Women's Museum of Australia 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
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Natalie Rona MILLER
Natalie Miller became Australia’s first female independent film distributor and the Victorian Film Corporation’s first woman board member.
2001 — Awarded Medal of the Order… -
June Rosalie BAKER
Born 27 June 1937
The first and only WRANS Officer to attend Royal Naval Staff College in Greenwich, England — 1976 – 1977 -
The only WRANS officer to serve an exchange posting with the RN.
The… -
Tanya Mary MONRO
Born 1973
Winner of The Weekend Australian Magazine’s Next 100 Emerging Leaders in Science.
An award-winning Australian physicist known for her work in photonics.
Physicist.1995 -… -
Bertha Almerta LANDER
Born 21/9/1916, Died 16/5/2005
Also known as: Mertie, née Harrison
Central Australian pioneer.ca 1953 — While camped at Never Never, Northern Territory, the British dropped an atom bomb at Maralinga, South Australia, and the cloud engulfed the area.
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Ethel STEWART
Born 05/1907
Also known as: née Sinclair, Isa
Winner of the 1985 Australian Jack-Be-Nimble Championships (Knuckle Bone (Jacks) Champion).
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Louisa MacDONALD
Born 10/12/1858, Died 28/11/1949
The first female principal of the University of Sydney’s Women’s College from 1892 – 1919 (chosen from 65 applicants.), she was also the first woman to stand for this…
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Sesca Ross ZELLING
Born 18/4/1918, Died 21/11/2001
Also known as: née Anderson
Officer of the Order of the British Empire for service to women and community in South Australia.
1947 – 50 — Secretary Law Society of South Australia.1949 – 51 — President, Women… -
Mandy HARGREAVES
2008 — Northern Territory’s Volunteer of the Year, for her contribution to cycling.
2014 — Received NT Sports Volunteer of the Year.
2009 — Completed Level One Course,… -
June TUZEWSKI
Also known as: née Bozzini
2000 — Awarded Order of Australia for services to the welfare of women and families, The Brownies, and the Women’s Advisory Council.
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Monica Augustine HAINES
Born 1897, Died 1996
Also known as: née Minahan, Mona, Mona Minahan
1932 — First barmaid in Central Australia.
1959 – 60 — First woman to own a Hotel in Alice Springs, ‘The Riverside’ (now Todd Tavern).
Opened first dress shop in Alice Springs,… -
Mary READY
Born 1834, Died 06 April 1902
Also known as: née Hayes
First white woman in Mackay area of Queensland.
Pioneer of the Mackay area, Queensland. Wife of bullocky James READY. -
Ivy Lavinia WEBER
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… -
Eily Rosaline O'CONNOR
Born 19/2/1892, Died 10/1/1921
Also known as: Eileen
1913 — Founded, with Father McGrath, Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor. Opposition from church authorities threatened Father McGrath with expulsion from his order and Eileen with…
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Anne Isabella DARCY FOWLER
Born 24 July 1911, Died 13 June 2003
Also known as: née Darcy, Ann, Annie
Annie was one of the first female drovers, and it is believed that she and her brothers photos adorn the walls at Daly Waters Pub as chararcters of the Territory.
Annie was part of a… -
Diana Roselyn TRASK
Born 23/06/1940
Also known as: née Trask
1985 — First woman to sing at the Victorian Football League Grand Final.
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Isabella Mercia McDONAGH
Born 3/1/1899, Died 5/3/1982
Also known as: Isabel, Marie Lorraine (pen/professional name), Isobel Stewart (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,… -
Elizabeth Ellen HUDSON
Died 29 August 1986
Also known as: née Nicol
Written on the back of the drawing: Long-standing member, devoted worker.
“Elizabeth was known as ‘The Queen of the Barkly’ … They sold the Rankin store and moved to Alice Springs… -
Fanny Kate Boadicea COCKS
Born 5 May 1875, Died 20 August 1954
Also known as: Kate
South Australia’s first female probation officer for juvenile offenders in 1906. She was appointed to the South Australia Police Force with Annie Ross in 1915, the first police…
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Dawn Carolyn CROSBY
Born 29 April 1957
Also known as: née Hands, Lady Dawn Crosby
Only female director of Liberal Party in Australia currently and second female director of Liberal Party ever in Australia. Youngest ever Chair (30 years) of Woman’s Council of…
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Stella GREEN
Australian Headquarters for Girl Guides.
Also involved in World Ship Society, Navy League of Australia, and Freighter Travel Club of America. -
Fidelia Savage Thornton HILL
Born 14 August 1794, Died 1854
Also known as: née Munkhouse, Fidelia S. T. Hill
First woman to have a book of poetry published in Australia (1840 ‘Poems and Recollections of the Past’).
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Kate LYNCH
Born 1882
First all girl timber cutting team in Queensland.
In 1900 the Lynch family faced ruin when their cattle were wiped out by fever. Cornelius then taught his daughters the art… -
Metha GREGORY
Born 27 August 1886, Died 11 August 1958
Also known as: née Zimmerman, Meta, Matha
Pioneer of Alice Springs, Northern Territory and Oodnadatta, South Australia. Mother of HerStory entry Illma Gregory.
