Dianne "Di" Bates is an Australian writer and teacher . Bates was born in Sydney and spent her early years in Appin, New South Wales, attending Campbelltown High School. Later she undertook teaching training in Wollongong where she received a Diploma of Teaching, since gaining a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Wollongong. While teaching, Bates began her writing career with her first book, Terri, published by Penguin Books in 1980. Since then, she has published over 120 books, mostly for young readers. Some of these books have won state and national awards; others have been translated into French, Danish and German. Her junior verse novel, Nobody's Boy and junior novel, The Shape, have won CBCA Notable Awards. Bates has received Grants and Fellowships from the Literature Board of the Australia Council for the Arts and has toured for the National Book Council. Bates has undertaken commissioned writing for a large number of organisations and has worked on the editorial team of the New South Wales Department of Education School Magazine. She was co-editor of a national children's magazine, Puffinalia and editor of another national magazine, Little Ears. 

March 20th, 1948 in (Age 76)