NAME
|
FIRST
|
FIELD/S
|
| Hilda
May ABBA |
First
woman in Australia to be ordained as a Theological Lecturer,
at Pitt Street Congregational Church, Sydney (1951) |
RELIGION
EDUCATION
|
| Barbara
ABLEY |
First
woman Mayor of Geelong City Council, the first in this Victorian
Council’s preceding 134-year history (2002) |
POLITICS
|
| Shirley
ADKINS |
First
woman President of the Royal Aero Club of WA; first woman President
of the Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia (1989); first
woman awarded the Oswald Watt Medal, Australia’s highest
aviation award |
AVIATION
|
| Stephanie
ALEXANDER |
Pioneering
food writer, first woman to own and manage a world-class restaurant
in Australia (Stephanie’s Restaurant: 1976-1997); initiated
innovative primary school program, The Kitchen Garden at Collingwood
College, Melbourne (2001) www.stephaniealexander.com.au |
GASTRONOMY
|
| Denise
ALLEN |
Several
firsts as woman in observer ranks of Bureau of Meteorology (BOM):
first woman observer posted to QLD region (1983); first woman
posted to Willis Island (1984); first woman for BOM to winter
on Antarctic Continent (1986); first woman to obtain Senior
Observer position in BOM (1988); 1 of 2 first women (with medical
officer Lynn WILLIAMS: also listed here) awarded prestigious
Antarctic Medal for outstanding service in the Antarctic (1989);
first woman ever to complete winter postings at all 4 Australian
Antarctic bases (Macquarie: 1985; Mawson: 1986; Davis: 1988;
Casey: 1992) |
SCIENCE
|
| Lynn
ALLEN |
First
woman State Librarian in WA in its then 107year-old history
(1989) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Lynne
ALLEN-BROWN |
First
woman Chief Superintendent of St John Ambulance Australia (National
office: 1992-98) |
COMMUNITY
SERVICE
|
| Brit
ANDRESEN |
First
woman awarded Royal Australian Institute of Architects’
Gold Medal in its then 42 year-old history (2002), in recognition
of her outstanding achievements as an academic and design architect
over a sustained period in Australia and overseas |
ARCHITECTURE
|
| Kim
ANSON |
First
woman General Manager appointed at Waverley Council, NSW in
its then 141 year-old history (2001) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Kristen
APPEL |
Leader
of 3-women team of NT Park Rangers in charge of Arltunga Historical
Reserve, in East MacDonnell Ranges, Central Australia - believed
first Australian park solely staffed by female officers (1994) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Robyn
ARCHER |
First
woman in Australia to direct a major State Festival of the Arts
(Adelaide: 1998 & 2000) |
MUSIC
PERFORMING ARTS
|
| Gillian
ARMSTRONG |
First
woman film director in Australia since 1930s (My Brilliant Career:
1979); first Australian woman to direct Hollywood movie (Mr
Soffel: 1985) |
FILM
INDUSTRY
|
| Betty
ARNEY |
1
of first 10 women ordained to priesthood in the Anglican Church
in Australia (Perth: Sunday 7 March 1992) |
RELIGION
|
| Rosemary
ARNOLD |
Australia’s
first female commercial helicopter pilot (1967) |
AVIATION
|
| Allana
ARNOT |
First
woman to fly a helicopter around Australia’s coastline
(1997) |
AVIATION
|
| Maisie
AUSTIN |
First
woman in NT to become Associate of the Australian Insurance
Institute (1977); first woman President of Darwin Basketball
Association (1984); first NT woman nationally accredited Level
2 Basketball Coach (1993); first woman President of NT Basketball
Association (1995) |
BUSINESS
SPORT
|
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to top |
|
|
| Kareena
BALLARD |
First
woman President of the Real Estate Institute of WA (the real
estate sector’s professional body) in its 80-year history
(1996-1998) |
BUSINESS
|
| Joy
BALUCH |
First
female Mayor of Port Augusta City Council, South Australia (1981) |
POLITICS
|
| Ros
BANDT |
First
woman in Australia to win the Don Banks Composers Award (1990) |
MUSIC
|
| Ruth
“Desy” BANNER |
First
