University of Queensland Press

UQP began as a publisher of scholarly works in 1948, and made its transition into trade publishing in the mid-1960s through its Paperback Poets series.[2] The Paperback Poets series came into being when Australian novelist and poet David Malouf approached publisher Frank Thompson and suggested that poetry ought to be made available widely and inexpensively. Thompson agreed, and UQP's poetry list began with Malouf's first book, Bicycle and Other Poems, alongside volumes by Michael Dransfield and Rodney Hall.[2] Since then, UQP has become Australia's leading poetry publisher, maintaining a poetry list that includes John Tranter, David Malouf, Thomas Shapcott, and many others. It has launched the careers of many Australian writers, such as David Malouf, Peter Carey (novelist), Kate Grenville, Doris Pilkington, Melissa Lucashenko and Nick Earls. In 1978 the press published its first title in its UQP Studies in Australian Literature series.[3]

In 1972, during a time of "Australia’s developing awareness of her place in Asia",[4] UQP launched the Asian and Pacific Writing Series,[5] edited by Michael Wilding and later Harry Aveling. In 1980 the press launched the Leaders of Asia Series, with K. G. Tregonning as the general editor.

UQP currently publishes books for general readers in the areas of fiction, poetry, non-fiction, Indigenous writing and youth literature. Many of UQP's recent fiction and poetry titles have won significant international acclaim, including Peter Carey's True History of the Kelly Gang, which won the 2001 Man Booker Prize and the Commonwealth Writers Prize. In 2019, Melissa Lucashenko won the Miles Franklin Award for her novel Too Much Lip.

In 2010, UQP announced that it will release selected out-of-print titles in digital formats, in addition to the digital and print publishing of new books.

In 2021, UQP was awarded Small Publisher of the Year by the Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs).[1] Judges commented: 'UQP has been recognised with 13 award wins and 30 shortlistings in 2020. In the wake of COVID-19, it launched several initiatives: the UQP Quentin Bryce Award, the UQP Writing Mentorship, and Extraordinary Voices for Extraordinary Times podcast. It supported and actively promoted local bookshops and partnered with the Queensland Department of Education – to beam animated readings of UQP picture books into homes and classrooms. To improve diversity and career pathways for the literary sector – UQP launched its Indigenous Placement Program which has since been recognised as an industry-leading initiative – and hosted six internships for people from diverse and minority backgrounds, including an intern from Vision Australia.' [13]

The UQP Bookshop on the St Lucia campus of the University of Queensland opened in September 2021. Located in the Biological Sciences Library, it exclusively stocks UQP titles including new releases, children's books, poetry titles, and classics.[14]

The UQP publication list includes novels, short stories, memoirs, essays, and poetry by writers such as Les Murray, Peter Carey, David Malouf, Katharine Susannah Prichard, Kenneth Slessor, Thea Astley, Janette Turner Hospital, Kate Grenville, Beverley Farmer, Lily Brett, Frank Brennan, Ian Lowe, Bernhard Schlink, Olga Masters, Randolph Stow, Michael Dransfield, Bruce Beaver, Jennifer Mills, Gwen Harwood, Melissa Lucashenko, Tony Birch and Elizabeth Jolley.

• List of university presses

• University of Queensland Press website