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

JULL, Roberta Henrietta

Born 1872, Died 1961

Also known as: Roberta Ferguson-Stewart and Roberta Stewart

1897 - Western Australia's first woman doctor .
1897/8 - Foundation member of the British Medical Association, Western Australian Branch, Perth.
1918 - First medical Officer of…
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

STEPHENSON, Jan Lynn

Born 22/12/1951

The first woman golf professional to design golf courses. Posted 16 victories on the Women's Ladies Professional Golf Association tour.March 2018 - Awarded the Order of Australia…
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

DRUMMOND, Victoria

Australia's first woman Marine Engineer.
As a marine engineer, she was the first woman to receive Lloyd's war medal for bravery at sea.
1943 - The first woman in the British…
BRONHILL, June Mary

Born 26/06/1929, Died 24/01/2005

Also known as: née Gough

Australian National Opera and Sadler's Wells Opera Company Singer. Winner of Sydney Eisteddfod and Sun Aria Prize. 1949 came third in Sydney Eisteddfod behind Joan…
MIETHKE, Adelaide Laetitia

Born 8/06/1881, Died 4/02/1962

Also known as: Addie

1916 - She was the first woman vice-president of the South Australian Public School Teacher's Union.
1924 - Became the first female inspector of high schools.
1937 - Miethke was…
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

RUNTING, Susannah

Born 11/3/1842, Died 30/5/1933

Also known as: née Kidd

First white baby born in Geelong, Victoria. When she died, she was one of Victoria’s oldest Victoria-born residents. Her parents claimed that she was the second non-indigenous girl…
KUNOTH-MONKS, Rosalie Lynette

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…
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

MILNES, Elizabeth

Born 18/07/1911, Died 04/1999

Also known as: née Hayes, Lizzie

1911 & 1932 - First white woman to be both born and married in Alice Springs.
1972 - First woman to own a Northern Territory cattle station, which she owned for 35 years.
1999 -…
JACKSON, Margaret Anne

Born 17/3/1953

2000 - First woman Chairperson of Qantas (2000-2007).
First woman chairman of a top 50 publicly listed company in Australia.
Partner in KPMG's consulting division.
Director of BHP…
HOUGHTON, Jennie
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

LEHMANN, Caroline Wilhelmina

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.
BURGMANN, Meredith Anne

Born 26/7/1947

Also known as: Hon Dr Meredith Burgmann

Meredith Burgmann was the first woman President of the Academics Union of New South Wales. She was also the co-founder of the National Pay Equity Coalition (1988) and of the Ernie…
O'NEILL, Susan

Born 2/08/1973

Also known as: Susie, Madame Butterfly

Olympic Gold Medal Swimmer. Most successful Australian swimmer ever.36 Australian titles - 2 Olympic Gold and 4 Silver medals.Record 10 Commonwealth Games Gold Medals
BRAHAM, Loraine Margaret

Born 21/8/1938

Lorrain Braham was the first woman elected from Central Australia to the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory (1994) and the first woman Speaker in the Northern Territory. At…
LITCHFIELD, Ruby Beatrice

Born 5/9/1912, Died 14/8/2001

Also known as: née Skinner, Dame Ruby

First woman Board member of South Australia Housing Trust and Adelaide Festival and Centre Trust.
1932-1935 - South Australia's hard-court tennis champion.
1959 - Awarded Officer…
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

SHARP, Claudine

First Australian woman awarded Certificate of Marine Engineering Class I.
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

NAPANGARDI, Dorothy

Born 1958, Died 1/06/2013

Dorothy began painting in 1987. Her artist sister Eunice Napangardi introduced her to it.
1991 - Dorothy won the Best Painting in European Media and 8th Telstra National Aboriginal &…
SHAW, Barbara Catherine

Born 1952

A town camp activist. Briefed her agenda to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
BURGES, Ricky

Ricky Burges was the first woman to head the Perth Zoo, when she became the Zoo's chief executive officer between 1995-1998. In 1997, Ricky was the Western Australian…
ARMSTRONG, Gillian May

Born 18/12/1950

Gillian Armstrong is an award-winning Australian feature film and documentary director, whose films often feature female perspectives and protagonists. Gillian became the first woman…
BOHNING, Esther

Born 14/7/1879, Died 2/01/1952

Also known as: née Jenkins

First lady on Tennant Creek goldfields.
She, with her daughter Elsie, became known as “The Petticoat Drovers” and took the first mob of cattle between Alice Springs and Adelaide on the…
CARDONA, Elna Joy Cardona

Born 18/3/1956

Also known as: Joy Cardona

Joy Cardona is the first woman in Australian Rules to officiate a representative match. This was the Northern Territory versus Hawthorn in 1991, and she still has the score card! She…
GETHING, Margaret Helen

Born 20/12/1920, Died 16/07/2005

Also known as: née Gepp, Mardi

During World War II Mardi joined the Air Transport Auxiliary delivering different types of aircraft. The dangers were many. In the 1960s she returned to Australia and became the first…
BUTTROSE, Ita Clare

Born 17/1/1942

Acknowledged for her brilliant and groundbreaking media career, Ita Buttrose has also dedicated her considerable energy and skills to championing medical education and health care. Ita…
KONG, Marlene