woman to train a Coolgardie Cup winner (2002) since this prestigious
WA horse race was first established in 1896 (Desy’s horse
Lawmaker also won the Triple Crown (Coolgardie, Boulder and
Kalgoorlie Cups) that year) |
SPORT
|
| Maroochy
BARAMBAH |
First
Australian Aborigine drama graduate (1979); first Aborigine
to perform professionally on the Australian operatic stage (Black
River: 1989); co-lead in first Aboriginal musical (Bran Nue
Dae: 1990); first Aborigine to sing national anthem at Sydney’s
Australia Day celebrations (1993); first Australian singer to
perform at UN Goodwill Concert (New York: 1993); first Aborigine
to sing national anthem at AFL Grand Final (1993) www.dakibudtcha.com.au |
MUSIC
PERFORMING ARTS
|
| Jo
BARKER |
First
Australian President of World Federation of Occupational Therapists
(1986-1990); first occupational therapist in Australia to be
awarded PhD (1988); first woman Board member of Perth’s
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (1983) |
MEDICINE
|
| Marie
BASHIR |
First
woman Governor of NSW (2001) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Gracia
BAYLOR |
First
woman President of Shire of Healesville, VIC (1978) during 12
year stint as municipal councillor; first woman MP sworn into
VIC Legislative Council (1979-1985) |
POLITICS
|
| Layne
BEACHLEY |
First
woman to win 5 world surfing titles, statistically the greatest
woman surfer in surfing history (2002). [Received 6th world
title in 2003] |
SPORT
|
| Mary
BEASLEY |
Australia’s
first woman Ombudsman (SA: 1985); first woman Board member of
Qantas (1983-85) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Beryl
BEAUREPAIRE |
First
Convenor of National Women’s Advisory Council, lobby group
of women’s organizations (1978) |
ACTIVISM
|
| Helen
BEH |
First
woman Senior Lecturer in Psychology (1972-88); professorial
head Dept of Psychology (1989-92); associate Dean, Faculty of
Science (1989-92); pro Dean, Faculty of Science (1993-94) all
at the University of Sydney; foundation President of the Australian
Society of Psychophysiologists |
EDUCATION
SCIENCE
|
| Isobel
BENNETT |
Renowned
marine biologist, best known for pioneering work on the Great
Barrier Reef; 1 of first 4 women scientists to visit an Australian
Antarctic base (Macquarie Island: 1959) |
SCIENCE
|
| Roxxy
BENT |
Co-founder
(with Margie Fischer and Ollie Black) of Vitalstatistix (Adelaide:
1984), later becoming the National Women’s Theatre |
PERFORMING
ARTS
|
| Marcela
BILEK |
First
woman Professor of Applied Physics at University of Sydney (2000)
|
EDUCATION
SCIENCE
|
| Nancy-BIRD
WALTON |
First
woman engaged in commercial aviation in Australia when employed
by Far West Children’s Health Scheme to operate her aircraft
as an Aerial Ambulance & Baby Clinic, west of Bourke in
outback NSW (1935). Aged 19, the youngest female commercial
pilot in the British Empire at that time |
AVIATION
|
| Bronwyn
BISHOP |
First
woman to be president of any political Party in NSW when elected
President of the Liberal Party in NSW (1985); first woman from
NSW to be elected to the Senate (1987); first woman from Liberal
Party to be elected to the House of Representatives from NSW
(1994); frist woman from Liberal Party in NSW to become a Federal
Minister (1996); first women in Australia to service in the
Senate, the House of Representatives and as a Minister |
POLITICS
|
Hope
BLACK
(formerly MacPHERSON) |
First
woman curator (of Molluscs) at the Museum of Victoria (1947);
1 of first 4 women scientists, to visit an Australian Antarctic
base (Macquarie Island: 1959) |
SCIENCE
|
| Ollie
BLACK |
Co-founder
of the Wimmins Circus (Melbourne: 1979) and Vitalstatistix,
(Adelaide: 1984 - later to become the National Women’s
Theatre) |
PERFORMING
ARTS
|
| Pamela
BONE |
The
Melbourne Age’s first woman leader writer and first woman
Associate Editor |
MEDIA
|
| Maria
BORDONI |
First
woman governor of a maximum security men’s prison in Australia
