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

LAWRENCE, Marjorie Florence

Born 17/2/1907, Died 13/1/1979

1946 - Received the cross of the Légion d'honneur, France.
1976 - Appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Former singer who, after contracting…
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

WOOD, Rebecca

Also known as: Becky

First female in Northern Territory to train as a Telstra communications technician.
PETERSON, Gwen

Gwen became C.E.O. of Peterson Industries Pty. Ltd. after her husband Max passed away in 2002.
The Company had its beginnings in 1948, when it was set up in an old stone barn in a…
MCNAMEE, Lorna Jennie

First female “to qualify under the British Institute of Embalmers in Australia”. Prior to the funeral business, she had been a nurse in Adelaide and Darwin.”Her sister is the only lady…
BLACKWELL, Winifred Doris

Born 1/05/1891, Died 14/01/1983

Also known as: née Bradshaw, Doris

Wrote Alice On The Line.
STOTT DESPOJA, Natasha Jessica

Born 9/09/1969

Also known as: née Stott Despoja, Nat

2001 - Senator Australian Democrat Party. Youngest woman parliamentarian and youngest party leader in Australian history.
COSSON, Elizabeth

Born 1958

Elizabeth Cosson was the first woman to be promoted to the rank of Major General, making her the first Australian woman to reach “two-star” rank in the Australian Army. Prior to…
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…
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

SVENNSON-MCCOY, Ann

First female Torres Strait Islander to receive a BSc in Veterinary Biology.
COLE, Kelly

2000 - Kelly walked with camels (and with Mark Swindells for part of the journey) from Western Australia's most westerly point to New South Wales most easterly point.
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

PUNI, Puni

1939 - Aboriginal teenager who ran 80 miles to bring a rescue team to save a three year old boy (Ramon BROWN) from floods at Shirley Well, South 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

APPLEBY, June

1985 - First woman in South Australian Parliament to become Government Whip in House of Assembly A member of the Australian Labor Party, June Appleby was elected as the Member for…
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

ANTHONY, Julie Moncrieff

Born 24/08/1949

Also known as: née Lush

1980 – She was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
1983 - First woman patron of a Victorian football league club (Fitzroy VFL Club).
1989 - She was made a member…
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

FROST, Carole

One of two of the first female members of Rotary Clubs in the Northern Territory and South Australia. 1983 - Carol Frost awarded the Centralian Award of Young Citizen.
JACKSON, Frances

Also known as: nee Hyatt

1930 - First Tasmanian woman to become a pilot.
First woman to fly from Goulburn to Mascot and return. Born in 1908, as a teenager, Frances Hyatt lived with her family at Dunalley and…
PICKLES, Carolyn Ann

Born 2/05/1941

1989 - First Australian Labor Party woman to hold office of Government Whip in Legislative Council in South 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

SMITH, Wilhelmina

Born 1886, Died 24/06/1975

Also known as: Bill, Girlie, William

“Bill” Smith was Australia's first woman jockey.
MACARTHUR, Emily

Born 26/2/1806, Died 27/11/1880

Also known as: née Stone, E. M. Fecit, Amelia MacArthur, Amelia Stone, Emily Stone

Wife of James MacArthur (son of Elizabeth and John Macarthur). Continued work on “Camden Park” with husband.
Taught farm children (free and convict) at school established by William…
KUHN, Mary Jane Catherine/kathleen

Born 20 June 1896, Died 23/06/1966

Also known as: née Ross, Cookie, Kitty, Ma, Sandhill Gertie

Affectionately known as “Kitty,” “Ma,” and “Cookie” to the Aborigines.ca 1949-50 - First cook at Alice Springs Hospital and a (first) union representative. Community worker. Mother…
POWELL, Pearl Ruth

Born 14/12/1909, Died 2004

Also known as: née Price, formerly Bird

Daughter of Fred and Isobelle PRICE.Author of By Packhorse and Buggie with daughter Eileen McRAE. Fred PRICE was Telegraph Master at Old Telegraph Station, Alice Springs (1916-24).
FRANKLIN, Miles

Born 14/10/1879, Died 19/09/1954

Also known as: née Franklin, Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin, Brent of Bin Bin, Mr and Mrs Ogniblat L’Artsau

Wrote under the name of Miles FRANKLIN; author of “My Brilliant Career” (1901).
1948 - Established Miles Franklin Award for Australian Literature, which she provided for in her will. A…
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TAYLOR, Mabel Mary

