Question:

Who is Judith Wright

Mary Seah

Mary Seah (1905– )
Mary Seah was known as the 'Angel of Changi'. Changi was a very bad prison camp in Singapore where many Australians were kept during the Second World War. They were given little food or medicine and Seah risked her life to help the prisoners-of-war for several years. She would go to the camp with her son, dressed up as a street seller, and offer items for sale to the Japanese guards. When they were busy looking at her goods, she would sneak food and medicine to the Australians. If she had been caught, she would have been killed. When the guards became suspicious, she was beaten up, but she told the guards nothing and kept on helping the Australians. Many of the men would have died without her brave work.
Mary Seah is highly respected by the returned soldiers and has been guest of honour at some of their celebrations. She was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1996.

Shirley Smith ('Mum Shirl')

Shirley Smith ('Mum Shirl') (1921–1998)
Shirley Smith was an Aborigine who was born in Cowra, New South Wales. She was not able to go to an ordinary school because she suffered from epilepsy and was taught at home by her grandfather.
Shirley began to visit Aboriginal people in prison when one of her brothers was there and found other people also enjoyed having someone to talk to. She also went to court sometimes to help people who had been charged with a crime. People began to call her 'Mum Shirl'. Some of her time was spent finding homes for children whose parents could not look after them or helping children to find their own parents again.

With some other people, she set up the Aboriginal Medical Service and the Aboriginal Legal Service to give proper service to Aboriginal people who needed it. Shirley could not read or write, but could speak 16 different Aboriginal languages.

Her work was commemorated with an Order of Australia and an Order of the British Empire.

Lowjita (Lois) O'Donoghue

Lowjita (Lois) O'Donoghue (1932– )
Lowjita O'Donoghue is an Aboriginal woman who was born in South Australia in 1932. She was taken away from her family and grew up in a children's home. She was trained to do housework, but later spent a long time fighting to be allowed to train as a nurse.
In 1967, she joined the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and became the director of the South Australian region in 1975. Since then she has held several jobs working for the good of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people. She has helped to write laws and been the head of ATSIC (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission).

O'Donoghue was named Australian of the Year in 1984 for her work to improve the way Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians live and work togther. She has been given awards by Queen Elizabeth II and the Australian Government.

Thomas Keneally

Keneally, Thomas , 1935–, Australian novelist, b. Sydney. For a time a student of religion, and later of law, Keneally has ranged over a wide spectrum in his many novels, including the American Civil War, Nazi Germany, and rugby. Keneally insists that he must try to re-create the experience of his subjects; thus the authentic flavor of works such as Schindler's Ark (1982, published in the United States as Schindler's List), the novelistic treatment of a businessman who saved the lives of many Jews during the Holocaust, probably his best-known work. His other novels include A Family Madness (1985), To Asmara (1989), Flying Hero Class (1991), Woman of the Inner Sea (1993), and A River Town (1995). The Great Shame (1999), a nonfiction work, explores the fates of 19th-century Irishmen forced to emigrate to Australia.

Gladys Moncrieff

Gladys Moncrieff (1892–1976)
Gladys Moncrieff was born in Queensland. As a child, she toured the state giving concerts and was advertised as 'Little Gladys ? the Australian Wonder Child'. She became more and more well known as a singer and was very popular. In 1921 she had a big success playing Theresa in a musical called Maid of the Mountain at the Theatre Royal in Melbourne. She sang the part nearly 3000 times. She also sang in England and New Zealand. People in Australia were pleased to have a singer from their own country as a star. Moncrieff became known as 'Australia's Queen of Song' and then 'Our Glad'.
Moncrieff made records and films and appeared on television shows. Her life has been remembered on stamps.

Judith Wright

Wright, Judith, 1915–, Australian poet. After graduating from the Univ. of Sydney, she worked variously as a clerk, secretary, and statistician. She is regarded as one of the most important Australian writers of the 20th cent. Her lyric poetry is marked by sensitivity of interpretation and absolute mastery of technique. Among her volumes of poetry are The Moving Image (1946), The Gateway (1953), City Sunrise (1964), and Collected Poems, 1942–1970 (1971). She has also published books for children; biographies of the Australian writers Charles Harpur and Charles Lawson; and the critical work, Preoccupations in Australian Poetry (1965).

Nevil Shute

Shute, Nevil (Nevil Shute Norway), 1899–1960, English novelist, b. Ealing, Middlesex, grad. Oxford, 1922. After serving in World War I, he was manager of a construction company until 1938. He fought also in World War II and emigrated to Australia in 1950. Shute wrote 26 novels and was one the best-selling novelists of his era. His fast-paced novels usually illustrate moral themes. They include Ordeal (1939), The Pied Piper (1944), On the Beach (1957), and Trustee from the Toolroom (1960).

