Series 01: Gillian Mears diaries, 1996-2000

MLMSS 9998/Boxes 1-3

series

1996-2000

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Photographs, Ephemera, Clippings

9583802

0.48 metres of textual and graphic material (3 boxes) - manuscript, typescript, printed

BOX 1
1. Diary, 2 December 1996-17 April 1997, in which she describes book readings in Canberra with David Malouf, establishing a routine of Vipassana meditation and work, working at the Environment Centre, her dreams, her relationship with Helen Salter, physical symptoms of numbness, riding her horse Bellini, visiting her mother’s grave with Peter Mears, working to deadlines on essay, her reactions to information on multiple sclerosis sent by her sister Yvonne, including pages written with her left hand, a ‘List of wounds to be let go of somehow’, and a list of symptoms since 1994. Diary contains clippings, cards, her notes on ‘Paradise is a Place’ essay, and an inserted envelope titled ‘In My Husband’s House’ containing 11 colour transparencies of Gillian Mears (location: SLIDES 321 )

2. Diary, 1 August – 21 December 1997 of events including lunches and meetings in Sydney with Gaby Naher, Sandy Edwards, Drusilla Modjeska and others; researching Marie Byles at the Mitchell Library; thoughts and reminiscences while on a 10 day fast at Grafton; her relationships with Helen Salter and her sisters; consultations with doctors and neurosurgeons; yoga classes; attending Varuna Writers Centre in September; visiting her sister Karin in Boonah for Indian travel preparations; readings with Sandy Edwards in Sydney, Dec. 1997. Includes letters and drawings from her sisters’ children, clippings on the death of Princess Diana, art reviews, ticket to a K.D. Lang concert and Helen Salter’s recipes

3. Diary, 1-15 January 1998, written while in India with her sister Karin describing meditation, visits to temples, decision to postpone sitting a Vipassana retreat until the course in Glenreagh in April, with cards, receipts, addresses and hand drawn map of Bodh Gaya. Recipe ‘Mrs Doyle’s Christmas Cake’ is written at front of diary

4. Diary, 15-30 January, 1998, written in India with discussions of different spiritual paths, fasting, meditation and yoga. Includes clippings, photograph and notes on Marie Byles

5. Diary, 30 January - 15 March 1998, includes consulting a herbalist in Boonah about a healing diet, re-establishing a routine of work, meditation, Reiki and Feldenkrais exercises at the Grafton caravan, her relationships with her sister Yvonne and Helen Salter, working on the ‘Calm Abiding’ essay and camping at Nightcap National Park

BOX 2
1. Diary, 15 March - 18 May 1998, first page is undated but entry continues January – March diary. Includes finishing draft of ‘Calm Abiding’, her relationships and dreams, books read, meditating, work at the Environment Centre; corresponding with Nawang Tsultin about a tourist visa sponsorship; attending a Vipassana retreat at Glenreagh 8 April, with hand written recipes for herbed bread, peanut sauce, sweet veg curry, chickpea stew and macaroni pie; her routine of writing, meditation and gardening at Grafton; her relationships with her sisters including a letter written to Sonya; her impressions of William Yang’s ‘The North’; camping at Nightcap National Park for the Vipassana retreat at The Channon. Includes clippings on David Malouf, William Robinson and others, a flyer for ‘The North’ and cake recipes at rear of diary

2. Diary, 18 May – 30 August 1998 , in which she writes of her concern with her physical symptoms; working on ‘Paris Canary’; caring for her horse Bellini; being interviewed by the Daily Examiner; camping at Werrikimbe National Park; visits from Sandy Edwards and her sisters; osteopathic treatments; working on the cottage and garden; attending church; preparing for proposed visit by Nawang Tsultin; visiting her sister Karin; going to the Queensland Ballet with Karin and Tom McVeigh and a retreat in Coorparoo; consulting a neurologist at St. Vincents; attending Susan Hampton’s book launch for ‘The Latin Primer’ at the Blackwattle studios and visiting Roy Bowling’s land at Glenugie Peak with her father. Includes clippings from the Daily Examiner, sketches of her dogs Kip and Mama Zula and drawings by her niece Sonya

BOX 3
1. Diary, 4-16 September, in handmade notebook, writes of daily activities, thoughts and emotions, withdrawal of her support for Nawang Tsultin’s visa application and sending off the ‘Swan Dives’ story, with notes and poems

2. Diary, 21 September - 30 November 1998, describing working on the Environment Centre’s Native Bee project application; horse-riding at Birdwood while helping friend Herbert to round up calving heifers; visits from sisters and their children; African dancing; working on the Clarence River Project for Radio Eye; gardening, fasting, yoga, attending church; camping at the Timbarra blockade base camp; visiting Andrew Hall at Nightcap Range; driving to her sister Karin’s at Boonah; her impressions of Stephen Baynes’s ballet ‘1914’, based on the novel ‘Fly Away Peter’ by David Malouf; starting work on the Timbarra story. Includes drawings by her sister’s children, clippings and pressed leaves

3. ‘Moon diary’, 1999, small appointment diary

4. “A notebook about Bellini and me, mainly to do with lessons with Sheelagh & Mary Wanless”, 8 February 1997-2000, stories and notes about her horse with clippings, poems and photographs including Sonya preparing Bellini for sale, 2000

5. “Diary of travel/writing stuff”, 1990, with Gillian Mears’s budget for Harare, July 1990, Peter Mears’s African itinerary Sept.-Oct. 1990 and addresses and contacts

6. Appointment diary, 1991-1992, with brief entries

Restricted: Access requires readers to sign a copy of the Library's Gillian Mears Archive Special Undertaking Regarding Access. Any requests for access will be referred to the Head of Manuscripts., Expiry Date: 2047-12-31
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Copyright status:: In copyright - this collection has multiple rights owners