Herb Wharton
Encyclopedia
Herb Wharton is an Indigenous Australian former stockman and now internationally recognised poet
and novelist.
A Murri man, his maternal grandmother was Kooma
, and both grandfathers Irish
. He was born in Yumba, an Aboriginal
camp in the south-western Queensland
town of Cunnamulla
.
Wharton has worked as a stockman, a drover
and a labourer, but did not begin his writing career until in the 1980s, when he was around 50, he sat down under a tree and began to write. Through his writing he tried to answer questions about his people's past.
Eventually Wharton considered publishing his writing and, after buying an electric typewriter with a grant from the Australia Council for the Arts, he wrote his first book of poems, Kings with Empty Pockets.
In 1990 Wharton entered some of his poems in the David Unaipon Award for unpublished Indigenous writers. His work was highly commended, and the University of Queensland Press
commissioned him to write a novel. The resulting novel, Unbranded, published in 1992, relates his experiences on the stock route
s of the Australian outback
. This was followed by Cattle Camp in 1994, Where ya' been, mate? in 1996, and by the young adult novel Yumba Days in 1999. Herb recently finished a first draft of a novel called The Munta and the Mob.
In 1998 Wharton participated in an international book promotion tour of France
and the UK, and won a residency at the Australia Council studio at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris
. When not travelling internationally to attend literary festival
s he lives in Brisbane
and now writes full-time.
Wharton is also been made a member of the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame
in Longreach.
A second volume of poetry, Imba (Listen): Tell You A Story has been published. In each of his books of poetry, a glossary
is included to assist readers understand all the Murri language words (Murrayisms), he uses throughout his writing.
Short stories
Poetry
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and novelist.
A Murri man, his maternal grandmother was Kooma
Kooma
The Kooma are an Indigenous Australian tribe living in the border region of Queensland and New South Wales. Category:Aboriginal tribes of New South Wales...
, and both grandfathers Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
. He was born in Yumba, an Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
camp in the south-western Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
town of Cunnamulla
Cunnamulla, Queensland
Cunnamulla is a small town that lies on the Warrego River in south west Queensland, Australia, south of Charleville, and approximately west of the state capital, Brisbane....
.
Wharton has worked as a stockman, a drover
Drover (Australian)
A drover in Australia is a person, typically an experienced stockman, who moves livestock, usually sheep or cattle, "on the hoof" over long distances. Reasons for droving may include: delivering animals to a new owner's property, taking animals to market, or moving animals during a drought in...
and a labourer, but did not begin his writing career until in the 1980s, when he was around 50, he sat down under a tree and began to write. Through his writing he tried to answer questions about his people's past.
Eventually Wharton considered publishing his writing and, after buying an electric typewriter with a grant from the Australia Council for the Arts, he wrote his first book of poems, Kings with Empty Pockets.
In 1990 Wharton entered some of his poems in the David Unaipon Award for unpublished Indigenous writers. His work was highly commended, and the University of Queensland Press
University of Queensland Press
Established in 1948, University of Queensland Press is a dynamic publishing house known for its innovative philosophy and commitment to producing books of high quality and cultural significance...
commissioned him to write a novel. The resulting novel, Unbranded, published in 1992, relates his experiences on the stock route
Stock route
In Australia, the Travelling Stock Route is an authorised thoroughfare for the walking of domestic livestock such as sheep or cattle from one location to another...
s of the Australian outback
Outback
The Outback is the vast, remote, arid area of Australia, term colloquially can refer to any lands outside the main urban areas. The term "the outback" is generally used to refer to locations that are comparatively more remote than those areas named "the bush".-Overview:The outback is home to a...
. This was followed by Cattle Camp in 1994, Where ya' been, mate? in 1996, and by the young adult novel Yumba Days in 1999. Herb recently finished a first draft of a novel called The Munta and the Mob.
In 1998 Wharton participated in an international book promotion tour of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the UK, and won a residency at the Australia Council studio at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. When not travelling internationally to attend literary festival
Literary festival
A literary festival, also known as a book festival or writers' festival, is a regular gathering of writers and readers, typically on an annual basis in a particular city...
s he lives in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
and now writes full-time.
Wharton is also been made a member of the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame
Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame
The Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame is a museum located in Longreach, Queensland, Australia, which pays tribute to pioneers of the Australian outback...
in Longreach.
A second volume of poetry, Imba (Listen): Tell You A Story has been published. In each of his books of poetry, a glossary
Glossary
A glossary, also known as an idioticon, vocabulary, or clavis, is an alphabetical list of terms in a particular domain of knowledge with the definitions for those terms...
is included to assist readers understand all the Murri language words (Murrayisms), he uses throughout his writing.
Works
Novels- Unbranded (UQP, 1992) ISBN 0702224448
- Yumba Days (UQP, 1999) ISBN 9780702231131
Short stories
- Cattle Camp: Murri Drovers and their Stories (UQP, 1994)
- Where Ya Been Mate? (1996)
Poetry
- Kings With Empty Pockets (2003) ISBN 0-0581883-4-3 Review
- Imba (Listen): Tell You a Story (2003) ISBN 0958188335