HerStory Archive

Joyce Irene ACKROYD

Born 23 November 1918, Died 30 August 1991

Joyce Ack­royd was a pro­fes­sor of Japan­ese lan­guage and lit­er­a­ture, and one of the pio­neers who changed the pat­tern of Japan­ese stud­ies in Aus­tralia. In 1965 she found­ed the Department…

Patsy ADAM-SMITH

Born 31 May 1924, Died 21 September 2001

Also known as: Patricia Jean Smith

First woman Arti­cled on an Aus­tralian Mer­chant Ship (Radio Oper­a­tor) (1954−60). Pop­u­lar author of 33 books on his­to­ry, folk­lore, and pre­serv­ing nation­al tra­di­tions, plus an…

Lily Isabel Maude ADDISON

Born 1887, Died 1968

1906 — First woman to do tech­ni­cal work in archi­tec­tur­al office in Queens­land. Lily assist­ed in her father’s office from about 1906. In 1914 she passed Build­ing Con­struc­tion and…

Marion Lillian ADDISON

Born 21 December 1885, Died 27 November 1982

Also known as: Lily

1919 — First Aus­tralian woman to play at Wimbledon. 

At the time, Lily was the wom­en’s sin­gles cham­pi­on of Australia. 

She was the South Aus­tralian Ladies Ten­nis Cham­pi­on in…

Verna ABBERTON

Writ­ten on the back of the draw­ing: Devot­ed mem­ber, very good fundraiser.

Minna Marie Margaretha ALBRECHT

Born 11/12/1899, Died 18/11/1983

Also known as: née Gevers

Min­na Gev­ers sailed to Cana­da from Ger­many to mar­ry Friedrich Albrecht, who was there learn­ing Eng­lish for his new job as Super­in­ten­dent at Her­manns­burg Mis­sion. Min­na and Friedrich…

Elizabeth ALLCHURCH

Born 1881, Died 10 June 1969

Also known as: Bessie, née Williams

Bessie, sis­ter to Annie MEY­ERS, was mar­ried to Atlanta BRAD­SHAW’s broth­er Ernest ALLCHURCH.

Amboora

Amboo­ra worked for the Brad­shaw fam­i­ly at the Alice Springs Tele­graph Sta­tion as a housemaid.

Reverend Hilda May ABBA

Born 30 May 1918

Also known as: Reverend Hilda May Abba, Hilda May Blackham

First woman in Aus­tralia ordained as The­o­log­i­cal Lec­tur­er (Pitt Street Con­gre­ga­tion­al Church, Syd­ney: 1951)

1936: Hil­da May entered Home­r­ton Col­lege, Cam­bridge, where she…

Barbara ABLEY AM

Bar­bara Abley was elect­ed in March 2001 to the Coun­cil of the City of Greater Gee­long (Vic­to­ria) before becom­ing elect­ed as Deputy May­or lat­er that year.

In 2002 she became the first…

Shirley Elaine ADKINS

Born 18 March 1930

Also known as: née Lee

First woman Pres­i­dent of the Roy­al Aero Club of West­ern Aus­tralia (1979−1984).

First woman elect­ed pres­i­dent of the Roy­al Fed­er­a­tion of Aero Clubs of Aus­tralia (1990−1997).

First…

Stephanie ALEXANDER

Born 13/11/1940

Pio­neer­ing food writer, first woman to own and man­age a world-class restau­rant in Aus­tralia (Stephanie’s Restau­rant: 1976 – 1997); ini­ti­at­ed inno­v­a­tive pri­ma­ry school pro­gram, The…

Shirley Elaine ADKINS

Born 18 March 1930

Also known as: née Lee

First woman Pres­i­dent of the Roy­al Aero Club of West­ern Aus­tralia (1979−1984).

First woman elect­ed pres­i­dent of the Roy­al Fed­er­a­tion of Aero Clubs of Aus­tralia (1990−1997).

First…

Allana ARNOT

Born 1967

Also known as: Allana Corbin

In 1997 Allana Arnot became the first woman to cir­cum­nav­i­gate Aus­tralia solo in a heli­copter. She accom­plished this after teach­ing her­self how to walk and fly again fol­low­ing a plane…

Maude BONNEY AM, MBE

Born 20/11/1897, Died 24/21994

Also known as: Lores

1931 Longest one day flight by an air­woman (Bris­bane — Wan­garat­ta) — 1600 km

1932 First woman to cir­cum­nav­i­gate Aus­tralia by air — 12 800 km

1933 First woman to fly from Australia…

Jenny BREARLEY

1986 — First woman to be elect­ed to the com­mit­tee of the Air­craft Own­ers and Pilots Association
1999 — With Ruth Wil­son was first all female crew to com­pete in Gor­don Ben­nett Cup…