Colleen Margaretta McCullough AO, also known by her married name Robinson and previously Ion-Robinson, was a distinguished Australian author celebrated for her compelling novels. Among her most notable works are The Thorn Birds and The Ladies of Missalonghi. McCullough was born on June 1, 1937, in Wellington, Australia, and passed away on January 29, 2015, on Norfolk Island, Australia. She garnered immense acclaim for her 1977 novel The Thorn Birds, which was adapted into a highly successful television series.

Raised by her mother in Wellington and then Sydney, McCullough showed an early talent for writing, beginning at the age of 5. Excelling in Catholic schools, she went on to earn a physiology degree from the University of New South Wales in 1963. Initially aspiring to become a doctor, she discovered a severe allergy to hospital soap, which led her to shift her focus to neurophysiology, exploring the nervous system's functions. Her career took her from London to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The tragic loss of her beloved younger brother Carl in 1965, who died while rescuing two drowning women off the coast of Crete, deeply affected McCullough and led her to briefly quit writing.