HerStory Archive

Jennifer CASHMORE

First woman Min­is­ter of Health in the South Aus­tralian Par­lia­ment (1979)

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Virginia Louise COX

Born 1939

Also known as: Virginia Gowing

1994 — First woman Pres­i­dent of the Roy­al Aus­tralian Insti­tute of Archi­tects in its 64 year history

Margaret Rose PRESTON

Born 29/04/1875, Died 28/05/1963

Also known as: née McPherson, Rose McPherson

1920s — First white artist to be deeply influ­enced by Abo­rig­i­nal art.
A Mod­ernist artist, with her main work oil on can­vas and her bold flower paintings. 

Marcia Lynne LANGTON

Born 31 October 1951

1993 — Award­ed Mem­ber of the Order of Aus­tralia, for ser­vice as an anthro­pol­o­gist and advo­cate of Abo­rig­i­nal issues.

2000 — Inau­gur­al Pro­fes­sor of Aus­tralian Indige­nous Studies,…

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Phoebe Doreen LEE

Born 14 June 1904, Died 11 February 2000

Also known as: née Budarick

2001 — Phoebe was nom­i­nat­ed to the Cen­te­nary of Fed­er­a­tion Peo­plescape project which saw a fig­ure rep­re­sent­ing her become part of an esti­mat­ed 5000 fig­ures dis­played on the lawn of…

Roberta Henrietta JULL

Born 1872, Died 1961

Also known as: née Stewart, Roberta Ferguson-Stewart

Scot­tish born and Glas­gow-trained, she joined her broth­er’s prac­tice in West­ern Aus­tralia and then set up her own in Perth in 1897, becom­ing West­ern Aus­trali­a’s first woman…

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Jillian Fiona MAXWELL

Also known as: Jill

1997 — First woman to head Pul­teney Gram­mar Schools gov­ern­ing body”, as chair, break­ing a 150-year ​“men only” tra­di­tion and first non-cler­gy appoint­ment in 125 years.…

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Evangelia PARKER

Born 16 January 1908, Died 3 October 2005

Also known as: née Dioctitis, Ellen

A migrant from Greek Island of Kastel­lori­zo who arrived in Dar­win in ear­ly 1900s. Father worked on build­ing rail­way line from Pine Creek to Kather­ine River.

Una Gailey PRENTICE

Born 6/11/1913, Died 25/03/1986

Also known as: née Bick, Dr Una Prentice

1938 — First woman to grad­u­ate from Law in Queens­land Uni­ver­si­ty, and the first woman grad­u­ate to be admit­ted to the Queens­land Bar.
First woman Bar­ris­ter to appear as Pros­e­cu­tor on…

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Caroline Wilhelmina LEHMANN

Born 15/3/1873, Died 8/5/1955

Also known as: Minnie, Caroline Dux

Pio­neer of Parna­roo and Clare dis­tricts of South Australia.Charity worker.

Leah MORCK

Born 1881, Died 10 May 1966

Wife of drover, cat­tle­man, bush­man of West­ern Aus­tralia and North­ern Ter­ri­to­ry, Tom MOR­CK. At 15 Mrs MOR­CK was moth­er to her sev­en sib­lings after their moth­er’s death. Managed…

Mary KRANTZ

Writ­ten on the back of the draw­ing: Scot­tish school­teacher in Alice after being wid­owed. Her much loved dog was named Zook­ie after Zhukow.Went cycling with her dog ​“Zook­ie” and Mrs…

Rosalie Lynette KUNOTH-MONKS

Born 1937

Also known as: Ngarla KUNOTH, Rosie

In 1955, Ros­alie became the first Abo­rig­i­nal female to take lead role in a fea­ture film (Jed­da). This film was Aus­trali­a’s first fea­ture-length colour movie. 

After leav­ing the…

Alice Maude NORTHCOTE

Died 06/1934

Also known as: née Alice Brooke, Alice Stephen

She arranged the first ever exhi­bi­tion of Aus­tralian wom­en’s art held at the Exhi­bi­tion build­ing, Mel­bourne in 1907, dur­ing her hus­band’s term as Gov­er­nor Gen­er­al of…

Nancy Grace Augusta WAKE

Born 30/08/1912, Died 7/08/2011

Also known as: The White Mouse

Recip­i­ent of USA Medal of Free­dom, British George Medal, French Croix de Guerre with Palm (x 2) and Croix de Guerre with Star and Resis­tance Medal.
1988 — Cheva­lier of the Legion of…

Edna SAUNDERS

Also known as: née Bradley

Octo­ber 1957 — One of 26 women to take the inau­gur­al ​“women only” ten day tour to ​“Alice Springs and Beyond,” which was Uluru.

