The Australian Women's Register

Barbara Hanrahan was educated at Thebarton Girls’ Technical College before commencing a three year Art Teaching course at Adelaide Teachers’ College. At the same time she completed art classes at the South Australian School of Art. Following the completion of her Diploma of Art Teaching, Hanrahan began teaching art in schools as well as enrolling for evening classes with the newly established Printmaking Department at the South Australian School of Art. In 1961 she was appointed assistant lecturer in Art at Western Teachers’ College, Adelaide. In the same year she participated in a four-artist exhibition at the Hahndorf Gallery, and was awarded the Cornell Prize for Painting. She taught at the South Australian School of Art from 1963-66.

Hanrahan left for London in 1966 to continue her art studies. She taught at the Falmouth College of Art, Cornwall, (1966-67) and Portsmouth College of Art (1967-70). In the early 1980s Hanrahan, with her partner Jo Steele, returned to live in Adelaide, where she established her own studio. Hanrahan’s writing career began in 1973 with the publication of her first, largely autobiographical, novel The Scent of Eucalyptus. Other titles soon followed and her last novel, Good night, Mr Moon, was published posthumously in 1992.

During her life Hanrahan held a number of exhibitions nationally and internationally. Her works are held by the Australian National Gallery, Canberra, and many regional galleries.