Fly Away Peter is a novella, set in Queensland before the First World War, the story of Jim Sadler, a dedicated bird watcher, Ashley Crowther, his employer and Imogen Harcourt, an eccentric English photographer. It was first published in 1981 with Child’s Play under the title The Bread of Time to Come. It was republished in 1982 as Fly Away Peter. This subseries includes “original first hand-written drafts of Fly Away Peter (usually referred to as Birds)” [D.M.]; rewritten first draft in Brisbane; first typescript draft; second typescript draft; rewritten passages in second typescript draft; chapters 8, 10, 15 of first typescript reworked and replaced and afterword to Fly Away Peter.

Fly Away Peter was the winner of the 1982 Age Book of the Year Award.

One leaf, handwritten in blue ink, with notes by author on Afterword. Handwritten draft of the Afterword to Fly Away Peter, 5 pages, April 1981. Photocopy of typescript draft with handwritten emendations of the Afterword, 13 leaves, numbered 127 to 139,

The central figure of Harland’s Half Acre, Frank Harland, is another study of the artist-figure which continues to intrigue Malouf. Partly structured like Johnno and An Imaginary Life around two opposite individuals, the novel returns to the lush, exotic world of Queensland with a chronological narrative covering several decades. From his youth Harland is obsessed with the need to reclaim his family’s lost inheritance, the pastoral land with the nostalgic name Killarney. The dream turns sour when tragedy intervenes but Harland grows to understand that he has created another unexpected but more real legacy in his art. Harland’s Half Acre was first published in 1984. This subseries consists of two notebooks of 200 pages each with background material, notes and drafts, correspondence, various typescript drafts with handwritten corrections and additions, and a complete typescript of the finished novel.

One Upim notebook of 200 pages with handwritten notes on structure of novel, character details and draft of Harland's Half Acre, handwritten in red, blue and black ink. Writing is reversed or written in both directions in the notebook. Handwritten notes on sheet inserted into notebook.

Handwritten letter (2 double sided pages) from Nora Smallwood to author with editorial suggestions attached (3 leaves).

Antipodes is a collection of short stories published by Malouf in 1985. This subseries consists of corrected typescripts of twelve of the thirteen stories in the collection. Some stories have more than one draft.

Typescript, handwritten emendations, white-out corrections, and cut and paste inserts (attached with sticky tape). Undated.

Handwritten and typescript with handwritten emendations, and white-out corrections. Undated.

Typescript, handwritten emendations, white-out corrections. Last two pages are photocopied. Pages numbered in top right-hand corner. Undated.

Typescript, handwritten emendations, white-out corrections, and cut and paste inserts (attached with sticky tape). Undated. Pages numbered in top right-hand corner. Accompanied by handwritten cover note by author: Version of stories from Antipodes, my own typing: early / late drafts".