Australian literature is the
written or literary work produced in the area or by the people of the
Commonwealth of Australia and its preceding colonies. During its early
Western history, Australia was a collection of British colonies, therefore, its literary tradition begins with and is linked to the broader tradition of
English literature. However, the narrative art of Australian writers has, since 1788, introduced the character of a new continent into literature – exploring such themes as
Aboriginality,
mateship,
egalitarianism,
democracy, national identity, migration, Australia's unique location and geography, the complexities of urban living and the "beauty and the terror" of life in the
Australian bush.