Nancy Cato
Encyclopedia
Nancy Fotheringham Cato AM
(11 March 1917 – 3 July 2000) was an Australian writer who published more than twenty historical novels, biographies and volumes of poetry. Cato is also known for her work campaigning on environmental and conservation issues.
Cato was born in Glen Osmond
in South Australia, and was a fifth-generation Australian. She studied English Literature and Italian at the University of Adelaide
, graduating in 1939, then completing a two-year course at the South Australian School of Arts. She was a cadet journalist on The News
from 1935 to 1941, and as an art critic from 1957 to 1958.
With Roland Robinson
and Kevin Collopy, in 1948 Cato was one of the founding members of the Lyre-Bird Writers, an independent and cooperative group that formed to publish verse by Australian writers. As a member of the Jindyworobak Movement
, Cato edited the 1950 Jindyworobak Anthology, one of a series of anthologies produced to promote indigenous Australian ideas and customs, particularly in poetry. She was actively involved in the Fellowship of Australian Writers
and the Australian Society of Authors
during the 1950s and 1960s.
Cato's books include: Green Grows The Vine, Brown Sugar and All The Rivers Run, which was made into a TV mini-series. Her book Mister Maloga told the story of Daniel Matthews and his Maloga Mission to Aboriginal people on the Murray River
in Victoria.
Cato became a local icon in Noosa, Queensland
area and has a park and restaurant named after her. The Noosa Parks Association made her a life member and an honorary park ranger for her work in conservation. In 1984, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia
(AM) for services to literature and the environment, and she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Queensland
in 1991. In 2006 a new suburb of Franklin was proposed for Canberra
with the streets named after Australian women writers. The suburb is to include Nancy Cato Street.
Cato married Eldred Norman, and travelled extensively overseas with him. They had one daughter and two sons. Dr Nancy Cato Norman died at Noosa Heads on 3 July 2000.
Cato's cousin was also named Nancy Cato and was host of children's TV show the Magic Circle Club
in the mid 1960s.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(11 March 1917 – 3 July 2000) was an Australian writer who published more than twenty historical novels, biographies and volumes of poetry. Cato is also known for her work campaigning on environmental and conservation issues.
Cato was born in Glen Osmond
Glen Osmond, South Australia
Glen Osmond is a small suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Burnside located in the foothills of the Adelaide Hills.-References:...
in South Australia, and was a fifth-generation Australian. She studied English Literature and Italian at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
, graduating in 1939, then completing a two-year course at the South Australian School of Arts. She was a cadet journalist on The News
The News (Adelaide)
The News was an afternoon daily tabloid newspaper in the city of Adelaide, South Australia.The newspaper was established in 1869 as the Evening Journal. In 1933, a controlling stake was taken by The Advertiser, controlled by the Herald and Weekly Times. HWT sold off The News in 1949, and Sir Keith...
from 1935 to 1941, and as an art critic from 1957 to 1958.
With Roland Robinson
Roland Robinson (poet)
Roland Edward Robinson OAM was an Australian poet and writer.Robinson was born in County Clare, Ireland in 1912. At the age of 9, in 1921 he was brought to Australia...
and Kevin Collopy, in 1948 Cato was one of the founding members of the Lyre-Bird Writers, an independent and cooperative group that formed to publish verse by Australian writers. As a member of the Jindyworobak Movement
Jindyworobak Movement
The Jindyworobak Movement was a nationalistic Australian literary movement whose white members sought to promote indigenous Australian ideas and customs, particularly in poetry. They were active from the 1930s to around the 1950s...
, Cato edited the 1950 Jindyworobak Anthology, one of a series of anthologies produced to promote indigenous Australian ideas and customs, particularly in poetry. She was actively involved in the Fellowship of Australian Writers
Fellowship of Australian Writers
The Fellowship of Australian Writers, also known as FAW, was established in Sydney in 1928. Its aim is to bring writers together and promote their interests...
and the Australian Society of Authors
Australian Society of Authors
The Australian Society of Authors is the peak body representing Australia's literary creators and is the major advocate for the rights and remuneration of authors in Australia...
during the 1950s and 1960s.
Cato's books include: Green Grows The Vine, Brown Sugar and All The Rivers Run, which was made into a TV mini-series. Her book Mister Maloga told the story of Daniel Matthews and his Maloga Mission to Aboriginal people on the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
in Victoria.
Cato became a local icon in Noosa, Queensland
Noosa, Queensland
The Shire of Noosa was a Local Government Area located about north of Brisbane in the Sunshine Coast region of South East Queensland, Australia...
area and has a park and restaurant named after her. The Noosa Parks Association made her a life member and an honorary park ranger for her work in conservation. In 1984, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(AM) for services to literature and the environment, and she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
in 1991. In 2006 a new suburb of Franklin was proposed for Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
with the streets named after Australian women writers. The suburb is to include Nancy Cato Street.
Cato married Eldred Norman, and travelled extensively overseas with him. They had one daughter and two sons. Dr Nancy Cato Norman died at Noosa Heads on 3 July 2000.
Cato's cousin was also named Nancy Cato and was host of children's TV show the Magic Circle Club
Magic Circle Club
The Magic Circle Club was an award winning Australian children's television show, produced at ATV Channel 0 from 23 January 1965 to 1967....
in the mid 1960s.
Awards
- 1933 South Australian Tennyson Medal for English Literature
- 1961 NT Poetry Prize
- 1963 Farmers International Poetry Prize
- 1978 the Noosa Arts Theatre Playwriting Competition, Best Play Award for Travellers through the night (inaugural winner)
- 1988 Alice Award by the Society of Women Writers
- Advance Australia award for environmental campaigning
- 1991 Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of QueenslandUniversity of QueenslandThe University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
- 1984 Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
Novels and short stories
- The Dancing Bough (1957)
- All the Rivers RunAll the Rivers RunAll The Rivers Run is an Australian television miniseries from 1983 and 1989, starring Sigrid Thornton and John Waters. The miniseries is based on the Australian historical novel by Nancy Cato, first published in 1958. The film is marketed with the tagline A sweeping saga of one woman's struggle...
(1958) - Time, Flow Softly : a novel of the River Murray (1959)
- Green Grows the Vine (1960)
- But Still The Stream: a novel of the Murray River (1962)
- The Sea Ants: and Other Stories (1964)
- North-West by South (1965)
- Brown Sugar (1974)
- Queen Trucanini (1976) and Vivienne Rae Ellis
- Nin and the Scribblies (1976)
- Mister Maloga : Daniel Matthews and his Mission, Murray River, 1864–1902 (1976)
- Forefathers (1983)
- The Lady Lost in Time (1986)
- A Distant Island (1988)
- The Heart of the Continent (1989)
- Marigold (1992)
Non-fiction
- The Noosa Story: A Study In Unplanned Development (1979)
- River's End (1989) with Leslie McLeay
External links
- Nancy Cato at the OldPoetry Archive.
- Portrait of Nancy Cato, 1995 at the National Library of Australia