This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1961.
For an overview of world literature see 1961 in literature.
See also: 1960 in Australian literature, 1961 in Australia, 1962 in Australian literature.
James Aldridge – The Last ExileMena Calthorpe – The DyehouseA. Bertram Chandler – The Rim of SpaceKenneth Cook – Wake in FrightDymphna Cusack – Heatwave in BerlinNene Gare – The Fringe DwellersXavier Herbert – Soldiers' WomenElizabeth Kata – Be Ready with Bells and DrumsJohn O'Grady – No Kava for JohnnyRuth Park – The Good Looking Women (aka '"Serpent's Delight)Hal Porter – The Tilted CrossGeorge Turner – A Stranger and AfraidJudah Waten – Time of ConflictMorris West – Daughter of SilencePatrick White – Riders in the ChariotThea Astley – "Cubby"A. Bertram Chandler – "All Laced Up"Shirley Hazzard – "Woollahra Road"Ray Mathew – A Bohemian Affair : Short StoriesD'Arcy NilandThe Ballad of the Fat Bushranger : and other storiesDadda Jumped Over Two ElephantsLogan's Girl and Other StoriesDesmond O'Grady – "Barbecue"Charles Osborne – Australian Stories of TodayHal Porter – "Say to Me Roland!"Children's and Young Adult fiction
L. H. Evers – The Racketty Street GangJohn Gunn – Dangerous EnemiesRuth Park – The Hole in the HillBetty Roland – Forbidden BridgeColin Thiele – Sun on the StubbleJoan Woodberry – Rafferty Rides a WinnerVincent Buckley – Masters in IsraelGwen Harwood"In the Park""Nightfall"A. D. Hope – "The Double Looking Glass"David Malouf – "At My Grandmother's"Peter Porter – Once Bitten, Twice BittenElizabeth Riddell – ForbearsThomas Shapcott – Time on FireRandolph Stow"Dust""Ruins of the City of Hay"Chris Wallace-Crabbe – "Melbourne"Francis Webb – Socrates and Other PoemsFrank Hardy – The Hard Way : The Story Behind Power Without GloryRussell Braddon – The Naked IslandRay Lawler – The Piccadilly BushmanA list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1961 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.
20 August – Greg Egan, novelist and short story writerUnknown date
Peter FitzSimons, writerRichard Flanagan, novelistAndy Griffiths, writer for childrenA list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1961 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.
9 June – Jeannie Gunn, novelist (born 1870) 