Surfers, lifeguards and new voices: A short history of beach writing in Australia

The Australian continent is a place of diverse landscapes. The outback, frequently considered an impenetrable space, captured the imagination of British colonisers. But ultimately, Australia is an island surrounded by coastline. Most Australians live along the coast; however, academic research often pays more attention to the outback. This chapter captures a short history of beach writing in Australia. From early poems like Adam Gordon Lindsay’s ‘The Swimmer’, to the writings of Tim Winton, and via Puberty Blues, beach writing has more depth than is otherwise considered. As such, this chapter provides an informative review of the key milestones of beach writing in Australia.