When was dorothea mackellar born

According to her nurse, Adrienne Howley, Dorothea regarded this poem as her finest work. Her ashes were placed in the family vault at Waverley Cemetery in Sydney. In , Gunnedah celebrated the unveiling of a bronze statue of Dorothea Mackellar sitting side-saddle on a horse drinking from a stream. Mrs Maas, upon relocation to Australia, read My Country and was deeply moved by the patriotism displayed in the poem. The poetry competition grew from strength to strength.

In with initial numbers of entries from schools throughout NSW the competition, now Australia wide, attracts up to 15, entries each year from school students.

The competition also has a dedicated following from teachers whose support is integral to its continued success. Dorothea Mackellar became a national figure after she wrote My Country.

The exposure to various cultures. Her education consisted of private tuition at home until she attended lectures at the university.

It was very informal with respect to subject matter. Dorothea was given special tuition in painting, fencing, and languages. Travelling overseas to countries such as England, Europe, America and the East, with her family was also considered part of her education.

Due to this exposure to different cultures, she became fluent in many languages. Visiting theatres, galleries and museums added to her knowledge of the Arts. Later when she travelled overseas with her father she assisted him as interpreter. The inspiration for her poetry was from the times spent at her brothers' farms, which was a far cry from her every day life in Sydney.

Dorothea was very young when she began writing. Magazines published her poems and compositions, for which she was also paid. Dorothea and her family were visiting London, waiting for her brother to return from the Boer War, when they heard the terrible news that he had been killed in South Africa.

Dorothea was homesick and to hear of her brother's death made it worse. She missed Australia, so she wrote [3] "Core of my Heart". She published a number of poems and novels between and In and Dorothea and her friend Ruth Bedford wrote two novels. She was one of the founding members of the Sydney P. Dorothea's parents lived with her as they got older so she could care for them.

She stopped writing after her father's death in Her mother died in In later years Dorothea suffered ill health. She spent ten years in a Randwick nursing home. After Dorothea's younger brothers died she was able to keep both of the family homes; Cintra, Darling Point , and a house at Church Point on Pittwater.

After she was cremated, Dorothea was laid to rest in [11] Waverley Cemetery , in the family vault. Dorothea Mackellar never married, although she was engaged twice.