Kathryn Purnell was born in Canada and lived in France, England, Scotland, Egypt, Indonesia and Africa as well as other countries. She then moved permanently to Melbourne, having married an Australian. Purnell continued her education at the University of Melbourne and became a creative writing tutor. Her poetry and prose was published in many magazines and broadcast on ABC Radio. Purnell was an editor in the Luna collective.She won many awards for her poetry and prose including the Society of Women Writers Poetry Prize in 1972; the Maryborough Poetry Prize, 1975; a Geelong Arts Festival Award 1976; and in 1979 the Charles Meeking Poetry Award for Women. She was for some time President of the Society of Women Writers, Victoria. A tribute from the Society at the time of her death described her as an 'inspirational mentor to many of its members'. Purnell edited many poetry and prose anthologies between 1980 and 1999.
