Vale Dorothy Horsfield
In Memory of Dorothy Horsfield (1948–2025)
We are saddened by the recent passing of Dorothy Horsfield—an accomplished journalist, writer, and long-time member of Canberra’s literary community. Dorothy studied English and Philosophy at the University of Sydney and went on to work across Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe, London, Berlin, and Afghanistan. As a journalist, she contributed to ABC radio and television, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Canberra Times, and more. She also wrote fiction, poetry, reviews, and essays, and ran her own media company. Her novels include Dream Run (1992) and Venom (2006), and she edited Paul Lyneham: A Memoir (2002), following the death of her husband, political journalist Paul Lyneham. Dorothy later became a vocal advocate for the early diagnosis of lung disease and advised UNIFEM Australia.
Dorothy was a member of Seven Writers, a Canberra-based collective whose anthology Canberra Tales (1988) received an ACT Bicentennial Award. Fellow member Margaret Barbalet said at her memorial: “Dorothy and I became close friends, and those friendships endured through thick and thin—there was plenty of both.”
Dorothy will be remembered for her insight, adventurous spirit, and her contribution to Australian literature. She is survived by her children, Chloe, Joel, and Matthew, and was a beloved grandmother. Her warmth, intellect, and generous spirit left an indelible mark on all who knew her. She will be profoundly missed.
Seven Writers
Also known as the Canberra Seven, Seven Writers was a pioneering collective of women authors formed in 1979. Its members — Marion Halligan, Dorothy Johnston, Margaret Barbalet, Sara Dowse, Dorothy Horsfield, Suzanne Edgar, and Marian Eldridge — met regularly in each other’s homes, creating a space for rigorous critique, mutual encouragement, and literary ambition.
Women’s voices were still striving for equal recognition in Australian literature. Seven Writers forged their own path. They published widely, earned national acclaim, and helped shape a new literary culture in Canberra and beyond. In 1988, they released Canberra Tales: Stories, an anthology showcasing the richness and diversity of their work.
Seven Writers, 1990
Though the group eventually disbanded, its legacy endures — in the lasting friendships it fostered, the books it helped bring into being, and the ongoing influence of its members on Australian literature.
As a tribute, a graphic symbol was created in 2022 as part of MARION’s redesign. Divided into seven elements, it honours the vital contributions of these women and their enduring imprint on Canberra’s literary story.
