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

BANDLER, Faith

Born 27/09/1920, Died 13/02/2015

Also known as: Ida Lessing Faith Mussing

1976 appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire but declined1984 appointed Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of service to Aboriginal welfare1994 awarded an…
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

O'SHEA, Catherine

Also known as: née O’Keeffe

1918- Ran a boarding house at Emungalen (near Katherine, Northern Territory).
1927 - She and husband (Tim) built and ran The Railway Hotel in Katherine, Northern Territory.
1929 -…
BLOOMFIELD, Lillian Myrtle

Born 1916, Died 2005

Also known as: née Kunoth, Lil, Lillian

Daughter of Central Australia pioneers Harry and Caroline Kunoth of Oodnadatta.
Pioneer of Central Australia.
Pastoralist Loves Creek Station. Written on the back of the Chooks…
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…
WILLOUGHBY, Sarah Friend

Born 3/8/1861, Died 25/7/1923

Also known as: née Skinner

Pioneer of Mallee District, Victoria. The family spent the first year at Tyntynder Homestead. While the government promised “all the water you wanted,” their home was “4 miles from…
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

SERESE, Sophie

“At 24 Sophie Serese, a Banyule local, lives and breathes music. Sophie has completed twelve full scale operas, founded the Australian Youth Opera, and even studied Musical Composition…
TEMPLETON, Janet

Born 1785, Died 1857

Pioneer in the wool industry. Sister-in-law to Eliza FORLONGE.
After her husband’s death in 1829, “Janet Janet decided to emigrate to Australia. … She chartered the Czar and,…
VERSTAK, Tania

Also known as: née Verstak

1962 - First and only Australian to win Miss International Beauty competition. 1962 - Crowned Miss New South Wales.1962 - Crowned Miss Australia.
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…
RYAN, Susan Maree

Born 10/10/1942

1975-1988 - First first Labor Senator for the Australian Capital Territory.
1990 - Appointed Officer of the Order of Australia for her contribution to parliament. In the Hawke…
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ROSE, Carmel Mary

Born 1923, Died 13/10/1996

Also known as: née Kerrison

Widow of Colonel Lionel Rose, Chief Veterinarian Officer for the Animal Industry Branch. Her contribution to Emergency Home Help Organisation was invaluable.
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

WOODS-HAYES, Elsie

Born 1918, Died 02/2008

One of the original residents of the “cottages” in the Gap area of Alice Springs.
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

WEBB, Hilary Joy

Also known as: Joy

Stella was an Allowera (Allyawarr) woman, Jane Webb's trusted Allyawarr Aboriginal friend, who lived at Mount Riddock Station with the Webb family for eighteen years.She helped…
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

LEVAI, Amy

Born 1930, Died 29/3/2013

Also known as: née O’Donoghue

First Indigenous teacher in South Australia.
1989 - Awarded NAIDOC Aboriginal of the Year; 1998 NAIDOC Aboriginal Elder of the Year.
2010 – Received award for Outstanding Service…
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

MORTON, Catherine

1945 - Writer of short stories for magazines while living on Ammaroo Station where her husband was manager.
PURVIS, Adele Viola

A pastoral matriach from Woodgreen Station, Adele was the first person to donate a box of papers to the Alice Springs office of the Northern Territory Archives when it opened in 2003…
PRICE, Joyce Ethel

Born 8/11/1915, Died 19/08/2009

Also known as: née Brooke

1956 - Lifetime devotion to Girl Guides as District and Division Commissioners in South Australia. She served as: 1963–1968 - State Commissioner of Victoria. 1968–1973 - Chief…
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

LAWTON, Margaret Doreen

Born 18/4/1923, Died 18/5/2002

Also known as: Peg, Peggy, Peg Gooden

1998 - Awarded Order of Australia in Australia Day Honours List, community service to the Flinders Medical Centre Volunteer Service. 22 years volunteering at Flinders Medical Centre,…
KERR, Lottie

Born 13/8/1885, Died 16/11/1957

Also known as: née Hill

Established Delny Station in Central Australia, with her husband Alexander Kerr. Lottie Hill grew up in a family of 12 children and a 13th adopted child. After the death of her…
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CHILD, Gloria Joan Liles

Born 1921

Also known as: Joan

First woman Australian Labor Party (ALP) member in the House of Representatives (1974); Australia's first woman Speaker of either House of the Federal Parliament (House of…
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KALENIK, Nancy

Part of pioneering Aboriginal family of Manangoora Station, near Borroloola. Married to a Yugoslavian fisherman who fishes the Gulf.
Nancy Kalenik features in Melissa McCord's…
DEHN, Carol

Carol is a captain for Qantas Link based in Melbourne. She has won many Australian Women Pilots Association trophies. One of her most satisfying jobs has been flying for the Air…
LITTLEJOHN, Ellen Dorothy

