Southerly began in 1939 as a four-page bulletin of the Sydney branch of the London-based
English Association, an organisation dedicated to preserving the purity of the English language.
R. G. Howarth, lecturer in English at the
University of Sydney, was the founding editor and continued as editor until he left Sydney in 1955. He published European and Australian literature together and wished to encourage 'cultural good relations between the mother and daughter countries'.
Kenneth Slessor was editor from 1956 to 1961, and added the subtitle
a review of Australian literature, and the academic discussion of local literature continued to develop as a focus. G.A. Wilkes was editor from 1962 to 1986, and
Elizabeth Webby from 1987. It is currently edited by David Brooks and Elizabeth McMahon. ==Description==