Joan Lindsay was an Australian author best known for her novel, Picnic at Hanging Rock, published in 1967. The book tells the mysterious story of the disappearance of schoolgirls during a picnic in 1900, blending elements of fiction and psychological drama. It has become a classic of Australian literature and has been adapted into a film and television series. Born on November 16, 1896, in Carlton, Victoria, Lindsay was also a painter and a member of the Melbourne art community. She wrote several other works, but none achieved the same level of fame as her debut novel. Lindsay passed away on December 23, 1984, leaving behind a lasting literary legacy.