Also known as: née Small

1926 - One of two nursing sisters of the Australian Inland Mission appointed to Adelaide House Hospital, Alice Springs, Northern Territory.
SLEE, Caroline Poolmann

Born 2/06/1861, Died 15/11/1916

Also known as: née Rebbeck, Nurse Slee

Pioneer nurse and midwife at Broken Hill, 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

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…
JACKSON, Lauren Elizabeth

Born 11/5/1981

Also known as: Jacko, LJ, Loz

Regarded as Australia's greatest ever female basketball player. Led the team to four Olympic silver medals. Chosen to carry the Australian flag in the 2012 Olympics. 2000 - Silver…
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BENSTEAD, Lucelle Stuart

Born 5/02/1891, Died 1983

Also known as: née Benstead, Lulu, Lucille

Tryphena had three children including Lucelle (Lulu) who is claimed to be the first white child born within Central MacDonnell Ranges in the town of Alice Springs (in 1891) and who…
JONES, Rae Rose

Born 9/12/1932, Died 14/7/2010

Squash champion. Played in every Masters Games since 1986. Won gold every year except in 1988, when she won silver.
Safely delivered twins on a ship via radio. Midwife, Alice Springs…
HARLAND, Enid

Also known as: née Batchelor

Enid Harland has been a tireless worker for over twenty years, working with families of prisoners in Alice Springs and helping prisoners stay connected to their families. She…
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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…
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KIRK, Maria Elizabeth

Born 9/12/1855, Died 14/1/1928

Also known as: née Sutton, Marie

Maria Kirk was the founder of the Women's Christian Temperance Union in Australia (in 1887). She held numerous executive positions in the organisation. Maria supported and worked…
BANDT, Rosalie Edith

Born 18/8/1951

Also known as: Ros Bandt

Ros Bandt is an internationally acclaimed sound artist, composer, researcher and performer and has been described as one of the most individual presences in Australian music. Since…
PRIOR, Margaret

Chief pilot of Western 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

RATHBORNE, Jill

2000 - One of two first female research scientists to work at the South Pole in a University of New South Wales led expedition.
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

MCGOWAN, Emily Louisa

Also known as: nee Roberts
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

DEMPSTER, Edith Ellen

Born 31/01/1884, Died 28/05/1967

Also known as: née McLellan, E. E.

Pioneer on cattle stations in South Australia and Northern Territory.Top End pioneers and South Australian pioneers.Pioneer pastoralist on Victoria River Downs.
MITTELHEUSER, Margaret Helen

Born 25/07/1931, Died 27/12/2013

1964 - First woman stockbroker in Australia and almost certainly the world. 1952 - Received Bachelor of Commerce degree, University of Queensland.1952 - She joined the firm Corser…
KELLY, Jacqueline Marie

Born 18/2/1964

Also known as: Jackie

2000 - First serving Federal Minister to give birth while in office. Bachelor of Law, University of Queensland.
1996 - Entered Parliament.1998 - She was elected MHR (Lib) for Lindsay,…
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MORGAN, Lorraine

1991 - First woman to join Lions Club in Tennant Creek, Northern Territory.
First woman to join Lions Club of MacDonnell at Alice Springs, Northern Territory.
1999 - First woman to be…
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BRADSHAW, Edna Almurta
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…
, Amboora

Amboora worked for the Bradshaw family at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station as a housemaid.
RUBINSTEIN, Helena

Born 25/12/1872, Died 1/04/1965

Also known as: née Chaja Rubinstein, Madame Helena Rubinstein, Princess Gourielli

Head of global cosmetics empire. Rags to riches story - born in Poland and migrated to Australia. Became waitress in Melbourne before experimenting with sheep wool oil as base for…
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O'BRIEN, Dorothy

Born 29/11/1923, Died 2004

Twin sister of Moyia O'BRIEN who, together, were pioneer Occupational Therapists in Queensland. Their legacy to Queensland “The Sunshine Welfare and Remedial…
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VINCENT, Mary Elizabeth

Born 1813, Died 1898

Pioneer of Wangaratta, Victoria.
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RYAN, Ada Eliza

Born 1844

Also known as: née Smith

First woman into the Cape River Diggings (goldfields) of North Queensland. Known as a bullock team owner/driver, publican, hotel keeper, grazier, innkeeper, store owner/keeper. Owned…
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…
TATE, Pamela

2003 - First woman appointed Solicitor-General, Victoria.
NECK, Dorothy Annie

Born 1898

Also known as: née Meyers, Anne

Daughter of Charlie and Annie née Williams Meyers.Dorothy attended Muirden College, Adelaide, South Australia. ”Later she joined the staff of Charles Moore, then the biggest…
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GOLDING, Annie Mackenzie

Born 10/03/1857, Died 28/12/1934

Lobbied for equal pay, female education, removal of sex barrier in employment (e.g., appointment of women as JPs and police officers). In 1909, wrote a paper entitled “The Industrial…