Originally from Perth, WA, Catherine graduated with the Performance Prize from the Canberra School of Music, studying with Donald Westlake, after which she received a Churchill Fellowship to study in Europe & the USA with Hans Deinzer, Anthony Pay, John McCaw, Guy Deplus, Gervase de Peyer and Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr. In 1986 Catherine became principal clarinettist in the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra, subsequently taking up positions at the WA Conservatorium of Music as a member of Ensemble Vasse, and at the Victorian College of the Arts, before joining the Australia Ensemble in 1995.

Catherine has performed as a soloist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and most of the Australian Symphony Orchestras. Principal clarinettist with the ACO since 1994, she has also appeared as guest principal with most Australian orchestras. She has performed regularly at major Australian chamber music festivals. Catherine teaches at the Sydney Conservatorium and since 2005 she has been a guest tutor at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne.

In 2007 Catherine premiered two exciting new works: Nigel Westlake's Rare Sugar for solo clarinet and ensemble, and Oma Kodu for clarinet and string quartet by Andrew Ford, both commissioned for the Australia Ensemble. Her CD recording with her colleagues in the Australia Ensemble of the clarinet quintets of Mozart and Brahms was highly acclaimed in ABC 24 Hours magazine.