 Entranced by the beauty of the Endeavour River valley, in 1972, at the age of 60 Vera settled in Cooktown and began collecting and recording native plants of the region.With Aboriginal friends from the local Guugu Yimithirr people, Vera made extensive trips locating species and recording information on their uses.Inspired by the early botanical work of Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander and Lieutenant (later Captain) James Cook's voyage of discovery, she set out to paint the wonderful plants of the area.