{{short description|Australian botanist}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Infobox scientist | name = Thistle Harris | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM|size=100}} | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = 29 July 1902 | birth_place = Sydney, Australia | death_date = {{death date and age|1990|07|05|1902|07|29|df=y}} | death_place = Summer Hill, New South Wales, Australia | residence = | citizenship = | alma_mater = University of Sydney<br>University of New South Wales<br>University of Melbourne | doctoral_advisor = | doctoral_students = | known_for = | author_abbrev_bot = | author_abbrev_zoo = | signature = | footnotes = | ethnicity = | field = Botany | work_institutions = Sydney Teachers' College<br>University of Sydney<br>Sydney Technical College | prizes = Australian Natural History Medallion (1963)<br>Honorary Doctorate of Science by the University of Wollongong (1985) | religion = }}
'''Thistle Yolette Harris''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}} (29 July 1902 – 5 July 1990), was born as Yolette Thistle Harris, but mostly known as '''Thistle Stead''', was an Australian botanist, educator, author and conservationist.
== Biography == She was one of three daughters born to Charles Thomas Harris and Illma Richardson Harris (''née'' Rokes).<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.woollahra.nsw.gov.au/library/local_history/women_in_woollahra/thistle_harris_stead|title=Thistle Harris Stead|last=|first=|date=|website=woollahra.nsw.gov.au|publisher=Woollahra Municipal Council|access-date=January 25, 2017}}</ref> She was educated at SCECGS Redlands, Cremorne, where she was taught by the English teacher, Constance Le Plastrier (1864–1938), who was a member of the Naturalists Society of New South Wales and co-author of ''Botany for Australian Students'' (1916), and helped foster Harris' interest in native plants.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="walter2009a">Walter, J. (2009), pp.18-23</ref> Harris died in 1990 at a nursing home in Summer Hill, New South Wales.<ref name=":1" />
== Education == Harris studied botany at the University of Sydney, graduating with a degree in botany in 1924 followed by a diploma of education in 1925 from Sydney Teachers College.<ref name="walter2009a" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.womenaustralia.info/leaders/biogs/WLE0271b.htm|title=Harris, Thistle|last=Standish|first=Ann|date=|website=The Encyclopedia of Women and Leadership in Twentieth-Century Australia|publisher=Australian Research Council|access-date=January 25, 2017}}</ref> After several years as a science teacher in secondary schools, she became a lecturer in science education at Sydney Teachers' College (1938–61).<ref name=":2" /> In 1945 she was awarded a Master of Education degree from the University of Melbourne and studied for a Diploma in Landscape Design at the University of New South Wales between 1968 and 1969.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=webb>Webb, J. (2002), p.290.</ref> Harris later featured her efforts to revegetate the mine-workings at the Central Mine of the Sulphide Corporation in her book ''Australian Plants for the Garden'' (1953). Harris also lectured on Biological Science at University of Sydney and on Botany at Sydney Technical College.<ref name=":0">Harris, Thistle. Vertical File collection, The LuEsther T. Mertz Library, The New York Botanical Garden. Accessed January 25, 2017.</ref>
According to John Walter, her interest in Australian plants was also developed when she met Albert Morris (1886-1939) while she taught at the school in Broken Hill between 1929 and 1930.<ref name=walter2009a/>
== Marriage == In 1951 she married pioneer conservationist and marine biologist David Stead, to whom she had been introduced by Le Plastrier in 1918, when she was sixteen.<ref name=walter2009a/><ref name=":2" /><ref name=wffs>[http://www.wirrimbirra.com.au/Thislte%20Harris%20&%20David%20Stead.htm Wirrimbirra Flora and Fauna Sanctuary: Our Founders] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090913211907/http://www.wirrimbirra.com.au/Thislte%20Harris%20%26%20David%20Stead.htm |date=2009-09-13 }} accessed 29 March 2009.</ref> By marrying Stead she became the second stepmother to the Australian novelist and short-story writer, Christina Stead.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Blake|first=Ann|year=1994|title=An ocean of story: the novels of Christina Stead|jstor=41556568|journal=Critical Survey|volume=6|issue=1|pages=118–124}}</ref> Stead was twenty-five years older than Harris and died six years after their marriage.<ref name=":2" />
== Work == Harris was a member of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects and she served as President and Honorary Secretary of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/biogs/P002012b.htm Bright Sparcs entry on Thistle Yolette Harris] accessed 19 October 2008</ref> She was instrumental in facilitating the publication of the Society's journal ''Australian Wild Life'', which was issued intermittently from 1934.<ref name="walter2009a" /> She authored twelve books on Australian flora and their cultivation in suburban gardens.<ref name=":2" /><ref name="webb" /> Harris's first book, ''Wildflowers of Australia'' (1938), provided a popular flora of Australia and included studies of approximately 250 plants.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last=D.|first=M.|year=1940|title=Review of Wild Flowers of Australia by Thistle Y. Harris|jstor=40561244|journal=Geography|volume=25|issue=1|pages=48}}</ref> Her book, ''Gardening with Australian Plants, Shrubs'' (1977), describes over 100 genera covering 600 species.<ref name=":0" />
