P. L. Travers (Mary Poppins)Print Page 
The bronze Mary Poppins Statue is a memorial to Pamela Travers (1899-1996), author of Mary Poppins who lived in Ashfield before she left Australia in 1924.
Pamela Travers was born Helen Lyndon Goff in Maryborough, Queensland, on 9th August, 1899. Her family moved to Allora, when she was three. After the death of her father in 1907, the family moved to New South Wales. Taking the name, Pamela Travers, she pursued a career on the stage, touring with a theatre company through regional New South Wales and New Zealand during 1921 and 1922.
By this time she had begun to write and publish poetry, as well as newspaper columns. In February 1924, she fulfilled a long-held dream and sailed for England and Ireland and began her career as the writer, P.L. Travers. She only ever returned once to visit Australia, for two weeks in 1963.
Location
| Address: | Parramatta Road & Orpington Street, Ashfield Park, Ashfield, 2121 |
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| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.886111 Long: 151.135556 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Sculpture |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Arts |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Saturday 13th March, 2004 |
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This statue of Mary Poppins was unveiled by Monica Trapaga and His Worship the Mayor of Ashfield Councillor Mark Bonanno BA (Hons) LLB on satirday 13 March 2004
Councillors
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This statue was inspired by the original illustrations for Mary Poppins by Mary Shepard, English illustrator born 1909 99 died 2000.
An initiative of Grace Drew.
P L Travers, the author of Mary Poppins, resided at 40 (previously 17) Pembroke Street Ashfield with her mother and sisters from 1918 to 1924.
To commemorate this event a statue of Mary Poppins was erected in Ashfield Park by the Ashfield Council on March 13 2004 for all the children.