White, Patrick, 1912–90, Australian novelist

White, Patrick, 1912–90, Australian novelist, b. London. Raised in England, he returned to Australia after World War II, earning his living by farming and writing. His novels—often set in the Australian outback—usually portray the suffering of extraordinary people. His style relies heavily on description. His novels include The Happy Valley (1939), The Aunt's Story (1948), The Tree of Man (1955), Riders in the Chariot (1961), The Vivisector (1970), The Eye of the Storm (1974), The Twyborn Affair (1980), and Memoirs of Many in One by Xenophon Demirjian Gray (1986). The Cockatoos (1975) is a collection of short stories. In 1973, White was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
See his autobiography Flaws in the Glass (1981); biography by D. Marr (1992); studies by G. Laigle (1989), L. Steven (1989), and P. Wolfe (1990).

West, Morris, 1916–, Australian novelist

West, Morris, 1916–, Australian novelist, b. Melbourne. West's novels often reveal his interest in both Roman Catholicism and international politics, as reflected in his best-selling novel, The Shoes of the Fisherman (1963), which concerns a Soviet cardinal who is named pope during an international crisis. His other novels include The Devil's Advocate (1959), Harlequin (1974), The Clowns of God (1981), The World Is Made of Glass (1983), and Cassidy (1986).

Australian Frequently Asked Questions

What are the physical aspects of Australia?

Who are some famous Australians?

What can I see in Tasmania?

What are the towns of Australia?

What are the Cities/towns of Victoria?

What are the Cities/towns of WA?

What can I see in ACT?

What is Australia

What are some Australian Phrases?

What can I see in South Australia?

What are the towns of South Australia?

What are some towns in Tasmania?

What are some places of interest in NSW?

What is the Emergency Number in Australia?

What Islands lay off the coast of Queensland?

What can I do in Victoria?

what is slang?

How do I get to Tasmania?

Where is Ballarat?

What can I see in South Australia?

What are some places to visit in Western Australia?

What can I see in the Northern Territory?

Where can I go in Victoria?

What are some places to visit in Western Australia?

Who is Judith Wright

What are some places to visit in NSW?

What are the cities/towns of NSW?

What are the cities/towns of Queensland?

What is Aust. Literature 20th century?

what is slang?

Where is Tasmania?

How do Australians celebrate Christmas

What are the Aboriginal languages of Australia?

What plants are native to Australia?

What are the towns of South Australia?

What are the towns/cities of NSW?

What can I do in Tasmania?

What are the towns/cities of Tasmania?

What are Australia´s Land and Resources?

What can I do in Western Australia?

Where is Fraser Island?

How do I find information in Australia?

What are some Australian Icons?

What is vegemite?

What can I see in Queensland?

What are some towns in South Australia

What are some towns in South Australia

What is the ecconomic climate in Australia?

What are some places to visit in Western Australia?

What are the towns of South Australia?

What is surfing?

How have Australian Aborigines been treated?

What is an Australian cattle dog?

What are the towns of Queensland?

What is australia´s history?

How is Australia keeping the games green?

What animals are native to Australia?

What can I do in Sydney?

Who is Henry Lawson ?

What are the towns/cities of WA?

What are the cities/towns of Queensland?

Who is Morris West?

What can I see in Queensland?

Who is John Curtin?

What are the towns of the Northern Territory?

Who was Dame Enid Lyons ?

What is the history of Early European Exploration?

What are the towns of Queensland?

What are some towns in South Australia

What is Australia like today?

How can I tour Canberra?

What is aussie slang?

Who was Shirley Smith (´Mum Shirl´) ?

What are the towns/cities of ACT?

How do I get around Canberra?

What is the Geography of the ACT?

Where is Linderman Island?

What can I see in Queensland?

What is the history of Australia?

What are the towns of Queensland?

What is an Australian Terrier?

What can I do in Queensland?

What is the Government of Australia?

What are the towns of NSW?

What is Canberra like After Dark?

What art festivals were on during the games?

What are the towns of WA?

Who is Bob Hawke?

what is a digger?

What are the d´s in Aussie Slang?

What is the history of the ACT?

Who is Anne Geddes?

What is Tourism in Australia?

Where can I eat out in Australia?

What can I see in Queensland?

What can I see in Queensland?

what is slang?

What are the water safety procedures in Australia?

What are the States of Australia?

What are some animals in Australia?

What is the Townsville region ?

How do I get to Canberra?

What security precautions should I take in Australia?

What fauna is found in Australia?

What is the history of Australia?

What is Culture in Australia?

What is the usual Australian Christmas fare?

What animals can be found in Australia?

What can I see in Coffs Harbour?

Where can I find Anne Geddes?

Where can I find a good collection of Australian photographs?

