The first issue of a new magazine is always an exciting event. Many hours will have gone into its planning. Contributors will have been sought, production and distribution arrangements will have been refined, and the finished article launched on the public in the hope that it is going to be both interesting and enticing enough to retain its new readership. Bukker Tillibul is one of a long list of periodicals that have appeared in Australia for various lengths of time. While almost all of these have been in printed form, the advent of online publication allows a much wider circulation than the founders of the earlier magazines could have envisaged. Its connection with the Online Writing Course will help to provide a stream of talented contributors and, in turn, it is hoped that others among staff and students at Swinburne will be attracted to the the opportunity of having their work published in the journal.
A Wesleyan Methodist missionary was the founder of the first Australian Magazine, published in Sydney in 1821. Rev Ralph Mansfield and his fellow missionaries were keen to expand their religious message, partly for its own sake but also as a means of counteracting immigrant isolation. They also wished to encourage literary endeavour, inviting contributions in the form of articles on theological and general topics, items of local intelligence, fiction and poetry. For a while, they were successful. Without opposition, the Australian Magazine lasted for thirteen monthly issues. The editors then proposed quarterly production, but they were unable to find the means to continue in either frequency, making their magazine the first of hundreds of Australian periodicals that were forced to a premature close.
There were several reasons for failure. Importantly, the popularity of overseas rivals affected local subscriptions. English and American periodicals were available at a reasonable price and they had a nostalgic appeal for many readers. Their proprietors also had the advantage of established facilities for production and distribution. It was a different matter in the Australian colonies where there were initial shortages of paper, ink, printing machines and other equipment, let alone skilled labour. There was also an insufficient literary population. Many of the people who founded the periodicals were their own editors and contributors and the ones whom they hoped would subscribe were members of their own small circles. It was not possible for these readers to support more than one or two new publications while still remaining loyal to their first choice.
Some of these problems would ease with time and, if fewer periodicals had been produced, more would of course have been successful. But hopeful proprietors and editors kept on launching new publications, often dependent upon sales of the first issue for capital to continue. Five Australian Magazines followed the first, four published in Sydney and one in Melbourne, ranging from 1835 to 1902. Also among the early literary monthies were a South Australian Magazine (1841-3), a New South Wales Magazine (1843), a Tasmanian Monthly Magazine (1853), a Victorian Monthly Magazine (1859) and a Western Australian Magazine (1851-2). While local titles reflected the wide dispersion of the colonial population, the concept of an Australian Magazine remained strong, whatever its location.
These were serious periodicals, mostly based on English and Americal prototypes from which articles, fiction and poetry were often taken for reuse. The editors looked for a content made up of a variety of interest, such as those included in the New South Wales Magazine: articles on general and literary topics, serial stories, poetry, local news items, a series of Australian statistical reports, a series of representative men, literary reviews and musical notes. The editor would usually write a leading article, maybe another, and smaller items could be collected to fill up the pages. Other local contributions were needed and it was there that many of the early periodicals fell down. The whole idea was the provision of a vehicle in which colonial writers could present their work, preferably that with local interest. When these items were lacking, subscribers who might also subscribe to one or more of the imported periodicals were less inclined to read reprints of familiar material.
Most of the early periodicals were monthlies. This was the currently accepted frequency for magazines of a literary nature, moving on from the quarterlies that were the original format for a compilation of articles. Fiction was a later inclusion, frowned on by the purists but becoming an essential part of a magazine's appeal, especially the serial story which could entice readers to purchase the next issue. Gradually weeklies became more popular. They were less costly to produce and could more easily contain shorter items of a wider variety. There was another good reason for the growth in publications of this kind: depending on their size they could be registered as newspapers, incurring a lower rate of postage, hence a lower price for country and interstate subscribers. They also had room for the increasing use of paid advertisements.
The daily newspapers were among the first proprietors to produce weekly papers intended for wider coverage of some of their featured sections. These papers, including the Leader, originally the Melbourne Leader (1856-1957), published by the Age, the Sydney Mail (1860-1938)), published by the Sydney Morning Herald, the Weekly Times (1869 +), published by the Melbourne Herald and the Australasian, later the Australasian Post (1864-2002)), by the Argus, were largely designed for country readers. The contents were diverse, including for instance in the Australasian, sections of specialised news and intelligence, catering for general, agricultural, literary, theatrical, sporting and other interests. The literary section included serial and short stories, reminiscences, literary reviews, poetry and literary news and notes. These papers appealed to a variety of readers enabling them to continue for much longer than most of their contemporaries.
Other weekly papers tried to emulate such success by varying their content as much as possible, but without the solid base as well as the competition provided by the parent newspapers they usually failed . There were, though, some very popular weeklies, including the Melbourne Punch (1855), incorporated in 1925 into the social weekly Table Talk (1885-1939). Magazines like Melbourne Punch provided opportunities for writers and artists who could make witty comments on the social and political scene and illustrate them with clever cartoons. Copied from the London Punch, the Melbourne Punch provoked its own imitators: there were three attempts at founding a successful Sydney Punch (in 1856, 1857 and 1864-88), and one at an Adelaide Punch (1868-84). There was also a Tasmanian Punch (1866, briefly revived as Hobart Town Punch in 1868, plus another brief attempt in 1870). There was also a Queensland Punch (1878), plus others with different names but of a similar style.
