HerStory Archive

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…

Virginia ADLIDE OAM

In 1983, Vir­ginia devel­oped the first Ronald McDon­ald House in Australia. 

Vir­ginia was award­ed the Medal of the Order of Aus­tralia in 1993 for this work in recog­ni­tion of service…

Mary David ALLCHIN

Born 17/5/1913

Pio­neer of Cen­tral Aus­tralia. Arrived in Alice Springs in 1941, took her final vows with the Catholic Church in 1942 and helped estab­lish Arl­tun­ga mis­sion in 1942. Also worked on…

Lynne ALLEN-BROWN

Also known as: Lynne Spencer

In 1993, Lynne Allen-Brown became the first female Chief Super­in­ten­dent of St Johns Ambu­lance. In 1999, she was the first female Chief Com­mis­sion­er of St Johns Ambu­lance. Earlier,…

Nancy Tyson BURBIDGE

Born 5 August 1912, Died 4 March 1977

1960 — Founder and sec­ond pres­i­dent, Nation­al Parks Asso­ci­a­tion of the Aus­tralian Cap­i­tal Ter­ri­to­ry (NPA ACT).

1961 — First woman to receive a Doc­tor of Sci­ence) (D Sc) from…

Elizabeth Ann Dewar CHURCHER

Born 11 January 1931, Died 30 March 2015

Also known as: née Cameron, Betty, Betty Blockbuster

First woman direc­tor of a State Gallery when appoint­ed direc­tor of the Art Gallery of West­ern Aus­tralia from 1987 to 1990. She went on to head the pres­ti­gious Nation­al Gallery of…

Rosina Mary EDMUNDS

Born 31 May 1900, Died 23 April 1956

Also known as: Rosette

The 1950s wit­nessed Rosette Edmunds becom­ing the first woman pres­i­dent of a chap­ter of the Roy­al Aus­tralian Insti­tute of Archi­tects (RAIA), not to be repeat­ed for anoth­er 30 years.

Patricia Julianne EVANS

Also known as: née Morris

Qual­i­fied as an accoun­tant in 1948, and in 1949, at 21, became the first female accoun­tant to be employed by Bitu­men and Oil Refiner­ies (Aus­tralia) Lim­it­ed (Boral). One of the…

Emma A BECKETT

Born 1838, Died 1906

Emma A Beck­ett was the Boyd fam­i­ly’s first and most impor­tant patron, buy­ing and pro­mot­ing their work, and pro­vid­ing their main source of income. The Boyds are revered by many as…

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…

Mary ADLER

Born 17 February 1862, Died 8 June 1897

Also known as: née Millar

Mary Adler came from Mur­toa in the Wim­mera. In 1893, she and her hus­band select­ed land at Lal­bert, near Swan Hill, which they set­tled with their five sons. She died at 36 years of…

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…

Denise ALLEN

1983 — First observ­er woman post­ed to Queens­land 1984 — First woman post­ed to Willis Island 1986 — First woman to win­ter on the Antarc­tic Con­ti­nent for the Bureau of Mete­o­rol­o­gy 1988 -…

Clara Victoria Elizabeth ANDERSON

Born 21 February 1872, Died 6 April 1975

Also known as: née Campbell, Vic Campbell

Pio­neer of Theodore, Queens­land. As a child, Clara lived with her fam­i­ly at sev­er­al dif­fer­ent sta­tions before set­tling at their prop­er­ty, ​“Clar­avale”, in Queens­land. In her…

Brit ANDRESEN

In 2002, Brit was the first woman to be award­ed the pres­ti­gious Roy­al Aus­tralian Insti­tute of Archi­tects (RAIA) Gold Medal, hon­our­ing her con­tri­bu­tion to the archi­tec­ture field and…

Mary Morton ALLPORT

Born 17/5/1806, Died 10/6/1895

Also known as: Mary Morton Chapman (maiden name)

Mary All­port was Tas­ma­ni­a’s first pro­fes­sion­al woman artist. She exhib­it­ed in local exhi­bi­tions and pub­lished lith­o­graphs. She adver­tised her pro­fes­sion­al ser­vices as a portrait…

