Australian Women's Register

An initiative of The National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW) in conjunction with The University of Melbourne

Skip to content

Browse Entries

Use Trove to find more resources by/about this Organisation

  • Trove

Society of Women Writers (Australia) (1980 - 2000)

From
1980
To
2000
Occupations
Arts organisation
Location
Contact: heather.jacobs2@gmail.com

Summary

The Society of Women Writers (Australia), was formed in 1980 with the five existing state Societies (in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania) becoming branches of this new national organisation. The Society's main aim was to draw together women writers (including poets, journalists, playwrights, fiction and non-fiction writers) to support each other in their writing endeavours. It is also aimed to maintain the status of the writing profession, promote a knowledge of literature, and strengthen ties between Australian and visiting writers.

Australia's first Society of Women Writers had been founded in New South Wales in 1925. During the 1960's and 1970's branches were established in all Australian states. The new national body was intended to coordinate activities across the country. It organised numerous seminars, conferences and writing competitions. In 2000 the Society was disbanded, and its branches reformed as independent, incorporated societies (the New South Wales branch having already done this in 1987).

Details

During its existence, each state for two years in turn had the responsibility of managing federal business. By 1999, it became clear that volunteers were no longer available to carry out this considerable task. It was agreed that the federal body be wound up, and that each branch would become an independent incorporated association, with similar aims and rules.

An enormous number of books have been published under the auspices of the Society and its state bodies. Only a few of these have been listed in this database.

Related entries

President

Related Women

Archival resources

Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales

  • Joy Lindrum Gillan - sound recordings, 1984, 1984, MLMSS 6603: Locn No.: MLOH 297/1-8; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details
  • Joy Lindrum Gillan Papers, 1976 - 1992, MLMSS 6603/1-2; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details

National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection

  • Joy Lindrum Gillan Papers, 1977 - 1990, MS 5877; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details
  • Joy Lindrum Gillan Papers, 1977 - 1990, MS 5877; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details
  • Society of Women Writers (Australia) Records, 1925 - 1990, NLA MS 6777; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details
  • Society of Women Writers (Australia), Records, 1925 - 1990, MS 6777; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details

Published resources

Conference Proceedings

  • Minutes of the ... biennial conference of the Society of Women Writers (Australia), The Society, Sydney, 1978-1988. Details

Newsletters

  • Woman Writer/Society of Women Writers (Aust.), The Society, Sydney, 1975-200. Details

Reports

  • Annual report / the Society of Women Writers (Australia), The Society, Sydney, 1925-. Details
  • Federal president's report / Society of Women Writers, The Society, Sydney, 1974-. Details

Online Resources

Jane Carey

Created: 22 September 2004, Last modified: 16 November 2010

Site-wide information and acknowledgements

National Foundation for Australian Women The University of Melbourne, eScholarship Research Centre

http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE1073b.htm

The Australian Women's Register is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License