The Bulletin, founded in Sydney in 1880, is the best-known of the independent weekly papers, fulfilling the objectives of J F Archibald and John Haynes, in establishing a fresh, new journal. Nationalism was to be a major focus. The Bulletin soon proclaimed itself in favour of Protection as opposed to its original support for Free Trade and its proprietors adopted the slogan 'Australia for the Australians'. It would become aggressively Australian, with a definite policy of republicanism, anti-imperialism and racial prejudice. But literature and art would remain important features, attracting writers such as Henry Lawson and A B 'Banjo' Paterson, and artists like Norman Lindsay and Phil May. Under A G Stephens the literary section containing short essays, criticism and notes on books and writers appeared as the 'Red Page' printed on the inside of the red (or bright pink) wrapper.
While Stephens encouraged the development of a distinctively Australian literature, not all of his contributors would become famous. Aspiring poets and writers, whatever their talent, could submit their work in the hope that it might be published. Elsewhere in the paper short pithy paragraphs under various headings covered different aspects of national and local interest. The Bulletin was succesful because it had such a wide appeal. It was read in the country districts where it became known as 'the Bushman's Bible' and it was popular in the cities. It is still being published, in glossy illustrated wrappers that contain its articles on political and financial topics and items of general interest. There is no literary section and the magazine does not attempt to perpetuate the ideas of the founders.
The popularity of the weekly papers did not inhibit attempts to produce viable monthlies. The Australian Journal, founded in Melbourne in 1865 is an example of a successful change in frequency. Published weekly for its first four years, it became a monthly consisting of serial and short stories, poetry and other features, issued continuously until 1962. Its editors actively promoted Australian literature, allowing many colonial authors to achieve publication. Marcus Clarke, editor in 1870, was one of those authors. His great convict novel, originally called His Natural Life, was serialised in the Australian Journal between 1870 and 1872. Clarke had gained experience as part-owner, editor and contributor to a shorter-lived Melbourne periodical, the Colonial Monthly, founded as the Australian Monthly Magazine in 1865 and continued under its new title from 1867 to 1870.
Quarterlies, the favoured frequency of early literary magazines, had lost favour.
As proprietors found, the more often a periodical was published the more likely it was to attract regular readers. Hence the popularity of the weekly papers. The monthlies were usually designed to suit a select readership, most of whom would be committed subscribers. Even so, these periodicals were likely to be more in the nature of miscellanies, including a variety of items not always found in literary magazines. Some readers found this format lacking in serious content and in 1876 a group of Melbourne enthusiasts including Henry Gyles Turner and Alexander Sutherland founded the Melbourne Review, subtitled 'a quarterly publication devoted to philosophy, theology, science, art, politics and belles-lettres'. Their reversion to a quarterly was partly due to the costs of publication. It was also intended to link their periodical more closely to the style of the imported English and American quarterly reviews.
The Melbourne Review was continued for the next nine years. It was able to attract good writers, though few of them were paid, and it filled a gap that had been felt in colonial literary circles. It was not viable on its own merits, however, having been subsidised since its beginnings by the publisher George Robertson. In 1879 its subscription list was affected by the foundation of a rival, the monthly Victorian Review, edited by H Mortimer Franklyn and published by a limited liability company. This periodical also attracted good writers. It began with the inclusion of some serial fiction, frowned on by literary purists, later concentrating on articles of a wide variety of local and general interest. Franklyn had the advantage of Turner in what appeared to be plenty of money to pay his contributors as well as the monthly publication that Turner and his fellows were unable to emulate. In 1885 Turner agreed with Robertson that the Melbourne Review would have to close. Its rival was not to survive for much longer: the Victorian Review closed without notice in 1886 after financial irregularities in its management were discovered.
Most of the later nineteenth century periodicals were published in Victoria which had attracted educated immigrants looking for a golden future in the aftermath of the 1850s goldrushes. These men - and almost all were men - founded cultural clubs and societies, they opened schools, gave lectures and, between themselves, produced and supported periodicals in which their own work could be published. As these men grew older, others, often native-born, took their place. Problems with scarcities of plant and labour had been overcome and, in a time of seemingly endless prosperity, new ventures were worth at least a sporting chance. But the land-boom that brought riches to many would ruin many more. After the bank crashes and the 1890s depression that followed, there was an exodus from Melbourne and its country districts. Writers and artists were among those colonists who believed they might find a better life in New South Wales.
The effects of the depression were also felt in Sydney though not as severely as in Victoria. There was also a buoyancy, as demonstrated by the continuing success of the Bulletin. In 1888, Louisa Lawson, mother of Henry founded Dawn subtitled 'a journal for Australian women'. There had been earlier female proprietors and editors, two in fact: E A Weekes of the Sydney Spectator (1858-59) and Caroline Dexter and Harriet Clisby of the Melbourne Interpreter (1861). But, although run by women, those periodicals were of general literary interest. Dawn was the first of its kind to allow women a strong voice on social and political matters as well as providing fiction and poetry for stimulation and entertainment. Louisa Lawson wrote much of the content herself, persevering until ill-health forced closure in 1905.
