. ▁ ▁E ld ers h aw ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁Australian ▁literary ▁circles , ▁including ▁becoming ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Fellow ship ▁of ▁Australian ▁Writ ers ▁and ▁being ▁a ▁long - time ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Ad vis ory ▁Board ▁of ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁Liter ary ▁Fund . ▁For ▁both ▁her ▁writing ▁output ▁and ▁her ▁active ▁support ▁for ▁and ▁promotion ▁of ▁writers , ▁E ld ers h aw ▁made ▁a ▁significant ▁contribution ▁to ▁Australian ▁literary ▁life . ▁ ▁Life ▁ ▁E ld ers h aw ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Sydney ▁but ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁River ina ▁district ▁of ▁country ▁New ▁South ▁Wales . ▁She ▁was ▁the ▁fifth ▁of ▁eight ▁children ▁born ▁to ▁Henry ▁Sir def ield ▁E ld ers h aw , ▁a ▁station ▁manager , ▁and ▁Margaret ▁( née ▁Mc Car roll ). ▁She ▁attended ▁board ing ▁school ▁at ▁Mount ▁Er in ▁Con vent ▁in ▁W ag ga ▁W ag ga . ▁ ▁After ▁school , ▁she ▁studied ▁history ▁and ▁Latin ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Sydney ▁where ▁she ▁met ▁Mar jor ie ▁Bar n ard ▁with ▁whom ▁she ▁later ▁formed ▁a ▁writing ▁collaboration , ▁under ▁the ▁name ▁M . ▁Bar n ard ▁E ld ers h aw . ▁She ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁teacher , ▁first ▁at ▁C rem or ne ▁Church ▁of ▁England ▁Gram mar ▁and ▁then , ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 3 , ▁at ▁Pres by ter ian ▁Lad ies ' ▁College , ▁Cro yd on , ▁where ▁she ▁became ▁senior ▁English ▁mist ress ▁and ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁board ing