Dorothy Thorne moved to La Perouse as a small child when her parents, Lillian Pitman and Gordon Cooley, bought a block of land. Thorne was involved in local dancing schools when she was young, particularly tap dancing and square dancing. Thorne and the other dancers would perform all over the city at schools and concerts. Thorne married Keith Thorne from Collarenebri on December 23, 1954 in Sydney and they arrived in Walgett to live two days later. Keith started work as a fettler on the railway at Walgett so Thorne and Keith lived in a tent on the railway property. Four children were born to the family before they were offered an Aboriginal Welfare Board home. Thorne worked as a housekeeper, hotel cleaner, and then as a cook in a Preschool, where she worked for 25 years. In addition, Thorne has been actively involved in community work, from serving on her children's school committees and the Aboriginal Education Consultancy Group, to sitting on the Board of Directors for the Aboriginal Medical Service. In 1982 Thorne was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for her volunteer efforts for Community Services and Education.
