Amelia Bunbury

• Name — Amelia Bunbury née Pries • Born — 1863 • Birthplace — Western Australia, Australia • Died — 1956 • Place of death — Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia • Occupation — Australian horse breeder, photographer, sculptor, and botanical collector • Years Active — 1894–1895 (botanical collector), 1900–1909 (wood carving), 1901–1910 (photography)

Amelia Matilda Richardson Pries was born in Western Australia to Robert Ferdinand Pries (1821-1905), horse breeder and merchant, and Matilda Pries (1825 - 1911). She spent her childhood at Prospect Villa in Busselton, which her father had purchased in 1860. Amelia eventually inherited the property and at her death in 1956, "the house was still furnished with much of the period furniture that the Pries family had brought out from England." In 1897, Amelia married Mervyn Corry Richardson-Bunbury (1858-1910), and they moved to remote Williambury station, near Minilya in north-western Western Australia. Following the death of her husband in 1910, Amelia left Williambury and returned to her family home of Prospect Villa, Busselton. She died in Perth, at the age of 93 in 1956.

Amelia's father and husband were interested in horse breeding, and she herself rode horses until she was 83 years old. Mervyn Bunbury was a successful racehorse owner with The Brewer, that ran in the Ascot Vale Stakes, and the Alma Stakes. Amelia purchased Spinilly After the death of her husband, Amelia raced the sister horses Beaunilly and Beaufiler in the 1930s. Beaunilly who won the Belmont Guineas and Western Australian Derby, while Beaufiler "won races and at the Perth Cup meeting ran second... in the Railway Stakes" and the Karrakatta Plate. She bred Beaufine who won the Railway stakes. Beaunilly foaled Glonilly who won the Intervening Handicap in January 1954, and Beau Vasse who won the Perth cup. Beauambury won the First Maiden Handicap in Perth in 1950. When her death was announced in 1956, Amelia Bunbury was described as "one of Australia's oldest racehorse owners," and the "'Grandma' of turf."

Amelia's family were keen botanical collectors. Her mother, father, and brothers Arthur Robert Pries (1850-1908) and Edward Adolphus Pries (1852-1916) corresponded with Ferdinand von Mueller and contributed to his botanical collection, that were incorporated into the National Herbarium of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Her husband Mervyn may have also collected herbarium specimens for Mueller at Gascoyne River and Shark Bay. She collected specimens at Geographe Bay in 1896, and her specimens are now cared for at herbaria including the National Herbarium of Victoria, the National Herbarium of New South Wales and the Swedish Museum of Natural History.

Amelia Bunbury is recorded with the occupation botanical collector. Recorded with the occupation racehorse owner. Recorded with the occupation horse breeder. Recorded as botanical collector, horse breeder, photographer, sculptor and racehorse owner.