Ellis Rowan: Western Australian Wildflowers

Marian Ellis Rowan (1848–1922) was born in Melbourne. As a young woman, Rowan began to paint wildflowers, birds, insects, and butterflies, and continued to do so for the rest of her life. Her interest in botany was encouraged by Ferdinand von Mueller, who was a friend of her father. From 1879 onwards, she exhibited works at numerous international exhibitions and was awarded ten gold medals, 15 silver medals, and four bronze medals. She was awarded the highest honours at Melbourne’s 1888 Centennial International Exhibition. She travelled widely in Australia and, in particular, made six trips to Queensland. In England, Queen Victoria accepted three of her paintings, and in the United States, Rowan illustrated three botanical books by Alice Lounsberry.

Rowan twice visited Papua and New Guinea in 1916–18 and, with the help of native guides, succeeded in finding and painting 25 species of birds of paradise from life. She exhibited 189 paintings in Melbourne in 1918, and two years later, she held an exhibition of 1000 paintings in Sydney, the largest solo exhibition held in Australia.

Rowan was an incredibly prolific artist whose botanical paintings show her fascination and dedication to the flora and fauna of Australia. This exhibition focuses on her documentation of Western Australian flora and explores the incredible biodiversity of our state.

Northbridge Piazza & Forrest Place
The collection screens daily throughout April 2026.

Exhibition Screenings
The City of Perth Urban Screens host a variety of programs in Northbridge, from formal feature film screenings with beanbag seating to casual sporting events, exhibitions, and short-film screenings. Exhibition screenings like this one are informal events without beanbag seating — visitors are welcome to relax on the Piazza’s lush lawn, savour the renowned culinary delights of Northbridge, or enjoy a stroll along James Street, taking in the vibrant artwork.

City of Perth Northbridge Piazza Superscreen & City of Perth Forrest Place Arts Screen are initiatives of the City of Perth.