(appointed General Manager of Yatala Labour Prison, SA: 1996) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Julie
BOYD |
First
woman Mayor of Mackay City Council, QLD (1997) |
POLITICS
|
| Sue
BOYD |
First
woman President of University of WA’s Guild of Undergraduates
(1969), possibly first woman to head a student body at any Australian
University |
EDUCATION
|
| Raelene
BOYLE |
First
woman on the Australian Olympic team to head up and carry the
Australian flag at an opening ceremony (Montreal: 1976); also
youngest Australian athlete ever to win an Olympic medal (aged
16, silver, 200m, Mexico: 1968) |
SPORT
|
| Loraine
BRAHAM |
First
woman elected from Central Australia to Legislative Assembly
of NT (1994); first woman Speaker in the NT (1997) |
POLITICS
|
| Catherine
BRANSON |
Australia’s
first female Crown Solicitor when appointed head of SA’s
Attorney-General’s department (1984); first woman to be
appointed a Permanent Head in the SA Public Service |
LAW
PUBLIC SERVICE
|
| Sarina
BRATTON |
First
woman founder and CEO of a cruise line anywhere in the world
(1999) when launched her Sydney-based Norwegian Capricorn Line |
BUSINESS
|
| Marlene
BROWN |
First
woman Alderman elected to Alice Springs Town Council in Central
Australia (1971) |
POLITICS
|
| Helen
BROWNLEE |
First
Australian woman to gain international status in canoeing when
selected to judge slalom at the Munich Olympics (1972); first
woman President of Australian Canoeing (1985) and the NSW Olympic
Council (1990); first woman on International Canoe Federation
(ICF) Technical Committee for Canoe Slalom (1976) ICF Board
of Directors (1988) and the Australian Olympic Committee Executive
Board (1991) |
SPORT
|
| Lexia
BRYANT |
First
woman President of the Australian College of Rural and Remote
Medicine (1999); Chair of the Women in Rural Practice group
which developed the policy on women as rural doctors for the
College’s foundation documents (1996-7) |
MEDICINE
|
| Quentin
BRYCE |
1
of first women called to the Bar in QLD (1965) |
LAW
|
| Susan
BUCHANAN |
First
woman head of the United Dental Hospital, Sydney (Director of
Dental Services: 1999) |
MEDICINE
|
| Ricky
BURGES |
First
woman to head Perth Zoo (CEO : 1995) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Meredith
BURGMANN |
First
woman President of Academics Union of NSW (1985); co-founder
National Pay Equity Coalition (1988); co-founder Ernie Awards
for sexist remarks (1992) |
EDUCATION
UNION
ACTIVISM
|
| Marie
BURKE |
see
Marie SINGLE |
|
| Sharan
BURROW |
First
woman President of the International Confederation of Free Trade
Unions Asia Pacific Region (2000) |
UNION
|
| Eva
BURROWS |
First
Australian (and only second) woman world leader of the Salvation
Army (1986-1993) |
RELIGION
|
| Ita
BUTTROSE |
First
woman editor-in-chief of a major daily newspaper (Sydney Daily
& Sunday Telegraphs: 1980); first woman Board member of
Rupert Murdoch’s News Ltd Australia |
MEDIA
|
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to top |
|
|
| Joan
CAIRNS |
First
woman registered with the Australian Society of Anaesthetic
& Operating Theatre Technicians (1975), she joined the Operating
Theatre team at Alice Springs Hospital |
MEDICINE
|
| Helen
CALDICOTT |
Founder
of Women’s Action for Nuclear Disarmament (1980) |
ENVIRONMENT/
CONSERVATION
ACTIVISM
|
| Elaine
CANTY |
First
woman sports broadcaster on ABC Radio and Television in VIC;
first woman appointed to the AFL Tribunal (1996) |
MEDIA
SPORT
|
| Joy
CARDONA |
First
woman Aboriginal umpire to officiate more than 100 AFL games
in the NT, she has been involved over the years in NT basketball,
hockey, softball and cycling, being presented with a Special
Contribution to Indigenous Sport (female) award at the 6th National
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sports Awards (Perth:
1996) |
SPORT
|
| Kate
CARNELL |
First
Liberal Party woman to head an Australian State or Territory
Parliament (elected Chief Minister of the ACT: 1995) |
