H.T. Priestley Medal

Mr H. T. “Tom” Priestley was the founding Chairman of the Foundation for Australian Literary Studies and was Deputy Chancellor of the University at the time of his death in 1979. To acknowledge his service to the Foundation, the H. T. Priestley Medal was struck in two classes, the silver medal for presentation each year to the winner of the annual literary award, and the gold for occasional presentation to persons who have made an outstanding contribution to Australian literary culture.

In 1980, the inaugural recipient of the H. T. Priestley Gold Medal was Clem Christesen, a Townsville son. At that time, Christesen had been editor of Meanjin, one of Australia’s oldest and most important literary journals, for more than thirty years. In 2015, as part of Townsville’s sesquicentennial events, FALS honoured the novelist and poet David Malouf for his many contributions to Australian literature and literary cultures, presenting to him the second H. T. Priestley Gold Medal.

The H. T. Priestley Silver Medal also carries a weight of significant literary value. Since 1980, the list of winners includes some of Australia’s finest novelists, poets, historians and critics, further demonstrating the broad field of literary culture that FALS recognises. Any Australian-themed book is eligible for the award and the companion silver medal, including poetry, fiction, history, natural history, memoir or biography.

In 2026, a third H. T. Priestley Gold Medal will be struck as part of the Foundation’s sixtieth anniversary celebrations.

Pictured: Emeritus Professor Sandra Harding AO, FALS Life Governor, pictured with David Malouf who received the H.T. Priestley Gold Medal at the Savannah Writers Festival in 2015.

Pictured: Chancellor Bill Tweddell presenting the 2022 HT Priestley Medal to Dr Emily Bitto.

Pictured: Dr Paul Hardisty (Chair), Professor Simon Biggs (Deputy Chair) presenting the HT Priestley Medal to 2023 winner Sarah Holland-Batt. Photo credit: Bethany Keats

Pictured: Associate Professor Roger Osborne, Executive Director of the Foundation for Australian Literary Studies, delivering the 2025 HT Priestley Medal. Photo credit Bethany Keats.