Thistle Yolette Harris

Thistle Yolette Harris (born 29 July 1902 and died 5 July 1990), also known as Thistle Stead, was an Australian botanist, educator, author and conservationist. She was educated at Redlands School SCECGS Redlands, Cremorne, where she was taught by Constance Le Plastrier (1864-1938), who was a member of the Naturalists Society of New South Wales and co-author of Botany for Australian Students (1916), and helped foster Harris' interest in native plants.^[1] She studied botany at the University of Sydney, followed by a diploma of education.^[1]

After several years as a science teacher in secondary schools, she became a lecturer in science education at Sydney Teachers' College (1938–61). In 1945 she was awarded a Master of Education degree and studied for a Diploma in Landscape Design at the University of New South Wales between 1968 and 1969.^[2] Harris later featured her efforts to revegetate the mine-workings at the Central Mine of the Sulphide Corporation in her book Australian Plants for the Garden (1953).

According to John Walter, her interest in Australian plants was also developed when she met Albert Morris (1886-1939) while she taught at the school in Broken Hill between 1929 and 1930.^[1]

In 1951 she married pioneer conservationist and marine biologist David Stead, to whom she had been introduced by Le Plastrier in 1918.^[1][3] She served as President and Honorary Secretary of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia.^[4] She was instrumental in facilitating the publication of the Society's journal Australian Wild Life, which was issued intermittently from 1934.^[1] She authored many books on Australian flora and their cultivation in suburban gardens.^[2]

In 1963 Harris established the 50 ha Wirrimbirra Sanctuary at Bargo, New South Wales, in memory of her late husband, who had died in 1957. She also established the David G. Stead Memorial Wildlife Research Foundation of Australia to undertake its management.^[2] In 1965 she donated the property to the National Trust of Australia (NSW) and it is managed by the Foundation.^[2][5] With financial assistance from the Gould League of New South Wales, a building was erected on the property in 1971 to act as a Field Studies Centre and in 1973, a teacher from the Education Department was appointed to be a full-time education officer.^[2]

In 1963 she was awarded the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria's Australian Natural History Medallion. In 1985 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science by the University of Wollongong.^[3]

Publications

Books authored by Harris include:

• 1939 – Wildflowers of Australia, illustrated by Adam Forster. Angus & Robertson: Sydney. (With several later editions).^[6]
• 1945 – Nature Problems. A book of nature study for young Australians. Brooks & Co: Sydney.
• 1953 – Australian Plants for the Garden. A handbook on the cultivation of Australian trees, shrubs, other flowering plants, and ferns. Angus & Robertson: Sydney.
• 1956 – Naturecraft in Australia; a guide for the nature-lover, the bushwalker, the student, and the teacher. Angus & Robertson: Sydney.
• 1966 – Around Australia Program - Australian Plant Life. Nelson Doubleday.
• 1970 – Alpine Plants of Australia Including Subalpine and Montane Plants. Angus & Robertson: Sydney. ISBN 0-207-12071-4
• 1976 – The Ellis Stones Garden Book: Australian Landscape Gardening. Nelson: Melbourne. (With Ellis Stones).
• 1977 – Gardening With Australian Plants: Shrubs. Nelson: Melbourne. ISBN 0-17-005119-6
• 1979 – Gardening With Australian Plants: Small Plants and Climbers. Nelson: Melbourne. ISBN 0-17-005120-X
• 1980 – Gardening With Australian Plants: Trees. Nelson: Melbourne. ISBN 0-17-005121-8

References

Notes

1. Walter, J. (2009), pp.18-23
2. Webb, J. (2002), p.290.
3. Wirrimbirra Flora and Fauna Sanctuary: Our Founders accessed 29 March 2009.
4. Bright Sparcs entry on Thistle Yolette Harris accessed 19 October 2008
5. Warragamba/Silverdale & Surrounds Forum: New Dingo Sanctuary at Wirrimbirra accessed 19 October 2008.
6. Information on book

Sources

• Walter, J. (2009). Thistle Harris reflects on a trip to Melbourne (1964). Australian Garden History 21(1): 18-23.
• Webb, J. (2002). 'Harris, Thistle Yolette', p. 290 in: R. Aitken and M. Looker (eds), Oxford Companion to Australian Gardens. South Melbourne, Oxford University Press.

Further reading

• Webb, Joan. (1998). Thistle Y. Harris, (a biography of Thistle Yolette Stead). Surrey Beatty & Sons: Sydney. ISBN 0-949324-85-X

External links

• Wirrimbirra Flora and Fauna Sanctuary