Diane Barwick was born in 1938. She moved to Australia from Canada in 1960 where she received her Ph.D. from the Australian National University (A.N.U.). While working on her doctorate, she focused mainly on aboriginal communities in Victoria. Diane had the opportunity to work with many aboriginal people while attending A.N.U. and later while attending the Australian Institute for Aboriginal Studies.
Diane was the co-founder of the journal Aboriginal History, which she also edited for a period of time. She wrote many other journal articles such as "Rebellion at Coranderrk.” Throughout her career, Diane tried to understand the traditional and contemporary aspects of aboriginal life. At the same time she had to fight against prejudice and injustice for the aboriginal people.
In 1984 Diane published a journal article “Mapping the Past: An Atlas of Victorian clans, 1835-1904”, which was a major reference for a project she began right before her death. The project was to map all the local aboriginal groups in Victoria. The article she wrote was the first section of the project. Diane started to write the second section, but she did not get to finish it. Diane Barwick died in 1986.
Hagen, Rod, Ethnographic Information and Anthropological Interpretations in A Native
The Yorta Yorta Experience, www.netspace.net.au/~rodhagen/ANU%202.html, (December 2001)
Former link, www.arts.monash.edu.au/cais/ekulin/sour/about.htm, (December 2001)
Former link, www.monash.edu.au/cais/support/schools.htm, (December 2001)
Written By: Michelle Imes, 2001