Australian outback literature of the 20th century

The following information does not contain references to Australian literature of the Colonial period, nor does it include works of pioneering days or early exploration. On the other hand, in the first part of the 20th century, much of Australia was still being explored and encounters with Aborigines who had had little or no contact or knowledge of European settlers were still taking place well after World War II.

There has been some little attempt on the part of European writers to speak up on behalf of the Aborigines. One writer in particular, Western Australian Donald Stuart, has made the effort. Contact with the First Australians was never simple, and the early experience of native tribesmen and women with the new arrivals was fraught with difficulty, if not danger. Another writer who looked at this period is Brian Penton, whose novel Landtakers recounts a disastrous meeting between black tribespeople and European settlers.

The 20th century saw the opening up of northern and western Australia, as well as the far reaches of the established colonies of New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland, and in 1901, the Federation of Australia took place. Outback Australia was still very much accessible only by horse and camel, with the latter faring far better than the former. Yet cattle and sheep were being driven north (and back south to market) in ever increasing numbers, leading to the establishment of the legendary stations of the outback, some of them to be described as "bigger than Texas." In this period, Aborigines came to work on cattle stations in greater and greater numbers, proving themselves good horsemen and useful house servants. Indeed, a recurring theme running through much outback literature of the period is that, "the land could never have been opened up by Europeans without the help of the Aborigines."

Writers referring to this period are necessarily more numerous, and include Mary Durack, Charles Duguid, A. M. Duncan-Kemp, William Hatfield, , Margaret Ford, Michael Terry, Alfred Searcy, R. G. Kimber, Gordon Buchanan, K. Langford Smith, Louis Kaye and Ion Idriess.

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