POLITICS
|
| Jennifer
CASHMORE |
First
woman Minister of Health in SA Parliament (1979) |
POLITICS
|
| Tricia
CASWELL |
First
woman Executive Director of the Australian Conservation Foundation
(1992-95); first woman General Secretary of the Technical Teachers
Union of Victoria (1979-1992); first woman full-time industrial
officer Victorian Trades Hall Council (1984-92) |
ENVIRONMENT/
CONSERVATION
UNION
|
| Suzanne
CAVANAGH |
First
woman President of Country Liberal Party (CLP) in NT (1994-2001) |
POLITICS
|
Evonne
CAWLEY
(formerly GOOLAGONG) |
First
Aboriginal woman to win the prestigious Wimbledon tennis singles
title (1971) |
SPORT
|
| Irene
CHATFIELD |
First
woman awarded the AFL’s inaugural Woman of the Year (1998) |
SPORT
|
| Kerry
CHIKAROVSKI |
First
woman to lead a major political party in NSW when elected Leader
of the NSW Parliamentary Liberal Party (1998) |
POLITICS
|
| Joan
CHILD |
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 Representatives: 1986) |
POLITICS
|
| Elizabeth
CHIPMAN |
1
of 3 Australian women (with Shelagh Robinson and Jutta Hosel)
first on the Antarctic continent with ANARE - Australian National
Antarctic Research Expeditions (Casey: summer 1975-6); first
woman member of the ANARE Club |
SCIENCE
|
| M.E.
(Peg) CHRISTIAN |
First
veterinarian to establish private small animal practice in NT
(Alice Springs: 1948-1951); co-pioneered Wombaroo, replacement
milk formula for orphaned marsupials |
SCIENCE
|
Meredith
CHROME
(now ROODENRYS) |
First
woman President of the Local Government Association of SA (1982) |
POLITICS
|
| Joan
CLARING BOULD |
First
full-time female student at SA’s St Barnabas’ Theological
College, Belair; first Anglican woman to receive Bachelor of
Theology degree from Flinders University, Adelaide; first woman
ordained deacon in SA (1987) |
RELIGION
|
| Doreen
CLARK |
First
woman National President of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute
(1994) |
SCIENCE
|
| Molly
CLARK |
Founder
of the National Pioneer Women’s Hall of Fame, Alice Springs
(1993), dedicated to preserving the place of women in history
and their special contribution to Australia’s heritage;
pioneered homestay operation at her Old Andado homestead, Central
Australia, a first for tourism in the NT (from late 1960s) |
RURAL
|
| Adrienne
CLARKE |
First
woman Chair of CSIRO Board (1991-1996); first scientist appointed
to prestigious post of Lieutenant Governor of VIC (1997-2000) |
SCIENCE
|
| Phynea
CLARKE |
First
indigenous woman to represent Australia in the National Hockey
Under 21’s team (in Five-nation tournament, Sydney: 1986);
first Alice Springs’ woman to represent NT in National
competitions (Under-16’s and Under-21’s) |
SPORT
|
| Rosalba
CLEMENTE |
First
woman Artistic Director of SA’s State Theatre Company,
Adelaide (2000) |
PERFORMING
ARTS
|
| Annie
COCKSEDGE |
First
woman to graduate in sound mixing from the Australian Film,
Television and Radio School (AFTRS) (1982); for nearly a decade,
first and only female sound mixer with the ABC |
FILM
INDUSTRY
|
| Denise
COLLINS |
First
woman appointed to Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS)
Australian Rally Commission (1996); 1 of few Australian drivers
internationally recognized by the FIA (motorsport’s governing
body) |
SPORT
|
| Elizabeth
CONSTABLE |
First
woman elected to WA Parliament as an Independent (in the By-election
for the Seat of Floreat: July 1991) |
POLITICS
|
| Natalie
COOK |
First
woman (with team partner Kerri Pottharst) to win Olympic gold
medal for Australia in Beach volleyball (Sydney: 2000) |
SPORT
|
| Helen
COONAN |
First
woman to hold a Treasury portfolio since Federation when appointed
Federal Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer (2001) |
POLITICS
|
| Joan
COOPER |
First
woman Professor of Information Technology (IT) in Australia
(University of Wollongong, NSW: 1991) |
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
