Parallel Lives: Jane Binks and Una Falkiner, Women Diarists on the Land
- Dr Roslyn Russell
- May 20
- 1 min read
History Magazine, Royal Australian Historical Society (RAHS)
September 2024
Abstract
This article examines the diaries of two women from very different social and economic backgrounds in regional New South Wales: Jane Binks of Gerringong and Una Falkiner of Boonoke North Station in the Riverina. Through their writings, it explores how women documented everyday life, community relationships, domestic responsibilities, and major national events across the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Although their circumstances differed greatly, both diarists recorded the rhythms of rural life and their engagement with wider social and historical change, including war, pandemics, politics, and community activity. Their diaries reveal how women’s experiences and observations contributed to the social fabric of regional Australia.
The article reflects on the value of diaries as documentary heritage, demonstrating how records of ordinary daily life can provide rich insight into women’s histories, memory, and community life.