Colin Thiele facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Colin Milton Thiele
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A portrait of Colin Thiele in 1964.
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| Born | Colin Milton Thiele 16 November 1920 Eudunda, South Australia, Australia |
| Died | 4 September 2006 (aged 85) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation | Novelist, poet, educational writer |
| Subject | Australian history, Australian biographies |
| Notable works | Storm Boy, Blue Fin, Sun on the Stubble, February Dragon, Jodie's Journey |
Colin Milton Thiele AC (born November 16, 1920 – died September 4, 2006) was a famous Australian writer and teacher. He is best known for his amazing children's books. Some of his most popular stories include Storm Boy, Blue Fin, and the Sun on the Stubble series. His books often showed life in the Australian countryside. Colin Thiele also helped train many teachers in South Australia.
Contents
About Colin Thiele
Early Life and Education
Colin Thiele was born in Eudunda in South Australia. His family had German roots, and he spoke German until he started school. He went to several country schools, including Eudunda Higher Primary School. Later, he studied at the University of Adelaide and finished his degree in 1941.
After university, he became a teacher in high schools and colleges. He became the principal of Wattle Park Teachers College in 1965. He also led Murray Park CAE and the Wattle Park Teachers Centre before he retired in 1980.
War Service
Colin Thiele joined the Australian Army in December 1940. He served as a private in the 18th Light Horse (Machine Gun) unit. In July 1942, he moved to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). He finished his war service as a corporal at Air Defence Headquarters.
Becoming a Writer
Before the war, Thiele taught in Robertstown. After the war, he taught in Port Lincoln. It was there that he wrote his first book. It was a geography textbook, which he wrote because he felt the other textbooks were not very good.
Colin Thiele wrote more than 100 books during his life. His stories often described life in rural Australia. He especially wrote about places like the Eudunda area, the Barossa Valley, and the Murray River/Coorong regions of South Australia.
Many of his books have been turned into films or TV shows. These include Sun on the Stubble, The Fire in the Stone, Blue Fin, and Storm Boy.
Awards and Later Life
In 1977, Colin Thiele was given a high honour. He was made a Companion of the Order of Australia. This award recognized his important work in literature and education.
From 1955, Thiele suffered from severe arthritis. Later in his life, he moved from South Australia to a warmer place in Queensland. He passed away on September 4, 2006, in a Brisbane hospital. He was 85 years old.
Colin Thiele's Legacy
Many things have been named after Colin Thiele to remember his contributions.
- A book about his life, called Can I Call You Colin, was published in 2004.
- The Thiele Library at the Magill campus of the University of South Australia is named after him.
- A library shared by Golden Grove High School, Pedare Christian College, and Gleeson College was opened by him in 1989 and is named in his honour.
- A road in South Australia, Highway B81, is called the Thiele Highway. It passes through places like Kapunda and Eudunda, which were important to his life and stories.
- A house at Matthew Flinders Anglican College and another at Trinity College, Gawler, North Campus, are also named after him.
See also
- Barossa German
- German Australians
Awards
- 1977 Companion of the Order of Australia
- 1997 Dromkeen Medal
- 2001 Centenary Medal
