Olive Pink - A Colourful Character

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Do you sometimes thinks that God must have a bit of a wicked sense of humour? I particularly think so when I hear of strange names such as Cardinal Sin, a former Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila, or Dr Blood, a surgeon. In the Northern Territory of Australia we came across Olive Pink which I thought was a 'colourful' name to say the least. Ms Pink was an illustrator, anthropologist, gardener and a fierce advocate for aboriginal rights. She fought continually for better conditions and rights for indigenous people. She was born in Tasmania in 1884 but after her father died in 1906, the family moved first to Perth, Western Australia, then to Sydney. In 1926 she holidayed with anthropologist Daisy Bates in Ooldea on the Nullarbor Plain. When retrenched from a government position, she travelled to central Australia making sketches of the flora of the area. Between 1933 and 1936 she worked with the Arrernte people hear Alice Springs. She also met Albert Namatjira, who became a renowned indigenous artist. Her persistent badgering of politicians, government officials, pastoralists and missionaries regarding the treatment of aboriginals led to her being investigated as a communist sympathiser. From 1946 on, she lived in huts and tents on the outskirts of Alice Springs, refusing the old age pension and existing on, among other things, sales of home grown fruit and flowers. In 1955 she was granted about 20 hectares of land on the east side of the Todd River. This was designated an 'an Arid Regions Flora Reserve'. It is said the trees she planted were given names of prominent citizens and, if she fell out with the person, she would cease to water the plant. Olive Pink lived on the reserve, assisted by an indigenous companion, until she died in 1975 at the age of 91. After her death, the reserve was renamed the Olive Pink Botanic Garden. It opened to the public in 1985. The photo is of some of the magnificent trees we came across on our trip.