Ellen was the only daughter of Sir William Henry Bundey (Judge of the Supreme Court of SA) and grand-daughter of Sir William Milne. She was awarded a BMus, University of Adelaide, 1900. She contributed poetry and political articles to The Register, and in memory of her parents endowed the Bundey Prize at the University of Adelaide in 1912 for an original poem. She enjoyed making translations from the French.
Ellen lived at "Zephyrside", Molesworth St, North Adelaide. She suffered poor health, which prevented her from taking a prominent part in social activities, and her obituary in The Register in 1919 said that "some time ago" she had undergone a severe operation, and had never fully regained her health.
