This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1970.
For an overview of world literature see 1970 in literature.
See also: 1969 in Australian literature, 1970 in Australia, 1971 in Australian literature.
Jessica Anderson – The Last Man's HeadJon Cleary – Helga's WebGeoffrey Dutton – TamaraCatherine Gaskin – FionaShirley Hazzard – The Bay of NoonBarry Oakley – A Salute to the Great MacarthyDal Stivens – A Horse of AirColin Thiele – Labourers in the VineyardPatrick White – The VivisectorMurray Bail – "Paradise"Alexandra Hasluck – Of Ladies Dead : Stories Not in the Modern MannerFrank Moorhouse – "The Coca-Cola Kid"Hal Porter – Mr Butterfly and Other Tales of New JapanChildren's and Young Adult fiction
Hesba Brinsmead – Listen to the WindMavis Thorpe Clark – Iron MountainMax Fatchen – Conquest of the RiverLilith Norman – Climb a Lonely HillRuth ParkThe Muddle-Headed Wombat in the SpringtimeThe Muddle-Headed Wombat on the RiverJoan Phipson – The Haunted HouseIvan SouthallBread and HoneyChinaman's Reef is OursScience fiction and fantasy
Damien Broderick – Sorcerer's WorldMichael Wilding – "The Man of Slow Feeling"Jack Davis – The First-Born and Other PoemsMichael Dransfield – "Fix"Robert Gray – "Journey : The North Coast"Rodney Hall – Heaven, in a WayA. D. Hope – Dunciad MinorDavid Malouf – Bicycle and Other PoemsPeter Porter – The Last of EnglandDavid Rowbotham – The Makers of the Ark : PoemsKath Walker – My People : A Kath Walker CollectionDavid Williamson – The Coming of StorkGermaine Greer – The Female EunuchA list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1970 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.
8 June – Paul Haines, short story writer (died 2012)Unknown date
Lee Battersby, novelist and short story writerJulia Leigh, novelist and script writerMartin Livings, short story writerCaroline Overington, novelist and journalistA list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1970 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.
1 May – Nan Chauncy, writer for children (born 1900)24 May – Frank Dalby Davison, novelist and short story writer22 July – George Johnston, novelist (born 1912) 