[1] She has a diploma of teaching from Auckland Teachers College (1973), BA in English from Curtin University, a postgraduate diploma of English literature, and an MA in creative writing from the University of Western Australia.

[3][1] Lowry is primarily a children's and young adult author, she has also published poetry and short stories.

[10] Juicy Writing: Inspiration and Techniques for Young Writers was included in the 2009 Storylines Notable Non-Fiction Book list[11] and was shortlisted in the non-fiction category in the 2009 New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards.

[12] Lowry received the 2008 Grimshaw Sargeson Fellowship with Paula Morris.

[13] In 2004 she was the University of Otago College of Education Creative New Zealand Children's Writer in Residence.