Robyn ARCHER

Born 18/6/1948

Also known as: Robyn Smith

In 1998 and 2000, Robyn Archer became the first woman in Aus­tralia to direct a major State Fes­ti­val of the Arts. Robyn is the for­mer Artis­tic Direc­tor of the Nation­al Fes­ti­val of…

Phyllis Jean BENJAMIN

Born 30 August 1907, Died 9 April 1996

Also known as: née Allsopp, Hon. Phyllis Benjamin

1968 – 1969 — First woman Leader of the Gov­ern­ment in Leg­isla­tive Coun­cil (Upper House), Tas­ma­nia. She was the first woman to hold the posi­tion in any Aus­tralian leg­isla­tive council.…

Ida Lois BIRCHALL

Born 6 September 1906, Died 20 April 1994

After grad­u­at­ing from Syd­ney’s med­ical school in 1933 and becom­ing one of Tas­ma­ni­a’s first female doc­tors, she went on to become one of the first Aus­tralian women and the…

Selina Sarah Elizabeth ANDERSON

Born 12 May 1878, Died 30 November 1964

Also known as: Senie, Selina Siggins

1903 ‑First woman along with Vida Gold­stein, Mary Ann Moore-Bent­ley and Nel­lie Mar­tel, in Aus­tralia and British Empire to stand for Nation­al Par­lia­ment (unsuc­cess­ful). Seli­na Anderson…

June Elizabeth APPLEBY

1985 — First woman in South Aus­tralian Par­lia­ment to become Gov­ern­ment Whip in House of Assembly

A mem­ber of the Aus­tralian Labor Par­ty, June Apple­by was elect­ed as the Member…

Robyn ARCHER

Born 18/6/1948

Also known as: Robyn Smith

In 1998 and 2000, Robyn Archer became the first woman in Aus­tralia to direct a major State Fes­ti­val of the Arts. Robyn is the for­mer Artis­tic Direc­tor of the Nation­al Fes­ti­val of…

Louisa Ann BAILES

Born 10/09/1859, Died 23/01/1922

Also known as: née Wellington, Louise

“Pri­or to com­ing to town, Hazel [GOLD­ER] had worked for Mrs Bailes at Bloods Creek, serv­ing meals to trav­ellers up the track.”

Verna ABBERTON

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

Mabel ADAMSON

Born 3 October 1905, Died 18 December 1998

Also known as: May, née Wilkinson

Mabel was an ear­ly pio­neer of Cen­tral Aus­tralia, arriv­ing in Alice Springs on 5^th May 1920 with her fam­i­ly. Mabel’s father’s broth­er, George Wilkin­son, had a store in Alice…

Woo Len AH TOY

Born 24 October 1917, Died 15 November 2001

Also known as: nee Wong, Lily

Lily was born and grew up in Dar­win and was known to many in the Top End for her sto­icism, gen­eros­i­ty and warm good humour. From 1936 to 1942 and con­tin­uin­ing after the war, Lily and…

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…

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…

Lynn ALLEN

Lynn worked for twelve years as the State Librar­i­an and CEO of the West­ern Aus­tralian state library (from 1989 – 2001). Over a peri­od of 107 years, Pro­fes­sor Allen was only the fourth…

Elizabethy E. ARNEY

Born 1932

Also known as: Betty

Bet­ty Arney was the first woman to become a priest in the Angli­can Church of Aus­tralia, ordained with nine oth­er women at St George’s Cathe­dral, Perth 7 March 1992.

Kareena BALLARD

From 1996 – 1998, Kareena Bal­lard was the first female pres­i­dent of both the Real Estate Insti­tute of WA and the Real Estate Insti­tute of Aus­tralia. She was award­ed the REI­WA Kevin…

Emma A BECKETT

Born 1838, Died 1906

Emma A Beck­ett was the Boyd fam­i­ly’s first and most impor­tant patron, buy­ing and pro­mot­ing their work, and pro­vid­ing their main source of income. The Boyds are revered by many as…

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…

Margaret ADAMS

Died 1988

Also known as: Margaret Kentley

First Pres­i­dent of the new­ly formed Aus­tralian Wom­en’s Fly­ing Club (AWFC). Pri­or to the out­break of the war, the Aus­tralian wom­en’s piot scene was begin­ning to devel­op and…

