Mary Durack facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Durack
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| Born | Mary Durack 20 February 1913 Adelaide, South Australia |
| Died | 16 December 1994 (aged 81) Nedlands, Western Australia |
| Occupation | Author, historian |
| Years active | 1934–1994 |
| Spouse |
Horace Miller
(m. 1938; d. 1980) |
Dame Mary Durack (born 20 February 1913, died 16 December 1994) was a famous Australian writer and historian. She wrote many books, including Kings in Grass Castles and Keep Him My Country. She was known for telling stories about her family's life in the Australian outback.
Contents
Growing Up in the Outback
Mary Durack was born in Adelaide, South Australia. She grew up on huge cattle stations in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. These stations were called Argyle Downs and Ivanhoe. Her family, the Duracks, were pioneers. This means they were among the first European settlers in the area.
Life on the Cattle Stations
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Mary and her sister Elizabeth helped manage the Ivanhoe cattle station. Their brother managed Argyle Downs. During this time, they worked closely with the local Aboriginal people. They learned many things from the Indigenous women. This included cooking and how to herd cattle. Mary wrote about her family's history in her books. These stories began with their journey from Ireland in the mid-1800s. Her famous books, Kings in Grass Castles and Sons in the Saddle, tell this amazing family saga.
Mary Durack's Writing Journey
Mary Durack started her writing career in the 1930s. She wrote many different kinds of books. She often worked with her sister, Elizabeth, who was an artist.
Early Works and Children's Books
In 1935, Mary and Elizabeth published their first book together. It was called All About: The Story of a Black Community on Argyle Station. Mary wrote the words and Elizabeth drew the pictures. They created several children's books together, such as:
- Chunuma (1936)
- Son of Djaro (1940)
- The Way of the Whirlwind (1941)
- The Magic Trumpet (1946)
- To Ride a Fine Horse (1963)
Writing for Newspapers
From 1934 to 1938, Mary Durack wrote for The Western Mail newspaper. She used the pen name "Virgilia." Her column, "Virgilians' Friendly Corner," was for women and children in country areas. This was some of her first paid writing work.
Famous Novels and Histories
Mary Durack wrote many important books. Her novel Keep Him My Country came out in 1950. She also wrote about the history of her family in Kings in Grass Castles (1959) and Sons in the Saddle (1983). These books are like a big family story. She also wrote a play called Swan River Saga (1976). This play was about an early pioneer named Eliza Shaw.
Mary also wrote more children's books. One notable story was about Yagan, a Nyungar man. This book was published in 1964 as The Courteous Savage: Yagan of the Bibbulmun.
Other Important Books
Mary Durack explored different topics in her writing. The Rock and the Sand (1969) tells the history of missionaries in Western Australia. She also wrote about Aboriginal people in Australian literature. This shows how important this subject was to her.
Personal Life and Achievements
Mary Durack had a busy life as a writer and a family person.
Family Life
On 2 December 1938, Mary married Captain Horrie C. Miller. He was an aviator, which means he flew airplanes. Horrie passed away in 1980. They had six children: two sons and four daughters. One of their daughters was Robin Miller. She became a famous aviator and nurse. People called her "The Sugarbird Lady" because of her work fighting polio.
Awards and Recognition
Mary Durack received high honors for her contributions to literature.
- On 31 December 1977, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).
- On 12 June 1989, she was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). These are very important awards in Australia.
Selected Works by Mary Durack
Here are some of Mary Durack's well-known books:
Novels
- All-About : The Story of a Black Community on Argyle Station, Kimberley (1935)
- Keep Him My Country (1955)
Children's Fiction
- Chunuma (1936)
- Son of Djaro (1940)
- The Way of the Whirlwind (1941)
- A Book of Picture Stories (1942)
- To Ride a Fine Horse (1963)
- Kookanoo and Kangaroo (1963)
Poetry Collections
- Little Poems of Sunshine : By an Australian Child (1923)
- Piccaninnies (1940)
- The Magic Trumpet (1946)
Non-Fiction and Biographies
- Time and Tide : the Story in Pictures of Roebuck Bay, N.W. Australia (1946)
- Kings in Grass Castles (1959) - a biography of her family
- The Courteous Savage : Yagan of Swan River (1964) - a biography
- The Rock and the Sand (1969) - a history book
- To Be Heirs Forever (1976) - a biography
- Sons in the Saddle (1983) - a biography of her family
