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

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

ANDERSON, Selina Sarah Elizabeth

Born 12/5/1878, Died 30/11/1964

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…
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

WELLS, Catherine Amelia

Born 17/9/1868

Also known as: née Long, Kate

Kate was the first white woman to live at Alice Springs.
Drove the mail and passenger coach from Alice Springs to Oodnadatta when her husband was too drunk to drive.
MENUHIN, Hephzibah

Born 20/05/1920, Died 1/01/1981

She made her public debut at age 8 in San Francisco. She was her brother Yehudi’s accompanist as her parents rejected a career in music for her.
1933 - Their recording of Mozart’s…
BROWN, Marlene Jean

Born 1934

Also known as: nee Chaffer

In 1968, Marlene Brown became the first female alderman elected to the Town Management Board of Alice Springs (predecessor of Town Council) and served a second term with the board…
BAIN, Margaret Sterling

Born 1923, Died 14/03/2018

Pioneer Missionary who was insightful and successful in cross cultural communication, and community development in Finke/Aputula. She was greatly respected and trusted by the…
BARCLAY, Cora

Born 22/02/1923, Died 07/11/2009

Also known as: Cora Michalk

1969 Awarded the Order of the British Empire 1986 Life member of Australian Association of Teachers of the Deaf for services to the education of hearing impaired children. Cora Barclay…
ALLEN-BROWN, Lynne

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,…
BARAMBAH, Maroochy

Born c. 1950

Also known as: Yvette Isaacs (former name)

Maroochy Barambah is a distinguished Indigenous musician whose career since the 1970s has spanned the genres of jazz, rock, musical theatre and classical opera. She was the first…
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

PITCHER, Julia

Also known as: Dr Julia Pitcher

Neurophysiologist. She and her team's research was named among the top 10 health and medical research projects in Australia.
REID, Isabelle Bruce

Born 21/12/1883, Died 13/12/1945

Also known as: Belle, Isabel Bruce

1906 - First and only woman to graduate from the first veterinary school in Australia, W. T. Kendell's Melbourne Veterinary College. 1906-23 - Established her own practice in…
ROLTON, Karen Louise

Born 21/11/1974

2000 - First woman to play Men's Grade cricket in South Australia. Vice Captain Australian women's One Day Cricket team which won the World Cup in India in 1997.early 2018 -…
ROBINSON, Edith Frances

Born 24/09/1906, Died 7/10/2000

Also known as: Edie, Edie Payne

1928 - First woman to run for Australia in a track and field event (100 m) in the Olympics (Amsterdam, Holland). Prior to 1928, women were not permitted to compete in track and field…
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

SARA, Sally Jane

Born 2 March 1971

2000-2005 - First woman to be appointed ABC's Africa correspondent. 1999 - Won the John Douglas Pringle Award.2006 - Presenter of the ABC's Landline.2007 - Awarded the…
CHIKAROVSKI, Kerry

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

SOUTH, Luna

Also known as: née Everall
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

WELLS, Winifred Alison

1950-51: First woman to ride a motor bike (Royal Enfield Bullet 350) across Australia (Perth to Sydney and back).
BARKER, Joanna

Also known as: Jo

Jo Barker was the first Australian President of World Federation of Occupational Therapists (1986-1990); the first occupational therapist in Australia to be awarded a Ph.D. (1988); in…
PERKINS, Hetty

Born 1895, Died 8/12/1979

Also known as: Hetti

Pioneer of Central Australian pastoral leases.
At the Garden station, north-west of Arltunga, she worked on the property and helped to manage it.
In 1928 she went to the Jay Creek…
CANTY, Elaine

Elaine Canty is the first woman sports broadcaster on ABC Radio and Television in Victoria. She was the only woman in the ABC team covering the 1988 Olympics and, in 1992, was the…
ROFFEY, Chelsea

Born 1/08/1981

First woman to officiate (goal umpire) at an AFL Grand Final (2012). Practicing journalist and trained musician; recipient of a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2014.
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

KNGWARREYE, Emily Kame

Born 1910, Died 2/9/1996

In 1995, Emily became the first Indigenous woman artist to have a major retrospective. She was born in 1910 on Utopia Station where she worked as a stockman and became a senior figure…
JAMES, Eileen

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 in…
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

RICHARDSON, Joyce

1961 - First Policewoman (from South Australia) to be seconded to the Northern Territory Police to establish Women Police Section of the Northern Territory Police.
SMITH, Maria Ann

Born late 1799, Died 9/03/1870

Also known as: née Sherwood, Granny Smith

Woman orchardist (at Eastwood, Sydney, New South Wales) who produced the hybrid apple now known as “Granny Smith.”
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

MILLER, Michelle

2002 - LCDR (at the time) Michelle Miller was appointed the Commanding Officer of the patrol craft HMAS Dubbo. Mid-2007 - Commander Michele Miller assumed command of the Anzac class…
WRIGLEY, Joycelyn

Born 8/11/1918

Also known as: née Devoy, Joyce

First woman in New South Wales to apply and be granted a Lady Trainer's Licence (horse racing). Has competed in and won just about every type of horse riding competition.
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

