National Pioneer Women’s Hall of Fame presents the

HerStory Archive

This is a collection of stories which tell of the achievements of over 1,500 pioneering women in various fields. We are proud that our HerStory Archive brings Australian women and their achievements to light, and we hope that you enjoy discovering these inspiring women.

This archive contains more information about some women than others. As a small, not-for-profit museum, our limited resources often prevent us from collecting as much information as we would like. The information we do have, however, brings Australian women and their achievements to light. If you have additional information on any woman who features in our Herstory Archive, please contribute it here.

HerStory Home

WATSON, Jessica

Born 1993

At 16 years of age, Jessica was unofficially the youngest person to sail non-stop, unassisted around the world, completing her trip in May 2010. In 2010, Jessica was awarded…
For various reasons, it has not been possible to include a photo with this Archive entry. If you’d like to come forward with photos, please see the Contribute page at the bottom left

PRINCE, Agnes Melda

Also known as: Melda

“Western Australia author and poet. … marrying Eric Prince. Together they took up five thousand acres of virgin land near Esperance in 1927.” Pioneer of Esperance and Mallee District…
LYNCH, Mary

Born 1880
For various reasons, it has not been possible to include a photo with this Archive entry. If you’d like to come forward with photos, please see the Contribute page at the bottom left

LAHY, Mary Patricia

Born 24/5/1928, Died 11/5/2004

1979 - Became Sydney University's first woman Dean of Arts.
1992 - She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, services to higher education. 1963 - Graduated with…
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ALLEN, Lynn

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…
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KOLBE, Anne

2003 - First female President of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Anne is a paediatric surgeon from Auckland, New Zealand. 2011-2016 - Served by Ministerial appointment as…
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MURPHY, Mary

A handful of European women accompanied their husbands to the mines. Mary Murphy, Betty O'Neil and F Sutherland signed a petition to get a polling booth there.
REDDY, Helen Maxine Lamond

Born 25/10/1941

First Australian to win a Grammy Award and have three hit in the same year. First female performer invited to sing in the People's Republic of China Singer and Lyricist of…
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SMITH, Wilhelmina

Born 1886, Died 24/06/1975

Also known as: Bill, Girlie, William

“Bill” Smith was Australia's first woman jockey.
UNDERDOWN, Daisy Fauthrope

Born 1883, Died 24/6/1963

Also known as: née Maloney

1933 - Pioneer and builder/owner of Hotel Alice Springs. 1902 - Arrived in Alice Springs from Oodnadatta to assist her sons with their general store “Underdown Bros.”
PRIOR, Marina

Born 18/10/1963

2006 - She was inducted into the list of Australia’s top 100 Entertainers of the Century. Opera singer and Australia's First Lady of musical theatre.
For various reasons, it has not been possible to include a photo with this Archive entry. If you’d like to come forward with photos, please see the Contribute page at the bottom left

WHITEHEAD, Mary

Born 2/11/1917, Died 1/03/2014

First female state president, Commonwealth Professional Officers Association.
MOSTYN, Samantha Joy

Also known as: Sam

2005 - First woman to be appointed as member of Australian Football League Commission. She began her career in law working for former high court judge Michael Kirby. After that she…
SPENCER, Mary Stuart

Born 15/05/1871, Died 19/04/1940

Also known as: née Huntly, Eleanor Huntly, Mary Stuart Cosens, Senora Spencer

1906 - First woman projectionist in Australia.
WOOD, Fiona Melanie

Born 2/02/1958

Also known as: née Wood

1992 - Established Perth, Western Australia, first human skin tissue culture laboratory.
In 2003, she was awarded The Order of Australia Member of the Order (AM) and the Australian…
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MCDOUGALL, Natalee Joy

Born 19/08/1976

Also known as: née McDougall

1998 - First woman pilot in the Royal Australian Navy.
SBLT. McDougall is the first woman to graduate as a pilot for the RAN in its 50 years of naval aviation.
1998 - First female Navy…
LINES, Mary

Mrs Lines, believed to be called Mary, lived with her husband on the Winnecke goldfields. The main entertainment consisted of evening sing-songs accompanied by a small portable organ.
BULLWINKEL, Vivian

Born 18/12/1915, Died 3/07/2000

First female Trustee of Australian War Memorial. 1947 - She received the Florence Nightingale Medal.
1973 - Ms Bullwinkel received a MBE 1974 - Vivian was presented the Order of…
MARTEL, Ellen Alma

Born 30/9/1855, Died 11/8/1940

Also known as: née Charleston, Nellie

1903 -First woman along with Vida Goldstein, Mary Ann Moore-Bentley and Selina Anderson , in Australia and British Empire, to stand for National Parliament (unsuccessful). Involved in…
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O'LOUGHLIN, Fiona

Born 16/07/1963

Also known as: née Taheny

First female stand-up comic to perform in Port Moresby. Won award for Best Newcomer at the Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2001.Two consecutive nominations for the Barry Award, 2007 &…
HAYES, Mary

Born 25/11/1838, Died 12/1933

Also known as: née Stratford

Mary Hayes, William and their children came to Central Australia in 1884, to work as fencing and dam sinking contractors on Mount Burrell and Owen Springs stations. Horse and bullock…
BLACK, Ollie

Ollie Black is the co-founder of the Wimmins Circus (Melbourne: 1979) and Vitalstatistix, (Adelaide: 1984 - later to become the National Women’s Theatre). Ollie Black has worked in…
STEENSON, Eileen

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 Guinea…
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SUTHERLAND, F