In 1963 Harris established the 50 ha Wirrimbirra Sanctuary at Bargo, New South Wales, in memory of her late husband, who had died in 1957. She also established the David G. Stead Memorial Wildlife Research Foundation of Australia to undertake its management.<ref name=webb/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://steadfoundation.net/node/6|title=Dr.Thistle Yolette Stead A.M. {{!}} David G Stead Memorial Wild Life Research Foundation of Australia|website=steadfoundation.net|language=en|access-date=2017-01-25}}</ref> In 1965 she donated the property to the National Trust of Australia (NSW) and it is managed by the Foundation.<ref name=webb/><ref>[http://www.warragamba.net.au/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&p=343 Warragamba/Silverdale & Surrounds Forum: New Dingo Sanctuary at Wirrimbirra] accessed 19 October 2008.</ref> With financial assistance from the Gould League of New South Wales, a building was erected on the property in 1971 to act as a Field Studies Centre and in 1973, a teacher from the Education Department was appointed to be a full-time education officer.<ref name=webb/> Harris devoted herself to many causes, especially focused in conservation.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
In 1963 she was awarded the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria's Australian Natural History Medallion. In 1985 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science by the University of Wollongong.<ref name=wffs/>
In 1980 her work in wildlife conservation was recognised with the award of Member of the Order of Australia.<ref>{{cite web |title=Thistle Yolette Stead |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/878337 |website=It's An Honour |accessdate=2020-11-17}}</ref>
== Oral history == Harris was interviewed twice during her lifetime, once in 1972 by Hazel de Berg, and another in 1987 by Catherine Johnson. Both interviews relate to her early life, conservation career, personal life, and travel. The recordings can be found at the National Library of Australia.<ref>Harris, T.; de Berg, H. (interviewer) (1972). [https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/626920 ''<nowiki>Thistle Harris interviewed by Hazel de Berg in the Hazel de Berg collection [sound recording]</nowiki>''], National Library of Australia, Retrieved 7 April 2026.</ref><ref>Harris-Stead, T.; Johnson, C. (interviewer) (1987). [https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/2104829 ''<nowiki>Thistle Harris-Stead interviewed by Catherine Johnson in the NSW Bicentennial oral history collection [sound recording]</nowiki>''], National Library of Australia, Retrieved 7 April 2026.</ref>
==Publications== Books authored by Harris include: * 1939 – ''Wildflowers of Australia'', illustrated by Adam Forster. Angus & Robertson: Sydney. (With several later editions).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.renaissancebooks.co.nz/?page=shop/flypage&wt=1.00&product_id=17763|title=Wild Flowers of Australia|website=renaissancebooks.co.nz}}</ref> * 1945 – ''Nature Problems. A book of nature study for young Australians''. Brooks & Co: Sydney. * 1953 – ''Australian Plants for the Garden. A handbook on the cultivation of Australian trees, shrubs, other flowering plants, and ferns''. Angus & Robertson: Sydney. * 1956 – ''Naturecraft in Australia; a guide for the nature-lover, the bushwalker, the student, and the teacher''. Angus & Robertson: Sydney. * 1962 – ''Eastern Australian Wildflowers''. Angus & Robertson Limited.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/008000973|title=Eastern Australian wildflowers|last=Harris|first=Thistle Y.|date=1962-01-01|publisher=Angus Robertson Ltd.|location=Sydney}}</ref> * 1966 – ''Around Australia Program - Australian Plant Life''. Nelson Doubleday. * 1970 – ''Alpine Plants of Australia Including Subalpine and Montane Plants''. Angus & Robertson: Sydney. {{ISBN|0-207-12071-4}} * 1976 – ''The Ellis Stones Garden Book: Australian Landscape Gardening''. Nelson: Melbourne. (With Ellis Stones). * 1977 – ''Gardening With Australian Plants: Shrubs''. Nelson: Melbourne. {{ISBN|0-17-005119-6}} * 1979 – ''Gardening With Australian Plants: Small Plants and Climbers''. Nelson: Melbourne. {{ISBN|0-17-005120-X}} * 1980 – ''Gardening With Australian Plants: Trees''. Nelson: Melbourne. {{ISBN|0-17-005121-8}}
==References==
===Notes=== {{reflist}}
===Sources=== * Walter, J. (2009). Thistle Harris reflects on a trip to Melbourne (1964). ''Australian Garden History'' 21(1): 18-23. * Webb, J. (2002). 'Harris, Thistle Yolette', p. 290 in: R. Aitken and M. Looker (eds), ''Oxford Companion to Australian Gardens''. South Melbourne, Oxford University Press.
==Further reading== * Webb, Joan. (1998). ''Thistle Y. Harris, (a biography of Thistle Yolette Stead)''. Surrey Beatty & Sons: Sydney. {{ISBN|0-949324-85-X}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090514055135/http://www.wirrimbirra.com.au/index.htm Wirrimbirra Flora and Fauna Sanctuary] * {{Australian Women and Leadership|WLE0271b|Harris, Thistle}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Thistle Yolette}} Category:1902 births Category:1990 deaths Category:20th-century Australian botanists Category:Australian conservationists Category:Australian women botanists Category:University of Sydney alumni Category:20th-century Australian women scientists Category:People educated at Redlands, Cremorne Category:Members of the Order of Australia Category:20th-century women biologists