Elyne Mitchell: A Daughter Remembers

The daughter of Elyne Mitchell tells what it was like to grow up with a famous and highly creative mother who created the classic Australian children's books, the Silver Brumby Series.
In 1958, Elyne Mitchell's the Silver Brumby was published to acclaim and quickly became a much-loved classic of Australian children's literature. Now, for the centenary of Elyne's birth, her daughter Honor Auchinleck tells the story of the exceptional woman, and mother, behind the mask of the famous author. Writer, daughter of a Great War hero, wife of a politician and Changi survivor, champion skier and passionate environmentalist, Elyne Mitchell led a life of accomplishment and privilege. But strong undercurrents of discord and misunderstanding flowed beneath the enchanted surface, and Elyne, just like her Silver Brumby, longed for the refuge of her own Secret Valley. In this poignant memoir Honor Auchinleck remembers her extraordinary upbringing in the Australian Alps and pays tribute to her remarkable family, and in particular her adored - and elusive - mother.

Auteur

Honor is the daughter of Elyne Mitchell. Inspired from the outset by keen travelling and storytelling parents, Honor has led a peripatetic life, having have moved home nineteen times; living, working and travelling in five different countries on three continents. In thirty-four years overseas, Honor never lost touch with her roots, returning increasingly frequently in recent years to assemble Elyne's archive. Honor has worked as a freelance features writer and photographer on expatriate newspapers and for two years was a member of a panel of judges for the Commonwealth Essay competition in London. She is now living in Melbourne.