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…

Margaret ADAMS

Died 1988

Also known as: Margaret Kentley

First Pres­i­dent of the new­ly formed Aus­tralian Wom­en’s Fly­ing Club (AWFC). Pri­or to the out­break of the war, the Aus­tralian wom­en’s piot scene was begin­ning to devel­op and…

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…

Daphne Jessie AKHURST

Born 22/4/1903, Died 9/1/1933

Also known as: Daphne Cozens

Daphne Akhurst was the first Aus­tralian woman to reach the Wim­ble­don semi-finals (1928), and the first Aus­tralian woman to fig­ure promi­nent­ly in ten­nis in over­seas tours. She reached…

Ada Jemima CROSSLEY

Born 3 March 1871, Died 17 October 1929

Also known as: née Crossley, Ada Muecke

Mem­ber of a pio­neer­ing South Gipp­s­land fam­i­ly. Her hus­band was a doc­tor (throat specialist).Early years sang in all church­es of Tar­rav­ille Vil­lage, Victoria.Singer — Ora­to­rio Music -…

Emmeline Freda DU FAUR

Born 16 September 1882, Died 11 September 1935

Also known as: Freda

Alpine climb­ing pio­neer in New Zealand. There are fea­tures in New Zealand named after her (e.g., Du Faur Peak and Du Faur Glac­i­er in Mount Cook Nation­al Park). She was the first woman…

Catherine Clarissa HOWARDE

Born 28 July 1864, Died 18 February 1939

Also known as: née Jones, Kate, Catherine Black, Catherine De Saxe, Catherine Jones

1921 — First woman offi­cial­ly cred­it­ed with pro­duc­tion and direc­tion of an Aus­tralian fea­ture film ​‘Pos­sum Pad­dock’, which was a play that she wrote, pro­duced, and…

Eileen JAMES

Born 1894, Died 1988

Also known as: née Edes, stage name was Ivy DARRELL

1910 — The youngest musi­cian in the first con­cert par­ty of The Asso­ci­a­tion for the Advance­ment of the Blind, trav­el­ling with them for 18 years. Played in con­cert halls in 1913 – 1920s…

Ada Jemima CROSSLEY

Born 3 March 1871, Died 17 October 1929

Also known as: née Crossley, Ada Muecke

Mem­ber of a pio­neer­ing South Gipp­s­land fam­i­ly. Her hus­band was a doc­tor (throat specialist).Early years sang in all church­es of Tar­rav­ille Vil­lage, Victoria.Singer — Ora­to­rio Music -…

Robyn FOX

Mem­ber (Robyn Fox, Geor­gia Le Plas­tri­er, Jen­ny McKen­zie, Jo Van Son) of the first Aus­tralian all-female canoe team to make the full descent of the Yukon Riv­er (Unit­ed States).

Catherine Clarissa HOWARDE

Born 28 July 1864, Died 18 February 1939

Also known as: née Jones, Kate, Catherine Black, Catherine De Saxe, Catherine Jones

1921 — First woman offi­cial­ly cred­it­ed with pro­duc­tion and direc­tion of an Aus­tralian fea­ture film ​‘Pos­sum Pad­dock’, which was a play that she wrote, pro­duced, and…

Elizabeth KENNY

Born 20/9/1880, Died 30/11/1952

Also known as: Sister Elizabeth Kenny

1911 — First per­son to imple­ment an effec­tive method of treat­ment for Infan­tile Paral­y­sis (Poliomyelitis).
1927 — Designed and patent­ed the ​“Sylvia“ambulance stretch­er which…

Sarah Johnston CHINNERY

Born 30 January 1887, Died 24 March 1970

Also known as: née Neill

The ​“sec­ond woman in Eng­land to have” a motorbike.
​“The first woman to ride a lady’s bicy­cle in” Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.


Sarah set her­self the task of record­ing her…

Nora HEYSEN

Born 11 January 1911, Died 30 December 2003

Also known as: née Heysen, Nora Black

Nora Hey­sen, the first woman to win the pres­ti­gious Archibald Prize for por­trai­ture in 1938, was the first woman Offi­cial War artist, sta­tioned in New Guinea and Bor­neo (1943−46).…

Nell Margaret LANG

Born 22/4/1913, Died 31/3/2002

Also known as: née Barrow

One of the first nurs­es to be admit­ted to the Navy, dur­ing World War II.

