Thistle Yolette Harris facts for kids

Thistle Yolette Harris AM (born July 29, 1902 – died July 5, 1990) was an amazing Australian scientist. She was also known as Thistle Stead. Thistle was a botanist, which means she studied plants. She was also a teacher, a writer, and someone who worked hard to protect nature.

About Thistle Harris

Thistle Harris was one of three daughters. Her parents were Charles Thomas Harris and Illma Richardson Harris.

She went to Redlands School in Cremorne, New South Wales. There, her English teacher, Constance Le Plastrier, helped her love for Australian plants grow. Constance was part of the Naturalists Society of New South Wales. She even wrote a book called Botany for Australian Students.

Thistle Harris passed away in 1990 in Summer Hill, New South Wales.

Thistle's Education

Thistle studied botany, the science of plants, at the University of Sydney. She earned her degree in botany in 1924. The next year, she got a teaching diploma from Sydney Teachers' College.

After teaching science in high schools for several years, she became a lecturer at Sydney Teachers' College. She taught there from 1938 to 1961. In 1945, she earned a Master of Education degree from the University of Melbourne.

Later, she studied Landscape Design at the University of New South Wales from 1968 to 1969. Thistle also taught Biological Science at the University of Sydney. She taught botany at Sydney Technical College.

Her interest in Australian plants grew when she met Albert Morris. This happened when she taught school in Broken Hill between 1929 and 1930.

Her Marriage

In 1951, Thistle married David George Stead. He was a pioneer in protecting the environment and a marine biologist. A marine biologist studies life in the ocean. Thistle had met David through her teacher, Constance Le Plastrier, when she was sixteen.

When she married David Stead, she became the stepmother to the famous Australian writer, Christina Stead. David was 25 years older than Thistle. He passed away six years after they were married.

Thistle's Important Work

Thistle Harris was a member of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects. She also served as President and Honorary Secretary of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia. She helped make sure the society's journal, Australian Wild Life, was published.

Thistle wrote twelve books about Australian plants. These books taught people how to grow native plants in their gardens. Her first book, Wildflowers of Australia (1938), described about 250 different plants. Her book, Gardening with Australian Plants, Shrubs (1977), described over 600 plant species.

In 1963, Thistle created the 50-hectare Wirrimbirra Sanctuary in Bargo, New South Wales. She made this sanctuary to honor her late husband, David Stead. He had passed away in 1957. She also set up the David G. Stead Memorial Wildlife Research Foundation of Australia to manage the sanctuary.

In 1965, she gave the property to the National Trust of Australia (NSW). The Foundation still manages it today. With help from the Gould League of New South Wales, a building was put up in 1971. This building became a Field Studies Centre. In 1973, a teacher was hired to work there full-time. Thistle dedicated herself to many causes, especially protecting nature.

Awards and Recognition

In 1963, Thistle was given the Australian Natural History Medallion by the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria. This award recognized her work in natural history.

In 1985, the University of Wollongong gave her an Honorary Doctorate of Science. This is a special degree given to people who have made important contributions.

In 1980, she was recognized for her work in wildlife conservation. She received the award of Member of the Order of Australia.