Author drew heavily on childhood experiences, including Dog Trap Road

Fewer would be aware of her connection to Yass Valley and of the Miles Franklin Park in Mont Street providing a green link between Yass Railway Museum and the walking track to Walker Park.

Her grandparents Joseph and Mary Franklin arrived in Australia and worked for a time for Dr Alleyn at Yass.

Joseph later bought Oakvale at Jeir Creek and with his sons went on to lease Brindabella Station and the adjoining runs of Bin Bin East and Bin Bin West.

In 1878, Joseph’s son John married Susannah Lampe from Talbingo.

They settled on the Bin Bin run in a house on the Goodradigbee River, not far from Brindabella homestead.

Their first born, Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin, was born at her grandmother’s home at Talbingo on October 14, 1879.

Her early childhood was spent at Brindabella.

Her first book My Brilliant Career was completed in 1899 and published in 1901. It brought instant acclaim.

In this and later books, she drew heavily on her childhood experiences including some time spent helping family who lived out along Dog Trap Road.

By 1903, Miles Franklin had moved on to Melbourne and Sydney forming strong friendships with feminists including Vida Goldstein.

She went onto live in Chicago working for the National Women’s Trade Union League of America for nine years and spent time in England and Ireland working and writing.

In 1917, Miles volunteered with the Scottish Women’s Hospitals for Foreign Service in Ostrovo in Macedonia.

During her time overseas, she produced a number of manuscripts, but only two were published.

Miles returned to Australia in 1927 and cared for her aging parents then living in Sydney.

Her literary fortunes took a turn for the better with the publication of Up the Country, the first of six books using the pseudonym of ‘Brent of Bin Bin’.

In 1936, she won the SH Prior Memorial Prize for All that Swagger, placing her at the forefront of Australian literature.

Miles never returned to the places of her childhood.

But her memories of that childhood lent a particular flavour to many of her books which reflected aspects of those early experiences.

She became a great supporter of Australian literature, culminating in her posthumous legacy which set up the Miles Franklin Award for Australian literature.

Yass & District Historical Society is providing an opportunity for those keen on developing their writing skills. You are invited to enrol in ‘Exciting Writing – Bringing Words to Life’, a residential workshop to be held at Galong, November 16 to 18. Numbers are limited.