1944 – 1945 — Navy nurse — Served in Milne Bay, New Guinea.

Margaret MEAD

1989 — Nurs­ing Sis­ter who was cho­sen to work as sur­gi­cal nurse in a Red Cross hos­pi­tal in Kab­ul, Afghanistan. Has nursed in Tas­ma­nia, all over Aus­tralia, and in Papua, New Guinea in a…

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…

Ida Lois BIRCHALL

Born 6 September 1906, Died 20 April 1994

After grad­u­at­ing from Syd­ney’s med­ical school in 1933 and becom­ing one of Tas­ma­ni­a’s first female doc­tors, she went on to become one of the first Aus­tralian women and the…

Jodi BREEN

Also known as: Lt. Col. Jodi Breen

First woman on Roy­al Guard duty out­side St James Palace, Lon­don (part of Aus­tralian Fed­er­a­tion Guard).

Ada Jemima CROSSLEY

Born 3 March 1871, Died 17 October 1929

Also known as: née Crossley, Ada Muecke

Mem­ber of a pio­neer­ing South Gipp­s­land fam­i­ly. Her hus­band was a doc­tor (throat specialist).Early years sang in all church­es of Tar­rav­ille Vil­lage, Victoria.Singer — Ora­to­rio Music -…

Kathleen GARDINER

Also known as: née Howell

1920s — With close friend Jean Beat­son née ROBERT­SON, motored from Vic­to­ria to Dar­win and Back — an endurance run — first females to do so.

1927 — Came sec­ond in RACV…

Marie Louise Hamilton MACK

Born 10/10/1870, Died 23/11/1935

Also known as: née Mack, registered as Mary Louisa, Louise Creed, Gouli Gouli, Louise Leyland, Mary Mack

1914 — First woman war cor­re­spon­dent, Bel­gium, report­ing for the Evening News and the Dai­ly Mail.

Late 1880s — Con­trib­u­tor to The Bul­letin, an Aus­tralian mag­a­zine, Sydney.1896…

Frances Margaret McGUIRE

Born 1900, Died 1995

Also known as: née Cheadle

1922 — First Bio­chemist, out­side Cana­da, to pro­duce insulin (Uni­ver­si­ty of Ade­laide). Dec­o­rat­ed for pub­lic ser­vice by the Aus­tralian and Ital­ian governments.
1995 — Award­ed Order of…

Marie Louise Hamilton MACK

Born 10/10/1870, Died 23/11/1935

Also known as: née Mack, registered as Mary Louisa, Louise Creed, Gouli Gouli, Louise Leyland, Mary Mack

1914 — First woman war cor­re­spon­dent, Bel­gium, report­ing for the Evening News and the Dai­ly Mail.

Late 1880s — Con­trib­u­tor to The Bul­letin, an Aus­tralian mag­a­zine, Sydney.1896…

Robyn FOX

Mem­ber (Robyn Fox, Geor­gia Le Plas­tri­er, Jen­ny McKen­zie, Jo Van Son) of the first Aus­tralian all-female canoe team to make the full descent of the Yukon Riv­er (Unit­ed States).

Georgia LE PLASTRIER

Mem­ber (Robyn Fox, Geor­gia Le Plas­tri­er, Jen­ny McKen­zie, Jo Van Son) of the first Aus­tralian all-female canoe team to make the full descent of the Yukon Riv­er (Unit­ed States).

Wirginia June MAIXNER

Born 28/6/1963

2007 — Per­formed the first audi­to­ry brain­stem implant on a child in Australasia.
2009 — Sep­a­ra­tion of con­joined twins.

1986 — Grad­u­at­ed Uni­ver­si­ty of Syd­ney’s School of…

Marilynne MARSHALL

First woman in the Com­mon­wealth to become an Ammu­ni­tion Technical/​Bomb Dis­pos­al Offi­cer. Mar­i­lynne and French Cana­di­an female offi­cer Lena Sirois were the first two women in the…

Wirginia June MAIXNER

Born 28/6/1963

2007 — Per­formed the first audi­to­ry brain­stem implant on a child in Australasia.
2009 — Sep­a­ra­tion of con­joined twins.