Mabel Taylor, one of the Bradshaw's governesses, shocked the locals by wearing a divided skirt on horseback instead of riding side saddle as was customary for women in c1905.Doris…
ROLAND, Betty

Born 22/07/1903, Died 12/02/1996

Also known as: née Mary Isabel Maclean/McLean, Betty M. Davies, Mary Isabel Davies

Wrote her first play The Touch of Silk in 1928. Also known for her four volume autobiography. In 1951 she legally changed her name to Betty Roland.
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…
ALLPORT, Mary Morton

Born 17/5/1806, Died 10/6/1895

Also known as: Mary Morton Chapman (maiden name)

Mary Allport was Tasmania's first professional woman artist. She exhibited in local exhibitions and published lithographs. She advertised her professional services as a portrait…
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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BENNETT, Frances Emma

Born 1871, Died 1965

Also known as: née Lord

One of first landholders in Western New South Wales. Pioneer of Western New South Wales.1930s - Moved from New South Wales to Adelaide, South Australia. Bought Cobham, an 88 acre…
MAYO, Helen Mary

Born 1/10/1878, Died 13/11/1967

1914 - First woman elected to a university council in Australia (Council of the University of Adelaide). Held this position continuously for 46 years.
3 June 1935 - Appointed an…
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MUNRO, Jude

First woman Chief Executive Officer of two cities: Adelaide and Brisbane. Chief Executive of councils: Adelaide, Brisbane, Moreland, and St Kilda.2010 – Ms. Munro received the keys…
REIBEY, Mary

Born 12/05/1777, Died 30/05/1855

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.
MACPHERSON, Christina Rutherford

Born 19/06/1864, Died 27/03/1936

Also known as: McPherson

Christina McPherson played the zither/autoharp. Banjo Paterson heard her play her recollection of the Craigielee March she had heard at Warnambool. While Christina played, he wrote…
PRIOR, Margaret

Chief pilot of Western Australia.
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…
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WHITE, Ethel Rosina

Died 1926

Also known as: née Toms

1913 - Accompanied her husband on a camel expedition from Oodnadatta to Central Australia. Into The Dead Heart by Capt. S. A. White details this scientific expedition.
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O'KANE, Mary Josephine

Born 1954

1989-1993 - First Dean of Engineering, University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.
In October 1996 she was the first woman, and possibly the youngest, appointed…
LEARMONT, Jennifer Catherine

Head of Lookback Section, Red Cross, who discovered the reason some sufferers of non-virulent strain of AIDS virus did not develop into full blown AIDS. 1996 - She was appointed a…
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

TRUNDLE, Ailsa Merle

Born 9/08/1916, Died 26/04/2002

1940s - One of first female partners appointed in architecture in 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

BOOTH, Shirley

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…
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…
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KAY, Belinda

Born 1881, Died 1903

1895 - After her pioneer sheep station parents, a brother and sister were tragically drowned in a boating accident, Belinda (aged 13 1/2 years) looked after her remaining three sisters…
BISHOP, Bronwyn Kathleen

Born 19/10/1942

Also known as: nee Setright

Bronwyn Bishop was the first woman to be president of any political Party in New South Wales when elected President of the Liberal Party in NSW (1985); first woman from NSW to be…
KAHN, Ronni

Born 1952

Ronni revolutionised the food waste sector, delivering 13,300 meals each day to the homeless and hungry through her OzHarvest charity. Her work earned her the title of Australia's…
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

WARD, Susannah Matilda

Died 4/06/1862

Also known as: née Baldwin

1820 - Pioneer of early 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

STUBBS, Sheila

1940s - Pioneer of Hay and western New South Wales.1950s - Sawmiller, hotel worker, station hand, drover, horsewoman, kangaroo shooter/skinner, and shearer's cook.1960s - Charcoal…
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…
LOVELY, Louise Nellie

Born 28/2/1895, Died 19/3/1980

Also known as: née Alberti, Louise Alberti (maiden name), Louise Carbasse (stage name), Louise Cowan (married name), Louise Lovely (stage name), Louise Welch (former married name)

She is credited by film historians for being the first Australian actress to have a successful career in Hollywood. She made 55 motion pictures between 1911-1922, most in Hollywood…
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…
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

LOCH, Joice Mary

Born 24/1/1887, Died 8/10/1982

Also known as: née NanKivell

Australia's most decorated woman. 1920s - Helped 150,000 refugees escape Turkish persecution. Saved the village of Ouranoupolis from starvation by revitalising its rug industry…
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…
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

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…