Rica Erickson Collection

The Rica Erickson Botanical Collection in the Battye Library includes nearly 500 original watercolour illustrations of Western Australian plants as well as personal papers, letters and research papers. Her long and awarded career covers work as a naturalist, botanical artist, historian, writer and genealogist.

 

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Rica Erickson Oral History

Rica Erickson talks about her childhood on the Goldfields, teaching and her work as a naturalist, historian and author. Recorded 1991-1993.

Original sketch by Rica Erickson for the book Triggerplants

Read more about Rica Erickson

A life-long love for research and history meant Dr Rica Erickson was a regular at the State Library.

“I remember going into the State Library when I was very young,” says the naturalist, botanical artist, historian, writer and genealogist in a Battye Library oral history. “It must have been while I was at training college – 1926 or ’27 – and this HUGE building with galleries of books all the way around it, and staircases, a little spiral staircase to get up to them – and there I was in my seventh heaven except that I couldn’t read the lot.

Rica Erickson picking wildflowers in Kalamunda hills 1924
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