The iconic Australian literary magazine Meanjin, which was shockingly shut down by Melbourne University Press last year, has found a new home at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). This move marks a significant return to its roots, as Meanjin, meaning 'Brisbane' in Indigenous Australian, was founded in the city in 1940. The magazine's new custodian, QUT, has pledged to appoint an editorial board to ensure Meanjin's independence, values, and standards, and to begin a national search for a new editor. The final issue of the quarterly magazine, under the leadership of editor Esther Anatolitis and deputy Eli McLean, was published in December. The team was made redundant in September after the decision was made. The magazine's closure last year sparked concern among previous editors, who had long worried about its precarious financial situation. QUT has promised to take time to 'thoughtfully re-establish the journal in Queensland' and to consider how to reinvigorate Meanjin while respecting its founding vision and literary legacy. Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Sheil expressed her honor in being entrusted with the legacy of this cultural icon, which has been instrumental in shaping Australian literary and intellectual culture since its foundation by Clem Christesen in 1940. Meanjin is the country's second-oldest literary magazine, following Southerly, which was launched in 1939. The terms of the ownership transfer, including the fate of its archives, have not been released. This development comes as a relief to many in the literary community, who had feared the loss of a magazine that has long been a platform for critical discussion and a showcase for emerging writers.
