Kaarin Louise Fairfax (born 30 September 1959) is an Australian actress, director and singer who played the role of Dolour Darcy in two TV miniseries, The Harp in the South (1986) and its sequel Poor Man's Orange (1987), based on books of the same names by Ruth Park.

Fairfax acted in several Australian television series throughout the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.^[1]

She appeared in the Australian sitcom Col'n Carpenter, a spin-off from The Comedy Company, after Vikki Blanche left the series. She starred in the Rachel Perkins 2001 short film One Night the Moon alongside her husband at the time, Paul Kelly – a story of racial prejudice in the outback.^[2] She also played the role of Deb Mathieson on Australian Broadcasting Corporation TV series, Bed of Roses (2008, 2010).^[3][4]

Fairfax has worked as both actor and director in Australian theatre. By 2008, Fairfax had established The Little Theatre Company in Frankston, Victoria, in honour of her father George Fairfax. Fairfax directed t he musical Frankston Lights in January 2009, which included songs co-written by her children (Madeleine and Memphis) and Robert McHugh. Kaarin has been working extensively since that time, joining forces with Sally Baillieu and directing The Wetlands Project, One Last Chance, performed in the Wetlands at Tootgarook. In January 2012 she directed Good People for Red Stitch Actors Theatre.

In 2015, Fairfax co-starred in the film StalkHer alongside John Jarratt.

Fairfax was a vocalist for Wild Blue Yonder, a Sydney-based band from 1985 which had a varied line-up but had no known recordings.^[5] In the late 1970s she was part of a comedy vocal trio The Droolettes which also included Gina Riley and Gina Mendoza, with Geoff O'Connell on piano. During 1989–1991 she supplied backing vocals on tracks by Paul Kelly & the Messengers.

In 1990, under the name, Mary-Jo Starr, she released three singles and an album, Too Many Movies.^[1] She was nominated for the 1991 ARIA Award for Best New Talent^[6] and appeared on the Breaking Ground - New Directions in Country Music compilation which was also nominated for Best Country Album.^[7] She joined Truckasaurus in 1993, a Melbourne-based Grungey/country band which released Truckasaurus in October.^[8]

Together with Sally Baillieu, Fairfax runs The Lineup at Frankston Arts Centre Cube37, a musical mentorship program for young emerging artists. Madeleine and Memphis, together with band member Sam Humphrey, record under the band name Wishful. Their first EP, Fifty Days was produced by their father Paul Kelly. Fairfax and Baillieu also have an arts program on 3RPP Radio Port Phillip on the Mornington Peninsula, called Arts About.

Fairfax is the former wife of Australian musician Paul Kelly—they met in 1988. Their two children are Madeleine (born 1991) and Memphis (born 1993). Memphis appeared with her parents in short film, One Night the Moon. The couple separated not long after the film's release.^[2]

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