Elizabeth Riddle
Journalist & Poet 1910-1998
Who is Elizabeth Riddle?
She was born in 1910 in Napier, New Zealand. She spent 10 years at boarding school and was hired to work as a journalist straight after school, as she failed to get accepted into university.
She travelled and worked in Australia and UK. She returned to Australia to work for the Sun Newspaper in NSW, during this time she also wrote some books of poetry.
How did she come to spend time on Deakin Island?
It was during her time working for the Sun Newspaper that she was sent to spend six months on Deakin Island. Her love for travel and interest in poetry writing made her the perfect applicant for the position on Deakin Island.
She spent six months travelling around Deakin Island, writing articles for the Sun about the booming industries and laid back lifestyle of Deakin Isalanders. The government at the time was trying to encourage immigration to Deakin Islandand Elizabeth's articles were often published in other papers around Australia to encouarge others to visit or move to Deakin Island.
Life on Deakin Island also gave Elizabeth many new experiences, she met new people and visited new places, giving her much inspiration for the poetry she wrote in this time.