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Jane BELL
Born 16 March 1873, Died 6 August 1959
1920s — Appointed first tutor Sister and founded first Preliminary Training Course in Victoria. Matron of Royal Melbourne Hospital.
1934 — Established first post graduate nursing… -
Karen BROWN
2001 — Became first female to head the Finance Sector Union, and the youngest state secretary.
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Johanna Leigh GRIGGS
Born 17 October 1973
First woman to break the 30 second mark for 50 m in backstroke.
First woman to sole host an Olympic Games — Channel 7’s coverage of the XIX Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City,… -
Terry UNDERWOOD
Born 1/1/1948
Also known as: née Augustus
1997 — Northern Territory Telstra Business Woman of the Year award for business owner category.
Author of In the Middle of Nowhere and Riveren — My Home, My Country.
Began her… -
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…
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Mary Harriet GRIFFITH
Born 4 November 1849, Died 27 July 1930
Early pioneer in Uniting Congregational Church in Queensland.Harriett Griffith Memorial Door — YWCA Headquarters, Brisbane, Queensland and credited for “revitalising and overseeing its…
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Mary Paulena BLOOMFIELD
Born 20/07/1917, Died 9/05/1994
Also known as: née Hayes
Daughter of Ann Jane “Jane” Hayes.
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Anna DOIG
Born 4/05/1830, Died 11/09/1894
Also known as: née Moir
Pioneer of Beltana District, South Australia. Born in Scotland.
Founded non-denominational Sunday School (under Wesleyan Church).
Unofficial Doctor — laid out the dead.
Midwife,… -
Anastasia WITHERS
Born 1825, Died 19 May 1889
Also known as: née Splain
First woman on the Bendigo goldfield.
One of three women who made the Eureka flag which had first been flown as the standard of ‘The Ballarat Reform League’ on 29th… -
Jacqueline PAYNE
Also known as: Jacquie
Magistrate Jacqueline Payne was the first Indigenous woman to be admitted as a solicitor in Queensland. She worked in criminal defence for fourteen years: for the ATSI Corporation…
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Gina SMITH
First deputy chairwoman of the Central Land Council.
She and Rayleen BROWN founded Kungas Can Cook, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, an indigenous catering company.Ms SMITH… -
Sarah BROMLEY
1930s — Domestic, Alice Springs, Northern Territory.
Possibly originally from Oodnadatta, South Australia. -
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Mary Anna McMANUS
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… -
Christian Brynhild Ochiltree Jollie SMITH
Born 15/03/1885, Died 14/01/1963
Also known as: Christian Jollie Smith
1918 — First woman taxi-driver in Melbourne (under trade name “Pamela Brown”).
1912 — Admitted Solicitor by the Supreme Court of Victoria.1914 — Second woman to be… -
Eliza FORLONGE
Born 21 October 1784, Died 5 August 1859
Also known as: née Jack, Betty Jack, Eliza Forlong
Pioneered Saxon Merino Wool into Australia — firstly into Tasmania and finally into Victoria.
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Gwenifer Catherine May WILSON
Born October 1916, Died 31 October 1998
Also known as: Gwen
1946 — First woman to gain post graduate Australian Diploma of Anaesthesia, University of Sydney.
Historian to the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists. -
Rosemary RYALL
Also known as: Rose
First female medical scientist of Flinders Medical Centre to be promoted to professor.
She is the granddaughter of Dame Enid LYONS. -
Margaret CUNNEEN
Born 15 January 1959
Also known as: née Cunneen
1987 — First Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwon-Do
1975 — Queen’s Guide Award, guide, Beverly Hills, New South Wales.
1981 – 1986 — Industrial Advocate with Public Service Board… -
Eva BURROWS
Born 15/9/1929, Died 21/3/2015
Eva Burrows was the first Australian (and only second) woman world leader of the Salvation Army. Eva was also the youngest person ever elected to the office of General. She served…
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Mary REIBEY
Born 12 May 1777, Died 30 May 1855
Also known as: née Haydock, Molly, James Burrow, Mary Raby, Mary Raiby
1811 — First known successful Australian business woman.
Mary REIBEY’s image is displayed on the Australian $20 note. She was a former convict. -
Mavis Laurel FULLER
Born 16 October 1911, Died 1 August 1971
Also known as: née Baker
Pastoral pioneer.
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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,… -
Mary Helen MAC KILLOP
Born 15/1/1842, Died 8/8/1909
17 Oct 2010 — Australia’s first Catholic saint — Saint Mary MacKillop of the Cross — Canonized in Vatican City by Pope Benedict XVI.
2001 Victorian Honour Roll of Women.… -
José PETRICK
Born 14 February 1924
Also known as: née Tizard
Winner of the Chief Minister’s Women’s Achievement Award and the Alice Springs branch of Zonta International.
Woman of Achievement Award.
January 2000 — Awarded an Order of…