Honouring Red Catherine

There is an amazing woman who lives a couple of hours drive from me whose passion and drive is an inspiration.  She is not a young woman, but on her property in the Angus Valley, she runs an animal refuge by herself.  This property is aptly named "Artemis" and contains a menagerie of animals at any one time.  And this woman is the one and only Red Catherine Johns.

A published author, artist and healer, Red Catherine is known as being the last Romani woman to still "goes on the drom" or travels around Australia in a horse drawn "Vardo" (caravan). 

In 2009 she appeared in the television show, Postcards, as she was about to undertake a journey through northern South Australia and into the Northern Territory in her Vardo.  Following along the old Ghan rail line to Alice Springs, this journey was some 2,000kms.  This journey was not without purpose - Red Catherine is and has always been, an advocate for the plight of animals and the environment.

A write up about Red Catherine's journey also appeared in the Hoof Beats magazine.

I had the great privilege of meeting Red Catherine at her wonderful property a few years ago, and what a memorable visit it was (even being chased by the geese).  It has always been on the cards to head back to "Artemis" and share a cuppa with this amazing woman.  Now, with Red Catherine recovering from surgery, time enough has passed as this long overdue cuppa needs to be had.