Lyrebird! A true story is here and I have frock to match.

No one could ever accuse me of working fast. I fiddle with words and ideas and then get distracted with other passions like ... propagating plants to maintain urban sites for indigenous wildlife, making kamishibai stories and travelling the bitumen to schools far and wide to tell stories to the children. But at last my book Lyrebird! A true story is here!

Of course a girl has to have a frock to celebrate. A creative friend (who wishes to remain anonymous) made me a simple, perfectly fitted, tunic-style dress for my long-suffering and supportive partner to paint.

Partner aka John Kean, studied painting and printmaking many years ago and can still wield a brush with skill.

Using acrylic paint mixed with textile medium John has adapted an image of a lyrebird engraved by Jean Baptiste Audebert after a water colour by Sydenham Edwards(1802). We think this is the first European image of a lyrebird.

Last night he was up late with a head torch, finishing off the filamentary feathers.


Peter Goulthourpe (illustrator of Lyrebird! A true story) said the painting of these fine feathers was exhausting. A lyrebird has 12 filamentaries.

The end result is fabulous as you can see.

And look this cheeky little feathery head!

 Lyrebird! A true story (illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe, published Museum Victoria) is available on line, in book stores, Museum Victoria. Distributor New South Books.