'Bones' (Pauline) Mackinnon

Pauline Mackinnon, generally known as 'Bones', grew up on a dairy and potato farm, in Nar Nar Goon, a small rural community on the western edge of Gippsland, Australia.

She now lives with her husband, their dog, cat, scruffy chooks, and two alpacas in the nearby community of Maryknoll, celebrated for its bush setting, birds and wildlife,. and they have two beautiful sons who live nearby.

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For over 30 years, Bones worked as a teacher in a wide variety of settings, gaining her Masters of Education by Research, in 1996. She has also studied professional writing and photography. She worked with community radio programs for 8 years, and has been vocalist with the Gippsland band, 'The Swamp Dogs' for over 15 years.

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In 2010-2011, she painstakingly gathered the stories for Baluk Wurrung (2011), a collection from Aboriginal people living in South-East Melbourne.

In 2015,  Bones then published her debut solo collection of short stories titled 'Tresaures From the Tide'.

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From 2019 to 2021, Aunty Pat Ockwell worked with Bones to publish the significant work titled, 'Aunty Pat Ockwell tells her story' (2021). Aunt is the eldest Senior Wurundjeri Elder of the Woiwurrung Wurundjeri people.