Meanjin Closes After 85 Years, A Cultural Era Ends
Australia’s second-oldest literary journal, Meanjin , is shutting down after 85 years of continuous publication. The announcement has come as a shock to many in the literary and cultural community, with Melbourne University Publishing (MUP) confirming that it will no longer provide financial support. The closure, described as being made on “purely financial grounds,” marks the end of a publication that has been central to shaping Australian literature and ideas since its founding in 1940.
The journal was first launched in Brisbane by Clem Christensen during World War II, taking its name from the traditional Turrbal and Yuggera word for the spearhead-shaped land that is now Brisbane. In 1945, Meanjin moved to Melbourne at the invitation of the University of Melbourne and became one of the most significant forums for national conversation. Over the decades, it published some of the most celebrated Australian writers, including Helen Garner, Patrick White, Alexis Wright, David Malouf, and Oodgeroo Noonuccal. It even featured international voices such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Kurt Vonnegut.
Despite this rich history, the reality of declining readerships and rising costs was cited as the reason for its closure. MUP stated that the decision was not made lightly. Editor Esther Anatolitis and deputy editor Eli McLean, who were not involved in the process, have been made redundant, with their final day coinciding with the announcement. The magazine’s last issue is set to be published in December 2025, timed to coincide with its 85th anniversary. That final edition is planned to feature special contributions from Bruce Pascoe, poet П. O., and Ellen van Neerven.
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The response from the literary community has been swift and emotional. Former editors, writers, and cultural figures have described the decision as short-sighted and damaging. Jonathan Green, a past editor, called the closure “a loss to the country’s cultural memory,” while author Sophie Cunningham said it highlighted how little universities now nurture literature and the arts. Others, including Louise Adler, a former MUP publisher, argued that the financial support required for Meanjin was modest compared to its enormous cultural value.
For many, Meanjin has been more than just a quarterly magazine. It was a place where ideas were tested, where new voices were given a platform, and where Australian literature wrestled with questions of identity, politics, and culture. It played a role in coining phrases like “cultural cringe” and in elevating Indigenous writers and thinkers whose work changed the nation’s literary landscape.
The closure is being seen as not just the end of a publication, but as a symbol of broader challenges faced by literary journals and cultural institutions across Australia. As one commentator put it, replacing a journal like Meanjin is far harder than keeping it alive. Its absence will leave a gap in Australia’s intellectual and creative life that, many fear, cannot easily be filled.
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