In her NPWHF file is a copy…

Doris Margaret KUBISCH

Born 2/10/1939

In 1987 , Doris set up ​“The Remote Wom­en’s Health Ser­vice” in Alice Springs and the Bark­ly. She also worked as a nurs­ing sis­ter at Her­manns­burg (from 1966), Papunya…

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Phyllis Glory McDONAGH

Born 7/1/1900, Died 17/10/1978

Also known as: Phyllis Glory O'Brien (married name)

1933 — One of the McDon­agh Sis­ters — first all female run film com­pa­ny in Australia.
2001 — Vic­to­ri­an Hon­our Roll of Women.

Using their home, the McDon­agh sis­ters wrote,…

Joyce Eileen SHEWCROFT

Born 28/8/1912, Died 28/10/2001

Also known as: J. Shewcroft (pen name), Joyce Shoecroft (common misspelling)

First woman Cor­po­ra­tion Lawyer (for the ABC) in Australia.
First woman to com­plete the Bar­ris­ters’ Admis­sion Board Course.
Found­ing mem­ber and first Pres­i­dent of New South Wales…

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Margaret SCOTT

Also known as: Dame Margaret Scott

1963 — Founder of the Aus­tralian Bal­let School(D.B.E.)

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Maria Concetta GAGLIARDI

Born 20/10/1911, Died 13/09/1998

Also known as: née Ciccone, Concetta, Connie

Con­cetta and Giuseppe GAGLIAR­DI opened the first Alice Springs ​“night spot,” a dance hall, which was part of their com­plex oppo­site Melan­ka, in which they also sold meals and…

Beryl Grace McINTOSH

Died 12/1/2013

Also known as: née Hansen

Some of her awards:1999 — Received Inter­na­tion­al Women’s Day award.2000 — Select­ed to car­ry Syd­ney 2000 Olympics torch.2001 — Received Cen­te­nary medal.2002 — Award­ed Palmer­ston Proud…

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Myra FILSELL

Born 1904, Died 2001

Also known as: née Scott

First Aus­tralian Inland Mis­sion (A.I.M.) nurse at Ood­na­dat­ta, South Australia.

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Sarah BROMLEY

Domes­tic, Alice Springs, 1930s.
Pos­si­bly orig­i­nal­ly from Oodnadatta

Lydia LONGMORE

Born 15/7/1874, Died 30/10/1967

1917 — First female Inspec­tor of Schools (Low­er Grades).
1957 — Offi­cer of the Order of the British Empire (Civ­il), ​“Moth­er’s Clubs in South Australia.”

1918 — Founded…

Erica WILLIAMS

One of the insti­ga­tors of endurance horse rid­ing in Aus­tralia and the first Tom Quilty 100-mile ride in 1966.

She was the first woman to win the Aus­tralian Nation­al Championship…

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.

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Lois Gertrude QUARRELL

Born 19/11/1914, Died 19/6/1991

Also known as: Lois Gertrude Hendry

1936 — First woman sports writer for Ade­laide Adver­tis­er newspaper.

1932 — Joined Ade­laide Advertiser.1966 — She found­ed the South Aus­tralian divi­sion of the Sportswomen’s…

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Tracy SMART

First woman appoint­ed Chief Instruc­tor at the RAAF Insti­tute of Avi­a­tion Medicine.

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Gai WATERHOUSE

Born 1954

Also known as: Gai Smith

Aus­trali­a’s first woman horse trainer.

1992 — First woman to gain a Licence from the Aus­tralian Jock­ey Club.

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Agnes McWHINNEY

Born 25 September 1891, Died 4 August 1987

Also known as: Agnes Osborne

1915 — Agnes McWhin­ney was the first woman to be admit­ted as an attor­ney and to prac­tice law in Queensland.

Marie MAHOOD

Died 03/2009

Co-founder, with hus­band, of prop­er­ty ​“Mon­grel Downs” North­ern Ter­ri­to­ry near West­ern Aus­tralian bor­der in Tana­mi Desert.
Journalist.
Author of ​“Bleat­ing Around The…

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Julie DRYDEN

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Chris BENZ

Cen­tral Aus­tralian. Lived at Her­mans­burg and stud­ied via School of the Air.

