Jeannie GunnPrint Page 
The plaque, at the grave of her husband Aeneas Gunn, is dedicated to Jeannie Gunn author of The Black Princess and We of the Never Never. Aeneas James Gunn 'The Maluka' died on 16 March 1902 of malarial dysentery only 13 months after the couple had moved to the area.
Mrs Aeneas Gunn was the author of The Black Princess, published in 1905, and We of the Never Never, published in 1908. During and after World War I she worked tirelessly to support the servicemen of Monbulk, Victoria who she referred to as "my boys." She was awarded an OBE in 1939, "in recognition of her services to Australian Literature and to the disabled soldiers and their dependents." In 1948 she began to work on a book recording all the details of the volunteers from Monbulk who had served in the Boer War, the Boxer Rebellion and World War One.
Gunn presented her completed manuscript to the Monbulk RSL in 1953 and the book, My Boys - A Book of Remembrance, was published for the first time in 2000. Jeannie Gunn died on the 9th June 1961 and is buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery.
Location
| Address: | Stuart Highway, Elsey Cemetery, Signposted Turnoff south of Mataranka, Mataranka, 0852 |
|---|---|
| State: | NT |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -15.07918 Long: 133.12294 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Arts |
Dedication
In loving memory of the "Little Missus"
JEANNIE GUNN
Born, June 5th 1870. Died, June 9th 1961.
Mrs Jeannie GUNN O.B.E.
"The Little Missus"
This memorial is dedicated to the "Little Missus" Jeannie Gunn, daughter of a Presbyterian minister, schoolteacher and authoress of 'We of the Never Never' and the 'Little Black Princess'.
She was buried in her hometown Melbourne. Whilst never returning to Elsey Station, her thoughts always remained with her husband Aeneas Gunn, 'The Maluka' and of the place called the 'Never Never'.
Northern Territory
Government
Elsey Memorial Cemetery is a declared heritage place and protected
under the Northern Territory Heritage Conservation Act
