Barrina South is a descendant of the Wailwan people of north west NSW. South completed her Masters of Arts (Honours) in 2006 and she has been a finalist for three consecutive years - 2005, 2006 and 2007 - in the Parliament of NSW Indigenous Art Prize.
Barrina South’s Aboriginal family are from Nyngan and Brewarrina Mission in north west NSW. In 1994 South was awarded a Bachelor of Arts (Visual Arts) from the University of Western Sydney and in 2006 she completed her Master of Arts (Honours).
As a finalist, her paintings have been included in the 2005, 2006 and 2007 Parliament of NSW Indigenous Art Prize at NSW Parliament House, Sydney. South is also known for her work as a writer and in 2006 she was shortlisted for the David Unaipon Literary Award for a biography she titled Life on the Brewarrina Mission.
Since 1995 South has worked at the Australian Museum in Sydney in the Athropology Department managing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ethnographic collections.