Annie ROSS

Also known as: Annie Southall

With Kate Boad­i­cia Cocks, they were the first women police offi­cers in South Aus­tralia when sworn in to that state’s police force on 1 Decem­ber 1915 — the first police­women in…

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Elsie ELIAS

First Hon­orary Sec­re­tary of the Daw­son High­way Briga­low Set­tler’s Association.

Pio­neer of cen­tral Queens­land on cat­tle prop­er­ty at Moura, Queensland.

Ellen Mary KENT HUGHES

Born 29 August 1893, Died 16 May 1979

Also known as: Ellen Wilson

1923 — Dr Ellen Kent Hugh­es became the first woman coun­cil­lor in Queens­land (Kingaroy Shire).
1937 – 1968 — Served on the Armi­dale City Council.
1963 – 1964 — Served as deputy-mayor.

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Kerryn PHELPS

Born 14 December 1957

Also known as: Dr Kerryn Phelps

First woman Fed­er­al Pres­i­dent of Aus­tralian Med­ical Association

Ker­ryn Lyn­del Phelps AM was the first woman to be elect­ed pres­i­dent of the Aus­tralian Med­ical Asso­ci­a­tion (AMA).

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Deirdre Francis JORDAN

Born 18/9/1926

Also known as: Sister Deirdre, Sister Jordan, Sister Mary Campion

First woman in Aus­tralia to com­plete a Mas­ters in Edu­ca­tion, Uni­ver­si­ty of Adelaide.
1969 — Mem­ber of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for ser­vices to education.
1989 — First…

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Elizabeth ETHERINGTON

1986 – 1987 — First woman local gov­ern­ment may­or in New South Wales rur­al area (Cen­tral West).

Sarah DENNIS

Born 24/12/1841, Died 9/8/1910

Also known as: née Marks

Pio­neer of Bendi­go area of Victoria.

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Cheryl BELL

Also known as: Commander

1992 — First woman to be per­ma­nent­ly appoint­ed to a ​‘Bush Sta­tion’ (at Yuen­du­mu) by North­ern Ter­ri­to­ry Police.

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Valda Mae D'ANGRI

Also known as: Val, the flag lady

Hand made a repli­ca of the Eure­ka Flag that was orig­i­nal­ly made by her great great grand­moth­er (Anas­ta­sia With­ers) and destroyed dur­ing the upris­ing. Repli­ca used at 125^th Anniversary…

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Kathryn FINNIGAN

1971 — First woman to work in the Drug Squad in South Australia
1979 — First woman to become a Detec­tive Sergeant
1989 — First woman to be in charge of a Coun­try Region (Yorke…

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Louise Mary JENKINS

Born 1/2/1958

First female part­ner in the his­to­ry of the firm Arthur Robin­son & Hed­der­wicks (Solic­i­tors) (or their pre­de­ces­sor firms) 

Bach­e­lor of Arts, Bach­e­lor of Laws, Melbourne…

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Luna SOUTH

Also known as: née Everall

Carlene Faye KING

1994 — Elect­ed as the first female Dis­trict Gov­er­nor of Lions in Aus­tralia, serv­ing in that capac­i­ty 1994/1995.
First nation­al man­ag­er in Aus­tralia for Lions Youth and Community…

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Anna LICHTENBERG

Lec­tur­er in Infor­ma­tion Tech­nol­o­gy (IT) (now PhD and con­sul­tant at Curtin Uni­ver­si­ty. First woman involved in the IT depart­ment at the Com­mu­ni­ty Col­lege in Alice Springs, Northern…

Rene KULITJA

Born 12/12/1958

Also known as: Wanuny Kulitja

Rene Kulit­ja is the first Abo­rig­i­nal artist to have her art work paint­ed on a domes­tic Qan­tas air­craft. She designed the Yananyi Dream­ing for the Qan­tas Boe­ing 737. The Yananyi…

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Pippa TESSMAN

Born 1961

2006 — Win­ner North­ern Ter­ri­to­ry West­pac Busi­ness Own­er award.
2009 — Select­ed to rep­re­sent the North­ern Ter­ri­to­ry on the inau­gur­al Phys­io­ther­a­py Board of Australia.…