The Vera Scarth-Johnson Gallery

With the passing of Vera Scarth-Johnson, AM in May, 1999, Australia lost a National Treasure.

An inspiration to many, she taught others to love the love of her life – the special and unique environmental treasures of Cooktown and the Endeavour River, on Cape York Peninsula.

Born in Yorkshire, England, in 1912, Vera Scarth-Johnson attended school very near the birthplace of James Cook! A keen botanist from childhood, she studied art and agriculture, became a market gardener and, after World War II, a sugarcane farmer in Australia.

Vera made many trips around Australia collecting specimens for herbariums within Australia and for the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London. Entranced by the beauty of the Endeavour River valley she settled in Cooktown in 1972 and began collecting and recording native plants of the region. With Aboriginal friends from the local Guugu-Yimithirr tribe, Vera made extensive trips locating species and recording information on their uses.

The people of Cooktown are the proud guardians of her priceless collection of botanical illustrations, picturing over 150 of the flowering plants found in this unique region. The originals are held at Nature’s Powerhouse in the beautiful Cooktown Botanic Gardens.

Her keenest wish was that her collection and Nature's Powerhouse would encourage people to appreciate and protect our natural environment.

The book of Vera’s collection, entitled “National Treasures,” enhances Cooktown’s international reputation and its important contribution to botanical history and Australia’s history. Available at the Nature's Powerhouse Bookstore and Gift shop “National Treasures” includes 152 full-colour reproductions of Vera’s illustrations, her notes, and lots of other information.

The photo of Vera on this page was kindly donated by Bev Boucher.

To view a selection from the Vera Scarth-Johnson display, click on the thumbnails below. After viewing the full screen image, use your browser "back" button to return to this thumbnail gallery.