1986 — Grad­u­at­ed Uni­ver­si­ty of Syd­ney’s School of…

Mary BRYANT

Born 1765, Died after 1794

Also known as: née Broad/Braund

Mary Bryant, arrived on the First Fleet. In just a few months, the food the First Fleet had brought with it had run out or was rot­ten. Des­per­ate and hun­gry, Mary, her hus­band William…

Ellen Sarah KETTLE

Born 21/4/1922, Died 2/8/1999

Also known as: Sister Kettle, "hook and eye sister"

Nurse of remote Aus­tralia, Papua New Guinea, Queens­land and Timor.

Foun­da­tion mem­ber of north­ern Ter­ri­to­ry Chap­ter of the Col­lege of Nurs­ing of Australia.1967 — Author of Gone…

Margaret MEAD

1989 — Nurs­ing Sis­ter who was cho­sen to work as sur­gi­cal nurse in a Red Cross hos­pi­tal in Kab­ul, Afghanistan. Has nursed in Tas­ma­nia, all over Aus­tralia, and in Papua, New Guinea in a…

Beverley Faye ROEDIGER

1970 — First woman to gain her com­mer­cial pilot licence in Papua New Guinea.

Eileen STEENSON

1956 — Award­ed Eve­lyn Fol­lett Wor­thy Fly­ing Trophy’1971 — Life Gov­er­nor of British and For­eign Bible Society.

Flew in New South Wales, North­ern Ter­ri­to­ry, and Papua New…

Patricia Lyle TOOLE

Born 11/1928, Died 04/2016

Also known as: née Graham, Pat

Pat was the first female to hold a com­mer­cial pilot’s license in Papua, New Guinea, 1952. Her license had lapsed when in her sev­en­ties she decid­ed to renew it. Her first solo…

Linda Karen BEILHARZ

Born 1960

2004 — First Aus­tralian woman to trek to the South Pole, ski­ing from the Antarc­tic edge.
2010 — First Aus­tralian woman to trek the North and South Poles.

2006 — Induct­ed into…

Hope BLACK

Born 7 February 1919, Died 25 January 2018

Also known as: Jessica Hope Black née Macpherson

Hope Black was the first woman cura­tor (of Mol­lusks) at the Muse­um of Vic­to­ria (1947); and one of the first four women sci­en­tists to vis­it an Aus­tralian Antarc­tic base (Mac­quar­ie…

Jessica DEMPSEY

2000 — One of two first female research sci­en­tists to work at the South Pole in a Uni­ver­si­ty of New South Wales led expedition.

Sharyn FITZGERALD

2009 — Attempt­ed first Aus­tralian female Antarc­tic ice marathon.

2011 — In the North Pole Marathon, in the wom­en’s divi­sion, she came in sec­ond with a time of 6:28:16 3.

Annie Doreen MUNE

Born 6 February 1901, Died 1989

Also known as: née Hensley

In 1924 she was appoint­ed Mel­bourne City Coun­cil’s coor­di­na­tor to com­bat dypthe­ria. Dur­ing this cam­paign she test­ed and immu­nised 11,230 children.

Pio­neer doc­tor in Fiji…

Bridget PROBIN

Born 30 October 1918, Died 18 June 2007

Also known as: née Fitzsimons, Betty

Recip­i­ent of French Star, Ger­man Star, Bur­ma Star, 1939 to 1945 Star, Civ­il Defence Work Medal, Nor­mandy Land­ing Medal, Diplo­ma of Hon­our from France, 2000, and the French…

Joy STACY

Girl Guides In Ser­vice Social Work­er with refugees in camps in Europe after World War II.

Mary GLOWREY

Born 23 June 1887, Died 5 May 1957

Also known as: Mary Glowrey, M.D.; Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart Society of Jesus, Mary, Joseph

Del HAYMAN

1956 — Appoint­ed first Aus­tralian Girl Guide Inter­na­tion­al Commissioner.
1960 — Award­ed Mem­ber of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for ser­vices to Guiding.


