Brisbane is set to regain a vital piece of its literary heart. The iconic Australian journal Meanjin, shuttered last year by Melbourne University Press, has been acquired by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), marking a return to the city where it was founded in .
The news, announced on , brings an end to months of uncertainty following MUP’s decision to close the 85-year-old publication, citing “purely financial grounds.” The closure sparked immediate backlash from the Australian literary community, with many decrying the move as an act of cultural vandalism
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QUT’s successful bid represents a full-circle moment for Meanjin, which moved to Melbourne in and later became an imprint of Melbourne University Publishing in . QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Sheil emphasized the university’s commitment to preserving the journal’s legacy.
“Meanjin has been instrumental in shaping Australian literary and intellectual culture for decades,” Sheil said in a statement. “It has provided a vital platform for critical discussion, a showcase of emerging writers and a valuable training ground for leading Australian publishers and editors. We are honoured to be entrusted with the legacy of this cultural icon.”
The acquisition comes after MUP received multiple offers for the title, but according to MUP chair Professor Warren Bebbington, QUT’s understanding of the journal’s legacy
ultimately set it apart. The university plans to appoint a dedicated editorial board to safeguard the journal’s editorial independence and will launch a nationwide search for a new editor.
The future of Meanjin’s extensive archives, and the royalties they generate, remains under discussion. Guardian Australia has sought clarification from both QUT and MUP regarding copyright ownership.
The closure of Meanjin last year wasn’t without controversy. Bebbington’s explanation of financial pressures was met with skepticism, particularly given the journal had recently secured a $100,000 Creative Australia grant. Speculation arose at the time that the University of Melbourne council may have influenced the decision following a contentious essay published in the journal, a claim Professor Bebbington dismissed as completely wrong
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The University of Melbourne also denied any involvement from its council in the closure. The decision nevertheless drew criticism from prominent figures in Australian literature, including Barry Jones and Thomas Keneally, who lamented the loss of a lodestar
for writers. Former Labor attorney general Gareth Evans even wrote to MUP’s chief executive, condemning the decision as bone-headed
.
Meanjin has long been a significant platform for Australian writers, having published the work of Helen Garner, Alexis Wright, David Malouf, Judith Wright, and Patrick White, among many others. The journal’s former poetry editor, Jeanine Leane, noted an unfortunate coincidence
that the closure occurred as Meanjin was beginning to prioritize First Nations writing.
Leane also questioned whether QUT would reinstate the First Nations and linguistically diverse advisory panel that had been utilized previously. This is a crucial consideration as the journal returns to its namesake, Meanjin – the Indigenous name for Brisbane – and seeks to continue its role in shaping Australian literary and intellectual discourse.
The journal will be housed within QUT’s School of Creative Arts, where We see expected to complement the school’s existing creative writing program. While no date has been set for the relaunch or the appointment of a new editor, the acquisition by QUT offers a renewed sense of hope for the future of this vital Australian literary institution. The return to Brisbane signifies not just a geographical relocation, but a potential revitalization of Meanjin’s commitment to fostering diverse voices and critical engagement within the Australian cultural landscape.