Annie Bright was another woman whose work had an impact on the literary scene in Sydney at this time. She was the first editor of Cosmos Magazine, which appeared in 1894. While the title reflects her interest in spiritualism and other cosmic forces, the magazine was primarily literary, attracting contributions from noted colonial writers. The first number set the standard, including a series of biographical articles (written by the editor), fiction by Ernest Favenc and others and articles on general and literary topics. There was also a women's department conducted by Ethel Turner, while editorial notes covered items of literary, social and general comment. Cosmos continued until a change in management in 1899, after which it was incorporated into the Southern Cross. Having gained in experience, Annie Bright came to Melbourne in 1905 as editor of the spiritualist magazine Harbinger of Light, retaining that position until her death in 1913.
The twentieth century brought change. The colonies federated, some of the colonists went off to fight in the Boer War and more went to the Great War of 1914-18. Fewer new periodicals were published but there were usually one or two of different kinds in production in Sydney and Melbourne. The Lone Hand, a monthly offshoot of the Bulletin, appeared in Sydney from 1907 to 1921. It contained articles on literary, artistic, biographical and other topics, book and theatre news and notes and poetry. The Lone Hand had atractive illustrated wrappers, drawn by well-known artists of the day including the Lindsay brothers, Norman and Lionel. The Triad was another local periodical with a strong literary and artistic focus. Originally published in New Zealand, it began its Australian run in Sydney in 1915, continuing there until 1928. Art in Australia, published in Sydney in successive series from 1916 to 1942 concentrated more on art, though including literary accompaniments to the reproduction of Australian paintings as well as articles on artistic topics.
Then came the era of the 'little magazines'. These were periodicals intended for a small circle of like-minded writers and readers.Vision, subtitled 'a literary quarterly' was the first, produced and edited by Jack Lindsay, the son of Norman, and the poet Kenneth Slessor. Vision, which ran for four issues from 1923 to 1924 included articles on general and literary topics, short stories, poetry and reviews. Others, such as the Spinner (1924-27) consisted solely of verse, but more often the little magazines were forums for the expression of ideas and comment on various aspects of Australian culture. Meanjin was founded in Brisbane as Meanjin Papers in 1940 and continued in Melbourne from 1945. Angry Penguins, edited at the time by Max Harris, is now largely remembered because of its publication of poems by the fictitious Ern Malley in 1944. The Realist Writer, edited by Bill Wannan and later by Stephen Murray-Smith, which began quarterly issues in Melbourne in 1952, has been continued since 1954 as Overland.
Magazines designed to appeal specifically to women have also held their place. The New Idea began in Melbourne in 1902, becoming Everylady's Journal in 1911 and continuing until 1940. It contained fiction and poetry by contributors such as Miles Franklin, Mary Gilmore and Ethel Turner, as well as news and notes on various topics and dressmaking patterns.There is a current New Idea, connected only through the title. The Australian Women's Weekly, which began its successful run in 1933, was to become immensely popular. During WWII, when labour and materials were again scarce, readers would share their copies. It made features of society news together with domestic hints, recipes and patterns, advice on fashion, etiquette and other social skills A fiction supplement in the form of a complete novel was a special bonus. Now primarily a social magazine, it is still in publication, though oddly enough considering its title, a monthly. Walkabout was another popular magazine of the era. Founded in 1934 and continuing until 1974, it combined articles about various geographic regions of Australia with others concerning Australian writers.
One only has to look through the rows of glossy covers on the stands at any newsagent's to realise just how many magazines of different kinds are now in publication. Those with some form of literary content are less often found there. But they continue to be published, now usually with the aid of some form of government subsidy. Each one builds on past experience and all owe a debt to the proprietors who founded one periodical after another in the hope that theirs might appeal to enough readers to make them viable. As most of those proprietors found to their disappointment, very few of their products could reach that goal. But the fact that the early proprietors kept on trying means that there has almost always been some vehicle available for writers and artists to submit their work. This continues with BukkerTillibul, an electronic periodical produced in a format that nevertheless owes much to the those in print that have preceded it.
Further reading:
Frank S Greenop, History of Magazine Publishing in Australia (Sydney: K G Murray, 1947).
John Tregenza, Australian Little Magazines 1923-1954 (Adelaide: Libraries Board of South Australia, 1964).
Bruce Bennett, ed.,. Cross Currents: magazines and newspapers in Australian literature (Melbourne: Longman Cheshire, 1981)
Lurline Stuart, Australian Periodicals with Literary Content 1821-1925 (Kew, Vic.: Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2003).
* Dr Lurline Stuart is a Research Associate at the School of Political and Social Inquiry, Faculty of Arts, Monash University. She is also the editor of the recent Academy edition of Marcus Clarke's His Natural Life.
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