1997-1998 - Marlene and her twin sister Marilyn were the first Indigenous women to graduate with a Bachelor of Medicine from the University of Sydney. 1993 - Inaugural winner of the…
LANGTON, Marcia Lynne

Born 31/10/1951

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,…
PEARLMAN, Mahla Liane

Born 2/06/1937, Died 2/12/2011

Also known as: Hon. Justice Mahla Pearlman

Mahla Pearlman was the first woman to become chief judge of any jurisdiction within the state of New South Wales. 1981-1982 - First woman President of Law Society of New South…
TANGNEY, Dorothy Margaret

Born 12/03/1907, Died 03/06/1985

Also known as: Dame Dorothy Tangney

1943 - First WA woman from the Australian Labor Party, along with Dame Enid Lyons of Tasmania (United Australian Party) to be elected to Parliament.
1943 - First Australian woman…
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

VINCENT, Mary Elizabeth

Born 1813, Died 1898

Pioneer of Wangaratta, Victoria.
MAYO, Lilian Daphne

Born 1/10/1895, Died 31/7/1982

Also known as: Daphne

1919 - First woman to be awarded the Rome Scholarship by the Royal Academy in London.
1927-30 - Carved the Brisbane City Hall tympanum.
1929-32 - Carved the Queensland Women's War…
APPEL, Kristen Alanna

Born 23/7/1964

First female national park ranger to be in charge of a national park/reserve in Australia (Arltunga) - August 1992.
NICHOLLS, Maude

Born 08/1902, Died 26/01/1999

Also known as: née Cooper, née Pepperill

Lived on Undoolya Station. Went to school at Ida Standley's Bungalow which was located in Parsons Street at that time.Husband was a road builder and builder of “Turkey Nest” dams…
HERBERT, Dorothy

Born 09/1922, Died 08/2014

Also known as: Dr Dorothy Herbert

Dorothy Herbert worked for the Royal Flying Doctor Service for 20 years attending outback clinics and emergencies. She was a wireless operator in the Women's Auxiliary…
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

WORMALD, Jeanette

Composer and singer. Debut tape “Male Bride,” 1994. Three Top Ten Hits from the album Opal Blue.Golden Guitar nominee 2007 for Opal Blue.South Australian Great Award winner.CMAA…
READY, Mary

Born 1834, Died 06/04/1902

Also known as: née Hayes

First white woman in Mackay area of Queensland. Pioneer of the Mackay area, Queensland. Wife of bullocky James READY.
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

SEAGER, Joyce Debenham

Born 20/09/1899, Died 7/09/1991

Also known as: née Tearne, Joy, Joyce Debenham HENNIKER

January 1925 - First woman doctor at Kingscote, on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. She was the sole medical practitioner, pharmacist, and dentist. 1945 - She was the only doctor in…
MITCHELL, Roma Flinders

Born 2/10/1913, Died 05/03/2000

1962 - First woman Queen’s Counsel in Australia.
1965 - First female Supreme Court judge in Australia.
1972 - First woman deputy chancellor of a university.
1981-82 – First human…
TATE, Pamela

2003 - First woman appointed Solicitor-General, Victoria.
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

HOLLOWS, Gabrielle Beryl

Born 21/05/1953

Also known as: Gabi, née O’Sullivan

With her first husband (deceased) Dr Fred Hollows, they treated Aboriginal Australians with a range of eye conditions. Over a period of three years, they visited over 465 remote…
ABLEY, Barbara

First woman Mayor of Geelong City Council, the first in this Victoria Council’s preceding 134-year history (2002). Barbara Abley was elected in March 2001 to the Council of the City…
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…
POLLOCK, Agnes Jean

Born 13/07/1909, Died 13/02/1996

Also known as: Jean

1952 - Founding Principal of 'Larnook 'Teacher Training College. Pioneered education for women.Trained in Domestic Arts (later known as Home Economics).
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

PASPALIS, Chrysamthi

Born 13/07/1913, Died 25/04/1995

Also known as: née Kailis, Chrissie, Chrissy

Received The Order of the British Empire - Officer (Civil) in 1976. Well-known in Darwin social circles. 1942 - Last woman to be evacuated from Darwin area after February bombing…
CRACKNELL, Ruth Winifred

Born 6/7/1925, Died 13/5/2002

Renowned actress of film, stage and television. Author of 'A Biased Memoir' and 'Journey From Venice'. Ruth was the first woman to be inducted into the Australian…
ROBERTS, Judith Mary

Born 17/12/1936

1978 - First Representative from South Australia to National Women's Advisory Council. 1980s - Appointed to the National Health and Medical Research Council and later became its…
KULITJA, Rene

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…
MAHOOD, Marie

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 Bush,” “Still…
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…
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

BARNES, Margaret

Also known as: Madge

1906 - One of first women to graduate in Dentistry from University of Sydney. 1910-1913 - Perhaps ran Australia's first joint female dental practice (with Annie Praed) 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

MEYERS, Dorothy Annie

Also known as: Anne

Annie Williams arrived in Alice Springs in the late 1890s. Here she married Charlie Meyers (aka Aaron Schunke), the local saddler. They had four children: Dorothy Annie, Herman…