This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1990.

• Tom Flood won the Miles Franklin Award for Oceana Fine

• Yasmine Gooneratne AO, for "service to literature and to education"^[24]
• Harry Payne Heseltine AO, for "service to education, particularly in the field of Australian literature"^[25]
• Rodney Hall (writer) AM, for "service to the arts, particularly in the field of Australian literature"^[26]
• Andrew Taylor (poet) AM, for "service to the arts, particularly in the field of Australian literature"^[27]
• Elyne Mitchell OAM, for "service to children's literature"^[28]

A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1990 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.

Unknown date

• Ellen van Neerven, Indigenous Australian writer and poet^[44]

A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1990 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.

• 8 March — Jack Lindsay, novelist, biographer, historian and literary critic (born 1900)^[45]
• 15 April — William Hart-Smith, poet (born 1911)^[46]
• 21 June — Martin Johnston, poet and novelist (born 1947)^[47]
• 30 September — Patrick White, novelist, playwright and short story writer (born 1912)^[48]

• 1990 in Australia
• 1990 in literature
• 1990 in poetry
• List of years in literature
• List of years in Australian literature