2000 in Australian literature

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

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
 * Alex Miller — Conditions of Faith
 * Frank Moorhouse — Dark Palace
 * Morris West — The Last Confession

Crime and mystery

 * Jon Cleary — Bear Pit
 * Catherine Jinks — The Notary
 * Dorothy Johnston — The Trojan Dog
 * Andrew McGahan — Last Drinks
 * Barry Maitland — Silvermeadow
 * Shane Maloney — The Big Ask
 * Peter Temple — Dead Point
 * Meredith Webber — Trust Me

Science Fiction and fantasy

 * Sara Douglass — The Nameless Day
 * Michel Faber — Under the Skin
 * Jennifer Fallon — Medalon
 * Kate Forsyth — The Forbidden Land
 * Juliet Marillier — Son of the Shadows
 * Sean Williams and Shane Dix — The Dying Light

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

Short story anthologies

 * Carmel Bird (editor) — The Penguin Century of Australian Stories

Poetry

 * Dorothy Hewett and John Kinsela — Wheatlands

Plays

 * Hannie Rayson — Life After George
 * David Williamson
 * Face to Face
 * The Great Man

Non-fiction

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

Awards and honours

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

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)
 * 11 March – Gerald Glaskin, writer (born 1923)
 * 17 March – Jack Davis, playwright, poet and Indigenous rights campaigner (born 1917)
 * 6 May – Elizabeth O'Conner, novelist (born 1913)
 * 25 May – Elizabeth Durack, artist and writer (born 1915)
 * 16 June — Colin Roderick, editor and critic (born 1911)
 * 25 June – Judith Wright, poet, environmentalist and campaigner for Aboriginal land rights (born 1915)
 * 3 July – Nancy Cato, historical novelist, biographer and poet (born 1917)
 * 13 July – A. D. Hope, poet and essayist (born 1907)
 * August – John Joseph Jones, poet, folk singer, musician, playwright and theatre director (born in London, 1930)
 * 10 August – Clement Semmler, author, literary critic, broadcaster and radio and television executive (born 1914)
 * 17 August – Leslie Rees, children's writer and dramatist (born 1905)
 * 1 November – Ian Moffitt, journalist and novelist (born 1926)