The Gumnut Legacy of May Gibbs
By Tania McCartney

When I created Mamie – a picture book on the life of May Gibbs (HarperCollins, 2018) – it was a joyful process. As a child, I careened through her books… at once on delightful adventures with Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, then fleeing in fright at those hairy banksia men, stomping through the story with their galumphy feet.

I wanted to be May Gibbs back then, and her stories and illustrations absolutely shaped the creator I became.

When Mamie was published in 2018, I was in Adelaide on a May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust Fellowship. It was there that I met Jane Brummitt, a woman with deep adoration for all things gumnut. A relative of May’s (by marriage), Jane has been a dedicated collector of May’s life and work, compiling an extraordinary collection of books, artworks, documents, cards, letters, photographs, newspaper clippings, ephemera and much more. This vast collection predates May’s birth year (1877) and stretches all the way to 2021.

I had long known of Jane’s collection (now housed at NCACL), so having the opportunity to spend time with her in Adelaide was priceless. We nattered about May over endless cups of tea. I fawned over original items Jane has in her care, and we even took a peek at a house May long-ago lived in.

When Jane’s collection was complete, it patiently awaited archiving… and I heard the gumnut call. Belle was excited by my offer but warned that the collection was so comprehensive, I might regret taking it on. No matter. I was excited. I thought I’d knock it over in six weeks.

Fast forward nine months … when I finally loped back to NCACL with archive folders plump and stuffed into tubs groaning under the weight.

The time it took to work through May Gibbs’ legacy was long but it was important. The scope and detail – the scouring every document and every letter to seek out the treasure held within – it was a privilege. As I worked, I reminded myself of the time, energy and dedication May gave to her craft. Her reams of political cartoons, newspaper strips, books, magazine covers, cards, marvellous war efforts – it was a joy to relive her life in this way, let alone document it for generations to come.

An archive on the life of a children’s book creator may not sound cinematic, but this was some epic journey. For me, some of the most exciting treasures in this collection are the early photographs of May, her family and her Nutcote home on the shores of Sydney Harbour. The extraordinary effort to save Nutcote from hungry developers is also a major highlight, as is the fight to keep May’s legacy alive in this digital age – a decades-long battle that Napolean would have happily raised salute.

Another happy thing is that the May Gibbs Legacy soldiers have been mostly women – predominantly retirees who have ceaselessly fought the good fight, barely blinking at pesky setbacks. Beyond Nutcote, add prickly politicians, greed, power plays, letter-to-the-editor wars, alleged mismanagement scandals and legacy thievery… and this collection has the bones of a Netflix series.

NCACL’s May Gibbs Collection is an extraordinary nod to a phenomenal woman – an OG (original gangster) of Australia’s children’s book industry. But it is also testament to the commitment of one woman, Jane Brummitt, whose ‘old school’ passion for an old school creator reminds us that no matter how fast the world turns, a life dedicated to crafting beauty – and to inspiring children to fall in love with art and story – is timeless.

Tania McCartney, May 2025, Canberra
Author Illustrator Designer of children’s books

 

 

See Also:
NCACL’S May Gibbs Legacy Collection – NCACL
May Gibbs titles held in the NCACL collection
Tania McCartney’s Artwork Framework

Posted by: NCACL | Published: 02 May 2025