Elyne Mitchell was born in Melbourne, Victoria on 30th December 1913. Inspired by her father, who taught her to ride, Elyne Mitchell's interest in horses began when she was a young girl. The Silver Brumby, written for the eldest of her four children and first published in 1958, heralded the beginning of the internationally renowned series – there are 12 Silver Brumby titles in the series.  In March 2002 Elyne Mitchell died at the age of 88. Her legacy continues in the stories she created of Thowra and the other High Country brumbies which have never been out of print.