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Following a dispute with the Poetry Society of Australia in 1964, for which she had been editor of Poetry Magazine since 1961, Grace Perry founded Poetry Australia and the publishing house South Head Press.
Committed to producing a fine poetry magazine devoid of factions, Perry published a diverse range of styles and subjects in Poetry Australia. The magazine also fostered emerging Australian poets, sponsoring many workshops, literary seminars and visits from overseas writers. Commemorative issues were devoted to Francis Webb and David Campbell and special regional issues devoted to Australian states and territories were also produced. In addition, the work of individual poets such as John Tranter, Jennifer Maiden, John Millett, Heather Cam, Peter Goldsworthy and Meredith Wattison was featured in special issues. In 1985 a selection of poems mostly by well-established poets appeared in Poetry Australia - Twenty One Years, celebrating twenty-one years of publication.
Perry aimed to produce a magazine of international significance while maintaining a strong Australian presence. To this end, the work of many international writers, including translations, appeared in Poetry Australia, but most issues did not identify the contributors' nationality. International contributors included Ezra Pound, Ted Hughes, Seamus Heaney, Richard Murphy and Margaret Atwood. Translations included early Russian poets by Rosemary Dobson and David Campbell, Laurence Springarn's translations from Portugese and Mark Scrivener's translations of German classics. Poetry Australia also published special issues of New Zealand, Canadian, Italian, Japanese, Dutch and Flemish, American, Gaelic, French, Austrian, Swedish and Papua New Guinean poetry.
In 1985 the magazine won the NSW Premier's Special Literary Award. Grace Perry died in 1987. John Millett continued as editor until 1992 when Poetry Australia ceased production. Millett subsequently helped to establish the Poetry Australia Fund and this fund was instrumental in the establishment in 2002 of the magazine Blue Dog: Australian Poetry, which editor Ron Pretty declares is in 'direct line of succession from Poetry Australia.'
Notes
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RANGE: 1964-1992; no.1 (1964) - no.133 (1992).
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FREQUENCY: bimonthly, 1964-1970; quarterly, 1971-1992.
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SIZE: 23cm
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Pulling a Trojan Horse
2016
single work
interview
— Appears in: The Poetic Eye : Occasional Writings 1982-2012 2016; (p. 42-48) 'The distinguished Australian poet Roland Robinson [1912-92] was a writer-in-residence at Wright College at the University of New England for six weeks in 1982. He discussed his life and writing with students at the College and further on the university campus, and gave several readings at the university and at the Wicklow Hotel, a regular poetry venue in Armidale. The following interview is an excerpt from a radio university campus, and gave several readings at the university and at the Wicklow Hotel, a regular poetry venue in Armidale. The following interview is an excerpt from a broadcast on 2ARM-FM in August 1982. Roland talked about the early days of the Poetry Society and its public face, the Poetry Magazine, up to the time when Grace Perry left the committee to found the journal Poetry Australia. Roland also recounted the subsequent history of the Poetry Society and the Poetry Magazine up to the time of the takeover of both the society and its magazine. The programme was hosted by Tony Bennett and Michael Sharkey. ' (Introduction)
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Poetry in a Shrinking World
2003
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Five Bells , Winter vol. 10 no. 3 2003; (p. 9-11) Powell traces some of the history of the Poetry Society of Australia and Grace Perry's falling out with the organisation, leading to the establishment of Poetry Australia. He also mentions the separate publication, Poetry Magazine, that was published under the auspices of the Poetry Society. Powell relates his own involvement with these journals and comments on his dual career as poet and psychoanalyst. -
Too Few Homes for Poems
1999
single work
column
biography
— Appears in: The Sunday Age , 31 January 1999; (p. 19) -
Chiron College
1995
single work
biography
— Appears in: Imago : New Writing , July vol. 7 no. 2 1995; (p. 8-16) -
In Memory of Margaret Diesendorf
1993
single work
biography
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , July no. 152 1993; (p. 58-59)
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No.13 Reviews:
1967
single work
review
— Appears in: The Australian , 25 February 1967; (p. 9)
— Review of Poetry Australia 1964 periodical (128 issues) -
[Review] Poetry Australia 1964
1967
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 8 April 1967; (p. 17)
— Review of Poetry Australia 1964 periodical (128 issues) -
A Major Poetic Scoop Within the Local Dichotomy of Verse
1967
single work
review
— Appears in: The Australian , 22 April 1967; (p. 9)
— Review of Poetry Australia 1964 periodical (128 issues) -
No.20 Reviews:
1968
single work
review
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 18 March 1968; (p. 16)
— Review of Poetry Australia 1964 periodical (128 issues) -
Poetry in a Shrinking World
2003
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Five Bells , Winter vol. 10 no. 3 2003; (p. 9-11) Powell traces some of the history of the Poetry Society of Australia and Grace Perry's falling out with the organisation, leading to the establishment of Poetry Australia. He also mentions the separate publication, Poetry Magazine, that was published under the auspices of the Poetry Society. Powell relates his own involvement with these journals and comments on his dual career as poet and psychoanalyst. -
Some Notes on 'Poetry Australia'
1980
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Poetry Australia , [Double issue] July no. 74-75 1980; (p. 121-123) -
Scholarship vs Memory : The State of the Party
1983
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Poetry Australia , June no. 88 1983; (p. 32-37) -
Some Further Notes on 'Poetry Australia' or : Through a Spilt Glass
1982
single work
column
— Appears in: Poetry Australia , April no. 83 1982; (p. 59-62) -
The Poet and the Public
1967
single work
— Appears in: Poetry Magazine , no. 3 1967; (p. 3-6)