SKOSS, Lucy

Born 1966

Also known as: née Lisle

First Northern Territory woman to win “Best Yarn Spinner” at Adelaide festival organised by Story Telling Guild of South Australia.
Winner of the first-time entrant award at the…
TATE, Pamela

2003 - First woman appointed Solicitor-General, Victoria.
BEACHLEY, Layne

Born 24/5/1972

Also known as: Tania Maris Gardner

Layne Beachley is regarded as the best female professional surfer in history. She was the first woman to win seven World Surfing Titles (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2006), six of…
MORRISON, Sibyl Enid Vera Munro

Born 18/08/1895, Died 29 December 1961

Also known as: née Gibbs

New South Wales' first woman barrister qualified in 1924 after graduating LL.B. from the University of Sydney's law school. As the only woman students in their year, both she…
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…
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

WOLFF, Erica Charlotte

Born 1916

1948 - First woman in Australia to gain a Ph.D., Melbourne University, Arts. In 1938 she migrated to Australia and became a citizen in 1944.1944 - Received Bachelor of Arts with…
STEPHENS, Merle

Died 12/01/1989

Written on the back of the drawing: Loyal member.
HENDERSON, Marie

Born 1891, Died 1955

Suffering from an hereditary form of deafness which deteriorated over the years, in 1945 the former Melbourne housewife was the first National Secretary and key figure in the…
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

TEUBNER, Jillian Kay

Born 19/10/1941, Died 12/11/2002

First female Woodville High School Student to gain a PhD.
First South Australian woman to gain a PhD in Organic Chemistry. Scientist and Medical Educator.
ZAMPATTI, Carla Maria

Born 19/5/1942

1965 - Produced her first collection.
Bulletin/Qantas Business Woman of the Year Award.
1987 - Member of the Order of Australia for service to fashion and manufacture.
1999 - First…
BIRD-WALTON, Nancy

Born 1915, Died 13/1/2009

In 1934, Nancy became Australia's first female pilot to fly commercially, when she was hired by the Far West Children’s Health Scheme to fly nurses round the Outback. At the…
ALLCHURCH, Elizabeth

Born 1881, Died 10/06/1969

Also known as: Bessie, née Williams

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

REIS, Dorothy Edna

Also known as: née Bishop

1928 - First Queensland woman to obtain a pilot's licence. She learned to
drive a car at the age of 12 years, being
one of the first woman motorists in
Queensland.
When little…
MCDONALD, Margaret

Born 1858, Died 27/8/1943

Also known as: née Lamb

Pioneer of White Cliffs, New South Wales; Broken Hill, New South Wales; and Normanton, Queensland.
MELBA, Nellie

Born 19/05/1861, Died 23/02/1931

Also known as: née Helen Porter Mitchell, Nellie, Dame Nellie Melba

Australia's greatest opera singer.
1911 - First Australian opera super star.
First Australian singer to be recorded on cylinder.
First performer in the world to have an opera…
ROSS, Annie

Also known as: SOUTHALL

December 1915 - One of two women appointed as South Australia's first women police constables. Annie and Kate COCKS founded the South Australia Women Police Branch, the first in…
FORREST, Helena Mabel Checkley

Born 6/03/1872, Died 18/03/1935

Also known as: née Mills, Mabel, Helena Mabel Mills, Mabel Burkinshaw, Reca

Civic poet of Queensland and state's unofficial Poet Laureate. 1925 - Her first book The Wild Moth was adapted by film maker Charles Chauvel in his first film The Moth of…
KIDMAN, Nicole Mary

Born 20/6/1967

Acclaimed Australian actress, winner of an Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf in the film The Hours (2002). In 2003, Kidman received a Star on the…
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.
WICKHAM, Tracey Lee

Born 24/11/1962

Also known as: Tiger

1978 - Wickham was the World Champion for the 400 m and 800 m freestyle.
1978 - Made a Member of the Order of the British Empire.
1978 and 1982 - Won gold in both events at the…
MILLER, Robin Elizabeth

Born 8/12/1940, Died 7/12/1975

Also known as: née Miller, The Sugarbird Lady

Robin was a nurse and a pilot. From 1967-69 she flew to many remote Aboriginal communities administering the Sabin polio vaccine on sugar cubes. The children called her “the sugarbird…
MARINAN, Mary

Born 1853, Died 1938

Also known as: née Ryan, Married name of MARRINAN later spelled MARINAN.

Pioneer in Cootamundra/Wallendbeen Districts, New South Wales.
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

TOVELL, Ada Isabel J.

Born 1865, Died 19/08/1932

Also known as: née Fenton

First woman to take the degree of M.A.C.D. at the Australian College of Dentistry at Melbourne Dental Hospital.
1900 - M.A.C.D.
1903 - L.D.S.
MCMANUS, Mary Anna

Born 7/2/1844, Died 22/7/1933

Also known as: née Spencer

First white child to live where Saint George is now situated. With her mother, they were the first white women to reside in Maranoa District, Roma Queensland. Wrote Reminiscences of…