthy". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
^ "Raymond Edward Parkin". honours.pmc.gov.au. Archived from the original on 18 December 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
^ ""Results of the 2000 National Literary Awards"" (PDF). FAW. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
^ "Austlit — Patrick White Award - Past Winners". Austlit. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ""Writing's late starter improves with age"". The Age, 26 August 2000, p4. ProQuest 2521728940. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
^ "ALS Gold Medal — Previous Winners". Association for the Study of Australian Literature. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
^ "Colin Roderick Award - Other Winners". James Cook University. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
^ "Kibble Literary Award". Australian National University. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
^ "Commonwealth Writers' Prize Regional Winners 1987-2007" (PDF). Commonwealth Foundation. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature – Past Literary Award Winners". State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
^ ""Austlit – Australian/Vogel Award 2000-2002"". Austlit. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
^ "Austlit — Miles Franklin Literary Award : 2000-2002". Austlit. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
^ ""Aboriginal book floors competition"". Sydney Morning Herald, 16 May 2000. ProQuest 2527651786. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
^ "2000 Ned Kelly Award Winners". Australian Crime Writers. Archived from the original on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
^ "Austlit — Anne Elder Award 1998-2000". Austlit. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
^ "Austlit — Grace Leven Poetry Prize 1994-2001". Austlit. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
^ "Mary Gilmore Award". Association for the Study of Australian Literature. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
^ ""National Biography Award – Past Winners"". State Library of NSW. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
^ "Michael Noonan (1921-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
^ "G. M. Glaskin (1923-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
^ "Jack Davis (1917-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
^ "Austlit — Elizabeth O'Conner (1913-2000)". Austlit. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
^ "Elizabeth Durack (1915-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
^ "Austlit — Colin Roderick (1911-2000)". Austlit. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
^ "Judith Wright (1915-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
^ "Nancy Cato (1917-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
^ "Alec Derwent (A. D.) Hope (1907–2000) by Susan Lever". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
^ "John Joseph Jones (1930-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
^ "Clement Semmler (1914-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
^ "Leslie Rees (1905-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
^ "Ian Moffitt (1926-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 26 September 2023.

[1] "The Notary by Catherine Jinks". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.

[2] "Silvermeadow by Barry maitland". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.

[3] "The Big Ask by Shane Maloney". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.

[4] "Austlit — Trust Me by Meredith Webber". Austlit. Retrieved 9 March 2024.

[5] "The Forbidden Land by Kate Forsyth". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.

[6] "The Dying Light by Sean Williams & Shane Dix". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.

[7] "The Penguin Century of Australian Stories edited by Carmel Bird". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.

[8] "Wheatlands by Dorothy Hewett and John Kinsella". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.

[9] "Life After George by Hannie Rayson". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.

[10] "A Fine and Private Place by Brian Matthews". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.

[11] "Don't Fence Me In by Wendy McCarthy". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.

[12] "Changing Countries by Margaret McCarthy". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2024.

[13] "Raymond Edward Parkin". honours.pmc.gov.au. Archived from the original on 18 December 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.

[CB2000-14] ""Results of the 2000 National Literary Awards"" (PDF). FAW. Retrieved 11 September 2023.

[AustlitPWA-15] "Austlit — Patrick White Award - Past Winners". Austlit. Retrieved 8 September 2023.

[Age2000-16] ""Writing's late starter improves with age"". The Age, 26 August 2000, p4. ProQuest 2521728940. Retrieved 17 June 2024.

[ALS-17] "ALS Gold Medal — Previous Winners". Association for the Study of Australian Literature. Retrieved 10 January 2024.

[CRA-18] "Colin Roderick Award - Other Winners". James Cook University. Retrieved 16 January 2024.

[NKA-19] "Kibble Literary Award". Australian National University. Retrieved 26 February 2024.

[CWP-20] "Commonwealth Writers' Prize Regional Winners 1987-2007" (PDF). Commonwealth Foundation. Retrieved 18 January 2024.

[SLSA-21] "Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature – Past Literary Award Winners". State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 18 April 2024.

[AV2000-2002-22] ""Austlit – Australian/Vogel Award 2000-2002"". Austlit. Retrieved 19 February 2024.

[MFA2000-23] "Austlit — Miles Franklin Literary Award : 2000-2002". Austlit. Retrieved 15 September 2023.

[NSWPLA2000-24] ""Aboriginal book floors competition"". Sydney Morning Herald, 16 May 2000. ProQuest 2527651786. Retrieved 10 May 2024.

[25] "2000 Ned Kelly Award Winners". Australian Crime Writers. Archived from the original on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2024.

[AEA1998-2000-26] "Austlit — Anne Elder Award 1998-2000". Austlit. Retrieved 13 February 2024.

[GLP1994-2001-27] "Austlit — Grace Leven Poetry Prize 1994-2001". Austlit. Retrieved 13 February 2024.

[MGA-28] "Mary Gilmore Award". Association for the Study of Australian Literature. Retrieved 10 February 2024.

[NBAward-29] ""National Biography Award – Past Winners"". State Library of NSW. Retrieved 22 March 2024.

[30] "Michael Noonan (1921-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 26 September 2023.

[31] "G. M. Glaskin (1923-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 26 September 2023.

[32] "Jack Davis (1917-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 16 September 2023.

[33] "Austlit — Elizabeth O'Conner (1913-2000)". Austlit. Retrieved 1 December 2023.

[34] "Elizabeth Durack (1915-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 14 September 2023.

[35] "Austlit — Colin Roderick (1911-2000)". Austlit. Retrieved 23 November 2023.

[36] "Judith Wright (1915-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 14 September 2023.

[37] "Nancy Cato (1917-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 16 September 2023.

[38] "Alec Derwent (A. D.) Hope (1907–2000) by Susan Lever". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 9 November 2023.

[39] "John Joseph Jones (1930-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 5 March 2024.

[40] "Clement Semmler (1914-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 14 September 2023.

[41] "Leslie Rees (1905-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 8 September 2023.

[42] "Ian Moffitt (1926-2000)". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. The University of Queensland. Retrieved 26 September 2023.

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v t e Years in Australian literature (1852–present)
19th century	1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900
20th century	1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
21st century	2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Events

Major publications

Literary fiction

Crime and mystery

Science fiction and fantasy

Children's and young adult fiction

Short story anthologies

Poetry

Plays

Non-fiction

Awards and honours

Lifetime achievement

Literary

Fiction

International

National

Crime and Mystery

National

Poetry

Non-fiction

Deaths

See also

References