Actress & Personality
Location: CofE*X*37
Sheila Mary Florance was born on 24 July 1916 in St Kilda East, Melbourne, the daughter of James Florance, whose own long life is also recorded at Brighton General Cemetery. She grew up in the lively, bohemian world of St Kilda, surrounded by theatres, artists, eccentrics, and the kind of characters who shaped her imagination from an early age. Acting came naturally to her. She began in amateur theatre, moved into more serious stage work, and developed the expressive, sharp‑edged style that would later make her one of Australia’s most distinctive performers. Her personal life was eventful: she married young, became Sheila Oyston, later Sheila Balawaider, and eventually returned to her maiden name professionally. Through all these changes she continued to act, raising children while maintaining a steady presence in Melbourne’s theatre world.
Florance’s circle of friends was wide and colourful, filled with emerging artists who would later become household names. Among them was Barry Humphries, whose surreal, satirical style found an early admirer in Sheila. She moved easily among painters, writers, performers, and musicians, many of whom remembered her as a woman of fierce intelligence, wicked humour, and a gift for turning even ordinary moments into vivid stories. Though some considered her eccentric, her eccentricities were of the warm, human kind. She spoke to her house plants, convinced they responded to her voice, and delighted in telling friends that they grew better when she chatted to them. These quirks only deepened her charm; people felt drawn to her, and she touched many with her belief that everything—plants, animals, people—thrived on attention and kindness.
The death of her daughter, Susan Mary Oyston, in March 1954 was a devastating blow that left a permanent mark on Florance’s life. Contemporary newspaper reports described the incident with quiet restraint: Susan, an eighteen‑year‑old typist living in Windsor, was found after taking her own life, with the inquest noting no suspicious circumstances and recording a verdict consistent with the tragic nature of her death. The articles emphasised her youth, her gentle disposition, and the shock felt by those who knew her. For Florance, the loss was shattering. Friends later recalled that although she continued to work and maintain her outward resilience, the tragedy remained with her always, shaping the emotional depth and vulnerability she brought to her later performances.
Her screen career grew steadily, with appearances in early Australian films and television productions, but it was her portrayal of Lizzie Birdsworth in the long‑running series Prisoner that made her a national figure. Lizzie—an elderly, irreverent inmate with a wicked sense of humour and a soft heart—became one of the show’s most beloved characters. Florance played her with a mix of mischief, vulnerability, and grit that audiences immediately recognised as authentic. She drew on her own life experience, her understanding of hardship, and her gift for storytelling, turning Lizzie into a character who transcended the boundaries of a television drama.
Her later career brought renewed acclaim. She appeared in films such as A City’s Child (1971), The Getting of Wisdom (1977), and Coda (1987), but it was her final role in A Woman’s Tale (1991) that cemented her reputation as one of Australia’s great screen performers. Gravely ill during filming, she delivered a raw, unforgettable performance that earned her the AFI Award for Best Actress. It was a fitting culmination to a life spent inhabiting characters with honesty and intensity.
Away from the screen, Florance was known as an extraordinary storyteller, a warm and eccentric presence, and a devoted gardener. Friends remembered her sharp wit, her independence, and her ability to turn even the smallest domestic detail into a moment worth retelling. Her home, filled with plants she spoke to daily, reflected her belief that life responded to care and attention. She lived for many years in St Kilda and Malvern, maintaining strong ties to the neighbourhoods that had shaped her life and career.
Sheila Florance died on 12 October 1991, aged seventy‑five, after a battle with cancer. She was buried on 16 October 1991 at Brighton General Cemetery, in the Church of England section marked by a handsome headstone. Its inscription captures her essence with unusual warmth: esteemed actress, extraordinary story teller, wonderful gardener, known and loved throughout Australia and beyond. It is a tribute not only to her fame but to the affection she inspired in those who knew her, watched her, and remembered her. In death, as in life, Sheila Florance remains a figure of character, humour, and unmistakable presence—one of Australia’s most memorable performers, resting now in the quiet paths of Brighton General Cemetery.
Sources:
Brighton General Cemetery Burial Register
The Age, 19 March 1954 — report on the death of Susan Mary Oyston
The Argus, 18 March 1954 — inquest details
The Herald, 17–19 March 1954 — coverage of the incident
The Sun, 18 March 1954 — brief notice
The Age, 30 June 1935 — birth notice
The Argus, various references to the Oyston family
Additional Trove references: 245146753; 50575764; 49420136; 26597245; 205704962; 205698288; 23416849; 205702525
Martineau, H., On the Inside: 25 Years of Prisoner (2005) — background on Sheila Florance’s role as Lizzie Birdsworth and mention of her daughter Susan
Australian Film Institute archives — AFI Award for Best Actress (1991)
Interviews and profiles published in Australian film and television magazines (various dates)
A City’s Child (1971)
The Getting of Wisdom (1977)
Coda (1987)
A Woman’s Tale (1991)