10 Facts About Nance Donkin

Nance Clare Donkin was an Australian children's writer and journalist.

Nance Donkin was educated at Maitland High School and was appointed secretary of the Old Girls' Union's Younger Set in 1934.

Nance Donkin had her first short story published at the age of eight and began writing on social happenings for the Maitland Daily Mercury at 16.

Nance Donkin served as president of the Children's Book Council of Australia from 1968 to 1976.

Nance Donkin had first visited Greece 18 years earlier and returned several times.

Nance Donkin wrote two collections of biographies of Australian women, The Women Were There: Nineteen Women Who Enlivened Australia's History and Always a Lady: Courageous Women of Colonial Australia.

Nance Donkin was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 1986 Australia Day Honours for "service to the community, particularly in the fields of children's literature and adult education".

Nance Donkin received the Alice Award from the NSW branch of the Society of Women Writers in 1990.

Nance Donkin died at Faversham House in Canterbury, Victoria on 18 April 2008.

Nance Donkin was survived by her daughter and son and their families.