| Margaret Senior | |
| Birth Date: | 1917 |
| Birth Place: | London, England |
| Death Place: | Sydney, New South Wales |
| Citizenship: | Australian |
| Occupation: | lllustrator |
| Awards: | Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers 1952 |
Margaret Senior OAM (1917 – 25 January 1995)[1] was an English/Australian Natural History, Wildlife and Children's Book Illustrator. She contributed to a significant portion of early Illustration of Australia's exploration of rich natural Fauna and Flora. Her works are held in the collections of New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Orange Scientific Collections Unit[2] and The University of Newcastle Special Collections Archives.[3] She created numerous Illustrated posters and Botanical Plates for the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Her illustrations were heavily used by parks and Wildlife, including Bushfire prevention posters.
Growing up in London Senior moved to Australia in the 1940's. She left a bequest of $50,000 gift left to the University of Newcastle. Known for its Bachelor of Illustration (Natural History) established in 2003. This was up until the Bachelor of Natural History Illustration its disestablishment in 2019.[4] Senior also left the copyright of her published work to the University, including a large number of her original artworks. She contributed $10,000 during her lifetime to the Margaret Senior Wildlife Illustration Award for one excellent graduating student each year.
Senior was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 1988 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to wildlife conservation.[5]
Senior illustrated numerous books during her career. Most notably 'The Australia Book' which won the 1952 .[6]
| 1950 | Little Brown Piccaninnies of Tasmania[7] | Jane Ada Fletcher | Margaret Senior | John Sands Ltd. | |
| 1950 | The story of Kurri Kurri the Kookaburra[8] | Leslie Rees AM | Margaret Senior | John Sands Ltd. | |
| 1951 | Two-Thumbs : the story of a koala | Leslie Rees AM | Margaret Senior | John Sands Ltd. | |
| 1952 | The Australia Book | Eve Pownall | Margaret Senior | John Sands Ltd. | |
| 1952 | Bush Haven Animals: An Australian picture story[9] [10] | Margaret Senior | Margaret Senior | John Sands Ltd. | |
| 1955 | Cousins-come-lately: adventures in old Sydney town[11] | Eve Pownall | Margaret Senior | Shakespeare Head Press | |
| 1955 | John of the Sirius[12] | Doris Chadwick | Margaret Senior | Thomas Nelson and Sons | |
| 1957 | The story of Koonaworra the black Swan[13] | Leslie Rees AM | Margaret Senior | John Sands Ltd. | |
| 1958 | Snow boy[14] | Noreen Shelley | Margaret Senior | John Sands Ltd | |
| 1962 | Plants without Flowers[15] | Thistle Y. Harris | Margaret Senior | Longmans | |
| 1962 | John and Nanbaree[16] | Doris Chadwick | Margaret Senior | Thomas Nelson | |
| 1967 | Henry Lawson[17] | Ken Levis | Margaret Senior | Longmans | |
| 1967 | Larry : the story of an Australian seagull[18] | Ina Watson | Margaret Senior | John Sands Ltd | |
| 1977 | A field guide to the common sea & estuary fishes of non-tropical Australia[19] | James Nils Thomson | Margaret Senior | Collins | |
| 1985 | Two at Sullivan Bay[20] [21] | Nance Donkin | Margaret Senior | Roo Books | |
| 1985 | Nunga[22] | Rus Center | Margaret Senior | Kangaroo Press | |
| 1987 | Australia's animals[23] | Margaret Senior | Margaret Senior | Kangaroo Press |