What is the history of ceramics in Australia?

What can I see in Queensland?

What can I see on the Great Barrier Reef?

what snakes live in Australia?

Who was Captain Cook?

What is the Aussie Way of Life?

What animals can be found in Australia?

What animals can found in Australia?

Who was Sir Douglas Nicholls ?

What is the Australian government?

Where is BEGA?

Do you have ATM’S?

Where is EDEN?

How do I contact Ambulance, Fire, Police in an emergency?

What are the physical aspects of Victoria?

What animals can found in Australia?

What is Cricket?

Where do I eat out in Australia?

What is the history of Australia?

Where is Cairns?

Where is Sydney?

What are Australia´s Population Characteristics?

What are the rivers of Australia

What is Aussie slang?

How do I claim my GST refund

Who is Prince Charles?

What is Australia Day?

What Religious celebrations take place in Australia at Christmas?

Do they have many holidays in Australia?

Can I celebrate Christmas Mass in Australia?

Where is Coffs Harbour

What is an Akubra?

What is the history of Australia?

What can I see in WA?

Who is Sir Tannatt William Edgeworth?

What can I see in Queensland?

What are the Towns/cities of Queensland?

What are some Outback Travelling Tips?

What is the history of literature in Australia?

What is a Crocodile?

Who is Dick Smith ?

Where is Brisbane?

What is the history of literature in Australia?

What will I find on the East Coast Tasmania?

What is Government in Australia?

What is the history of Political Institutions in Australia?

What is the Melbourne Cup?

What is the history of Australia?

What animals can be found in Australia?

What are the busses like in the ACT?

What is an Echidna?

Is the Australian Echidna marsupial or mammal?

What is the history of The Founding of Sydney ?

Where is Heron Island?

What wildlife can be found in our oceans?

How do I get an Australian Visa?

Can I get traditional Christmas food in Australia?

Where is Townsville?

What is education in Australia?

What are Australian dollar coins made of?

How much cash can I bring into Australia?

Who was Sir Garfield Barwick ?

What is the #3 Beach resort in Australia?

Where is the Sheraton Mirage Resort, Port Douglas?

Where are the The Victorian Goldfields?

What are the Natural Resources of Australia?

What can I see in Queensland?

What can I see in Queensland?

What is Surfing life in Australia?

What Was Australia´s view of the Interwar Years?

Who is Thomas Alexander Browne?

Where is Arnham Land?

What can I see in WA?

What is golf in Australia

Where is Kakadu National Park?

What can I see in Queensland?

What can I see in Queensland?

Where is Noosa Heads?

Who is William Charles Wentworth?

What are some places to visit in Perth?

What is slang?

What is the history on Australia´s New Settlements ?

What is Australian Rules football?

Who is Christina Stead?

Where is Bendigo?

What is the Government of Australia?

What do I do if attacked by a Crocodile?

What events take place in the ACT?

What is the #1 beach resort in Australia?

What is the history of north east of Victoria?

How do I get around Canberra?

How do I drive in Australia?

Who was Sir Henry Parkes ?

What is the history of Australia?

What is the history of Australia?

What are Australia´s States and external dependants?

How many states are there in Australia?

How do Australians celebrate Valentines Day?

What can I do in Ballarat?

Who is Phar Lap?

Who was Andrew Barton (Banjo) Paterson ?

Where do I get tourist information in Australia?

What is Australia´s Defense force?

What towns/cities are in South Australia

What towns are in NSW?

What animals are native to Australia?

Who was Truganini ?

What is the history of Australia?

How do I stay safe on Australias Beaches?

What safety precautions should I take at the beach?

Who is Henry Handel Richardson?

What is Forestry and Fishing in Australia?

Where can I find information on the Western Australian State Governmen

Where is the Australian War Memorial?

Who was Louisa Lawson ?

What is Aussie slang?

What memorials should I see in Canberra?

What towns/cities are in the ACT?

What is the Olympic Games Motto?

Who was Gladys Moncrieff ?

What can I do in the ACT?

What animals can be found in Australia?

Where is Sydney?

What is Currency and Banking in Australia?

What was the Goldrush?

What is a bogong moth?

Who is Able Tasman?

What was Australia´s Expanding Colonization From the 1820s to the 18

What is the climate in Australia?

What can I see in Queensland?

What is the Olympic Arts Festival ?

What is the history of Australia?

What is an Australian kelpie?

Where is Bowen?

Where is Lanyon Homestead?

Where is the National Gallery ?

Are there old historic dwellings in Canberra, ACT, Australia

Can I see many art galleries in Canberra?

Where is Melbourne?





Not finding the advice and tips you need on this Australian Tip Site? Request a Tip Now!


Guru Spotlight
Sherril Steele-Carlin