Herb Wharton Explained

Herbert Morsley Wharton (born 1936) is an Indigenous Australian former stockman turned writer. Wharton began publishing poetry and yarn-like novels in his fifties, for which he is now recognised internationally.

Biography

Wharton is a Murri man: his maternal grandmother was Kooma and both grandfathers Irish.^[1] He was born in Cunnamulla, Queensland in 1936.^[2]

Wharton and his work have been recognised in a number of ways. In 2012, Wharton received the 'Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature': a $50,000 award for eminent writers who have made outstanding and lifelong contributions to Australian literature.^[3] In 2013, Wharton was a recipient of the Queensland Greats Awards.^[4] In the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours, Wharton was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for "significant service to the literary arts, to poetry, and to the Indigenous community".^[5]

The Fryer Library houses the Herb Wharton manuscript collection which contains working and completed drafts of writings, poetry (published and unpublished), correspondence, diaries, speeches, taped video and audio interviews, and miscellaneous notes.^{[6] [7]}

Works

Novels

• Unbranded (UQP, 1992)
• Yumba Days (UQP, 1999)

Short stories

• Cattle Camp: Murri Drovers and their Stories (UQP, 1994)
• Where Ya Been Mate? (1996)

Poetry

• Kings With Empty Pockets (2003) Review
• Imba (Listen): Tell You a Story (2003)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Profile: Herb Wharton . . 2007-02-01 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060822023938/http://www.ozco.gov.au/arts_in_australia/artists/artists_atsia/herb_wharton/ . 2006-08-22 .
2. Web site: Herb Wharton . 2022-08-08 . AustLit: Discover Australian Stories . en.
3. Web site: Unique Indigenous story teller awarded . Australia Council for the Arts . 3 December 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150404190739/http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/news/media-centre/media-releases/unique-indigenous-story-teller-awarded/ . 4 April 2015 .
4. Web site: 2013 Queensland Greats recipients. Queensland Government. https://web.archive.org/web/20170531024212/https://www.qld.gov.au/about/events-awards-honours/awards/qld-greats-awards/2013-recipients/. 31 May 2017. live. 31 May 2017.
5. Web site: Herbert Morsley Wharton. 2020-06-12.
6. Web site: Herb Wharton collection UQFL 212. University of Queensland Library, Fryer Library. 3 December 2014.
7. An ungraded bush track. Fryer Folios. 2007. 2. 1. 14–17. 3 December 2014.