Nancy Tyson Burbidge was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1912, and came to
Australia with her parents as a young child. After graduating in science
at the University of Western Australia she was awarded a scholarship from
the University to spend eighteen months at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew,
England, in 1939 and 1940. At this time she undertook the first of several
studies of Australian grass genera. The results of these studies contributed
to her Master of Science degree from the University of Western Australia.
During the next three years, Nancy Burbidge continued her studies of the
Western Australian flora, both in the field and in the herbarium. In 1943
she was appointed assistant agronomist at the Waite Agricultural Research
Institute in Adelaide and began working on the regeneration of native pastures
in the arid and semi-arid regions of South Australia.
A turning point in her career came when she was appointed to the new position
of systematic botanist in the CSIRO Division of Plant Industry in 1946.
Apart from organising and extending the herbarium collections and providing
an identification service for colleagues in the CSIRO, she initiated what
was to be a continuing feature of her career, the provision of assistance
to all Australian plant taxonomists, wherever located. This was done mainly
through her work for the Systematic Botany Committee of the Australian and
New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science, and as liaison officer
at Kew in the early 1950s.
The period from 1955 to 1970 was perhaps the most productive in Nancy Burbidge's
career. During this time she published her Dictionary of Australian
Plant Genera , a comprehensive paper on the phytogeography of the Australian
region, and studies of the plant groups Nicotiana , Sesbania
and Helichrysum . During the latter part of this period she completed
the Flora of the Australian Capital Territory with Max Gray, also
of the CSIRO Division of Plant Industry, and three regional volumes of Australian
Grasses, all beautifully illustrated with her original line drawings. In
1961 she was awarded the degree of Doctor of Science by the University of
Western Australia.
Later in her career Dr Burbidge became increasingly involved in the preparation
of a new Flora of Australia , a project of keen interest to her ever
since it was first mooted many years before. Nancy Burbidge was the obvious
scientific leader for this project and in 1973 she was relieved of her responsibilities
as Curator of Herbarium Australiense to enable her to work full time on
it
Dr Burbidge was made a member of the Order of Australia in 1976 in formal
recognition of her services to botany in the widest sense.
In addition to her many scientific publications Dr Burbidge wrote about
botany in simple terms for the interested lay person. Many non-botanists
had their first introduction to the wonders of the Australian flora through
Nancy Burbidge's writing and will remember her with gratitude for awakening
their interest with articles in the National Parks Association ACT Bulletin
under the title 'Eyes or No Eyes'.
It might be thought that such an outstanding record of botanical achievement
would have left little time for other activities. Such thought would greatly
underestimate both Dr Burbidge's energy and wide range of interests. She
took part in, and often led, the activities of many cultural and scientific
societies and associations, which united to develop the concept of a memorial
to her in the Australian National Botanic Gardens.
One project deserving special mention was Dr Burbidge's keen involvement
in the proposal for a large national park in the southern part of the Australian
Capital Territory. Unfortunately it was not until 1979, two years after
her death on 4 March 1977, that the Gudgenby Nature Reserve (now Namadji
National Park) became a reality.
Dr Burbidge was generous in sharing her time and abilities in the interests
of science, conservation, education and international friendship. It is
fitting that she is commemorated in the Australian National Botanic Gardens
where children and adults may gain a better understanding and appreciation
of the Australian natural environment and native flora.