Pio­neer of…

Eleanor Towzey STEWART

Born 20 /11/1858, Died 21/06/1931

Also known as: née Stewart, née Towzey, Nellie, Eleanor Row

1877 — Aus­trali­a’s first female com­ic opera star.

Ann SVENNSON-McCOY

First female Tor­res Strait Islander to receive a BSc in Vet­eri­nary Biology.

Rhoda WATKINS

Born March 1894, Died 1975

Mis­sion­ary nurse.

1922 — She was a Church of Eng­land mis­sion­ary nurse in the Church Mis­sion­ary Soci­eties ​“Way of Life” Hos­pi­tal, Kweilin, China.1924 — Sis­ter Watkins…

Rhoda WATKINS

Born March 1894, Died 1975

Mis­sion­ary nurse.

1922 — She was a Church of Eng­land mis­sion­ary nurse in the Church Mis­sion­ary Soci­eties ​“Way of Life” Hos­pi­tal, Kweilin, China.1924 — Sis­ter Watkins…

Ada Jemima CROSSLEY

Born 3 March 1871, Died 17 October 1929

Also known as: née Crossley, Ada Muecke

Mem­ber of a pio­neer­ing South Gipp­s­land fam­i­ly. Her hus­band was a doc­tor (throat specialist).Early years sang in all church­es of Tar­rav­ille Vil­lage, Victoria.Singer — Ora­to­rio Music -…

Mavis HOARE

Born 1927

Also known as: née Winn

1951 — First women in the South African province of Natal to gain a com­mer­cial pilot’s licence.

Flew for the Onas­sis and Niar­chos fam­i­lies for four (4) years. Moved to…

Elinor Catherine HAMLIN

Born 24 January 1924, Died 18 March 2020

Also known as: née Nicholson, Catherine

“Ham­lin has been recog­nised by the Unit­ed Nations agency UNF­PA as a pio­neer in fis­tu­la surgery for her devel­op­ment of tech­niques and pro­ce­dures for obstet­ric fistula…

Patricia Anne BRENNAN

Born 15 April 1944, Died 6 March 2011

Also known as: née Wilkinson

The Mel­bourne Syn­od of Aus­trali­a’s Angli­can Church first called for women priests in 1974. The foun­da­tion of the Move­ment for the Ordi­na­tion of Women by Dr Patri­cia Bren­nan and…

Winifred Marie Narelle BULLARD

Born 1900, Died 1 May 1983

Also known as: Narelle

1937 — Began first Girl Guides Asso­ci­a­tion in Tan­ganyi­ka, Africa.

1953 — First Aus­tralian Dea­coness to receive Impe­r­i­al Hon­ours, when appoint­ed a Mem­ber of the British Empire (MBE)…

Fiona Caroline GRAHAM

Also known as: Dr Fiona Graham, Sayuki

2007 — First for­eign geisha in Japan.

Social anthro­pol­o­gist; doc­u­men­tary film mak­er; author; and finan­cial journalist.

Del HAYMAN

1956 — Appoint­ed first Aus­tralian Girl Guide Inter­na­tion­al Commissioner.
1960 — Award­ed Mem­ber of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for ser­vices to Guiding.


Pio­neer of…

Jessie Catherine COUVREUR

Born 28 October 1848, Died 23 October 1897

Also known as: née Huybers, Tasma

In the ear­ly days of set­tle­ment, there were women colonists who trav­elled back­wards and for­wards between Eng­land and Aus­tralia, which in itself was some­thing of an adven­ture. Some,…

Geraldine Dorothea COX

Born 1945

1970 – 1987 — Began her career with the Aus­tralian Depart­ment of For­eign Affairs. Was sta­tioned to embassies Phnom Penh, Cam­bo­dia; Philip­pines, Thai­land, Iran, and the USA.
1987 – 1995 -…

Barbara Rose FERGUSON

Born 1940

Author of Do Not Look Away: Snap­shots of Con­go and the Pyg­mies of Mubambiro.1967 — Worked with the bush fire vic­tims of Tasmania.2015 — Received Ocea­nia: Liv­ing for Oth­ers Award.

Mary Elizabeth DONALDSON

Born 5 February 1972

Also known as: Crown Princess Mary

2005 — First Aus­tralian woman to become a Crown Princess of anoth­er coun­try (Den­mark).