Charmian Clift is a well-known writer from Kiama and would have turned 100 years old on 30 August, 2023.  

Sue Eggins, President of the Kiama and District Historical Society, nominated Charmian Clift for a prestigious Blue Plaque from Heritage NSW commemorating people who have shaped the history of NSW. Only 43 have been issued so far. 

Charmian Clift based the landscape of her first solo novel ‘Walk in Paradise Gardens’ on the ‘cup’  of the coast between North Bombo headland and Pheasant Point at the south end of Bombo beach. 

Married to Australian writer George Johnston, Charmian is especially remembered for her more than 500 essays or columns published in the Sydney Morning Herald, which many regard as some of the earliest published pushes for feminism in Australia.

Sue wrote in her application: “Charmian Clift is considered by many writers and readers to be our forgotten national literary treasure.”

Charmian at eight wrote and illustrated a collection of her poems which is mentioned in the Kiama Independent as gifted to a number of family and friends but no copy of the poems has been preserved, except for one poem called “Kiama’s Blowhole.”

If successful, the plaque would be installed on the outside wall of Kiama Library. Kiama already has Charmian Clift Place and Charmian Clift Reserve, near to her childhood home in Hothersal street.