A handful of European women accompanied their husbands to the mines. Mary Murphy, Betty O'Neil and F Sutherland signed a petition to get a polling booth there.
For various reasons, it has not been possible to include a photo with this Archive entry. If you’d like to come forward with photos, please see the Contribute page at the bottom left

MCFEAT, Elsie Josephine

Born 30/11/1874, Died 14/02/1934

Also known as: née Conigrave

Governess to the Bradshaw children.
CHIKAROVSKI, Kerry

First woman to lead a major political party in New South Wales when elected Leader of the NSW Parliamentary Liberal Party (1998)
ALLSOP, Elizabeth

First woman to be elected to, and later President of, the Kaniva Shire Council, Victoria Pioneered the mechanical and driving of both 2 and 4 wheeled vehicles for women of the…
INKAMALA, Lillian

Born 1966

Artist Former health worker at Imanpa Health Clinic
Worked for two years as an Anangu education worker at the Imanpa Primary School
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TAYLOR, Florence Mary

Born 29/12/1879, Died 13/02/1969

Also known as: née Parsons

1909 - First known woman in Australia to pilot a heavier-than-air vehicle (similar to a hang glider). Took off from Narrabeen Beach near Sydney.
1920s - First Female Architect and Town…
WEBER, Ivy Lavinia

Born 7/6/1892, Died 6/3/1976

Also known as: née Filshie

1937 - President, League of Women Electors.
1937 - Candidate for the Legislative Assembly seat of Nunawading, State election and became the second woman to be elected to the Victorian…
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MAY, Sandra
For various reasons, it has not been possible to include a photo with this Archive entry. If you’d like to come forward with photos, please see the Contribute page at the bottom left

LETT, Phyllis Burgh

Born 1884, Died 1/6/1962

Also known as: née Lett, Phyllis Burgh Ker, Charlie, Pat, Mick, Pete

Lived on Wyaldra Station (Julia Creek) and Tweedsmuir (at Richmond, North Queensland).World famous Contralto.
GREGSON, Catherine Grace

Born 19/06/1914, Died 10/07/2007

Also known as: née Gregson, Catherine MacLean

1937 - One of the early women to drive around Australia. Catherine's daughter, Margaret, gave us a compilation of information. This included copies of a number of photos from…
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ROEDIGER, Beverley Faye

1970 - First woman to gain her commercial pilot licence in Papua New Guinea.
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WITT, Edith Miriel

Born 11/10/1905, Died 19/11/2005

Also known as: Miriel

1943 - First woman pharmacist to become a “Pharmacy Academic” in Victoria. 1926 - Graduated Victorian College of Pharmacy.1927 - Registered as a qualified pharmacist.1934 - Joined the…
COTTEE, Kay

Born 25/1/1954

1987-1988 - First woman to sail solo and nonstop around the globe. In 1988, Kay Cottee received the Australian of the Year Award. 1989, Cottee was appointed an Officer of the Order of…
PRAED, Rosa Caroline

Born 27/03/1851, Died 10 April 1935

Also known as: née Murray-Prior, Mrs Campbell Praed

First Australian-born novelist to achieve a significant international reputation. Rosa PRAED's stepmother was Nora Murray-Prior (née BARTON), Banjo PATERSON'S aunt…
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ROMARO, Cherie

Born 1950

Cherie was the first female radio music programmer, program director and radio network general manager in Australia. Featured in the book Women of Power (1990).
TOOLE, Patricia Lyle

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…
CURRIE, Anne Nicole

Born 13/7/1970

Also known as: Anne Brunell (married name)

Youngest athlete to win an Olympic Medal (aged 13). Paralympian. Captain of Barcelona Paralympic Swim Team.
Has won over 100 Gold Medals. 1992 - Barcelona Games, won three gold…
VANDERLAAN, Kate

1980 - First police woman motorcyclist in Australia.
First police woman to be a Superintendent in the Northern Territory. 1978 - Joined NT police as a constable.Bachelor of Laws,…
MOTTRAM, Elina Emily

Born 1903, Died 1996

Queensland's longest practicing female architect was also the first to establish her own business in this State. She opened an office in Brisbane in 1924, and two years later…
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RIDE, Susan

Also known as: née Higgins

1966 - Leader of Australia's first all Aboriginal Brownie pack.
Centralian of the Year with Sister Eileen HEATH.
1986 - Presented with Banksia Award for service to Guiding in…
ARCHER, Robyn

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…
THORNTON, Sigrid

Born 12/02/1959

2002 - Centenary Medal for acting and service to the media. 2002 - Board member for Film Victoria. 2007 - Member of Malthouse Theater board.
2000 - Silver Logie, most outstanding…
BANNER, Ruth

Born 3/1931

Also known as: Desy

Ruth Banner was the first woman to train a Coolgardie Cup winner (2002) since this prestigious Western Australian horse race was first established in 1896 (Desy’s horse Lawmaker also…
MCBURNEY, Mona Margaret

Born 29/7/1862, Died 4/12/1932

1896 - became the fourth Bachelor of music graduate, and the first such woman graduate from an Australian university.
1926 - First woman to have her opera The Dalmatian performed in…
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PROBIN, Bridget

Born 30/10/1918, 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…
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WESTAWAY, Rachel
For various reasons, it has not been possible to include a photo with this Archive entry. If you’d like to come forward with photos, please see the Contribute page at the bottom left

BARTLETT, Faye

One of the first women police in the Northern Territory. All commenced their recruit training (with a number of men) in February 1961, and the course “passed out” on 10 April 1961. All…