Louisa Atkinson
Louisa Atkinson | |
|---|---|
 Atkinson, c. 1865 | |
| Born | Caroline Louisa Waring Atkinson 25 February 1834 Berrima, New South Wales |
| Died | 28 April 1872 (aged 38) Berrima, New South Wales |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1853–1872 |
| Spouse | James Snowden Calvert |
| Children | 1 |
| Mother | Charlotte Waring Atkinson |
Caroline Louisa Waring Calvert (née Atkinson; 25 February 1834 – 28 April 1872) was an Australian writer, botanist and illustrator. Born near Berrima, New South Wales, in 1834, she grew up on rural properties and developed an interest in botany and natural history. By the age of nineteen she had begun to publish illustrated newspaper columns on the Australian natural landscape. She was a keen amateur botanist, collecting specimens of native plants from across the Blue Mountains region to send to scientists, as well as producing a large body of illustrations of native plants and animals. Atkinson published six novels and a number of short stories, largely set in the Australian bush.
Atkinson died in 1872 at the age of 38 shortly after giving birth to a daughter. She has been described as the first Australian-born woman novelist, and is recognised for her contributions to the study of native Australian flora and fauna. Multiple species, including the genus Atkinsonia, are named after her. Her writing has been noted for its promotion of environmental conservation and its sympathetic portrayals of Indigenous Australians.