Louisa Lawson was an Australian writer who separated from her often-absent husband in 1882, and moved to Sydney with her four young children. Commencing a career as a boarding house manager, Lawson's republican and feminist sentiments led her to found "The Dawn", Australia's first journal produced solely by women. The journal was a fierce advocate for women's rights, which Lawson published for 17 years. During this time, she was hailed as a key member of the women's suffrage movement in Australia, which succeeded when women in New South Wales were given the vote in 1902.
Late in life, Lawson published a collection of poems but her fictional efforts have been eclipsed by those of her son, Henry Lawson, one of Australia's most famous writers and poets, whose work defined the late 19th century Australian spirit.