|
| Suzanne
CORY |
First
woman (and 6th Australian) to win the prestigious Royal Medal
of the London-based Royal Society (2002) for her pioneering
work on molecular biology of the immune system; first Australian
to win the L’Oreal/UNESCO Women in Science Award (2001)
|
SCIENCE
|
| Kay
COTTEE |
First
woman to circumnavigate the world singled-handed when she arrived
in Sydney Harbour on 5 June 1988 in her yacht “Blackmore’s
First Lady” after her epic 46,000 km voyage |
ADVENTURE
|
| Elizabeth
COUCHE |
1
of the first 10 women ordained to priesthood in the Anglican
Church in Australia (Perth: Sunday 7 March 1992) |
RELIGION
|
Margaret
COURT
(formerly SMITH) |
First
Australian woman to win the prestigious Wimbledon tennis singles
title (1963) |
SPORT
|
| Louise
COX |
First
woman President of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects
since its foundation in 1929 (1994) |
ARCHITECTURE
|
| Joan
COXSEDGE |
First
woman Australian Labor Party (ALP) Member of Parliament elected
to the VIC Legislative Council (1979-1992) |
POLITICS
|
| Wendy
CRAIK |
First
woman Executive Director of Australia’s peak farm lobby
group, the National Farmers Federation, (1995) |
RURAL
ACTIVISM
|
| Helen
CREED |
First
woman National President of the Australian Liquor, Hospitality
& Miscellaneous Workers Union (1999) |
UNION
|
| Janice
CROSIO |
First
woman in Federal Parliament to have served on executive in all
3 levels of government – local, State and Federal. First
woman Mayor of Fairfield City Council, NSW (1974-5 & 1977-80);
first woman Cabinet Minister in NSW (1984-88); ALP member for
Prospect, NSW since 1990 |
POLITICS
|
| Trish
CROSSIN |
First
woman Australian Labor Party (ALP) Senator for the NT in Federal
Parliament (1999) |
POLITICS
|
| Rosemary
CROWLEY |
First
SA woman member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in Federal
Parliament (1983); first SA woman elected to Federal ministry
(Minister for Family Services & Minister Assisting the Prime
Minister on the Status of Women: 1993) |
POLITICS
|
| Diana
CULLEN |
First
woman to win trophy at the Perth Show (with a Sauvignon Blanc);
pioneered use of oak in white wine production in WA (1980s)
www.cullenwines.com.au |
GASTRONOMY
|
| Vanya
CULLEN |
First
woman to win the Qantas/Wine Magazine’s Winemaker of the
Year (2000) www.cullenwines.com.au |
GASTRONOMY
|
| Lisa
CURRY |
Former
swimming champion and first woman Chair of the National Australia
Day Council in Canberra (2000) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Ann
CURTHOYS |
First
woman Professor of Australian History at the Australian National
University, Canberra (replacing famed historian, Manning Clark:
1995) |
EDUCATION
HISTORY
|
| Betty
CUTHBERT |
First
Australian to win 3 gold medals in a single Olympic games, dubbed
Australia’s “Golden Girl” (Melbourne: 1956) |
SPORT
|
| back
to top |
|
|
| Elizabeth
Cameron DALMAN |
Pioneer
of contemporary dance in Australia; founder of the Australian
Dance Theatre, (1965-75) this country’s first professional
modern dance company |
PERFORMING
ARTS
DANCE
|
| Lois
D’ARCY |
Australia’s
first marriage celebrant (appointed by Attorney-General of Australia,
Senator Lionel Murphy: 19 July 1973) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Dur-é
DARA |
First
woman President of the Restaurant and Caterers Association of
VIC since 1906 (1994) |
GASTRONOMY
|
| Barbara
DARLING |
Amongst
first women ordained as priests at St Paul’s Cathedral,
Melbourne (13 December 1992); first woman in Melbourne elected
as (clerical) canon for St Paul’s Cathedral (October 1995) |
RELIGION
|
| Christine
DAVY |
Australia’s
first woman captain of a passenger airline (Connair, operating
out of Alice Springs: 1974) |
AVIATION
|
| Joyce
DAWS |
First
woman President of the VIC Branch Council of the Australian
Medical Association (AMA), first woman in any State or Territory
of Australia to hold that position (1976) |
MEDICINE
|
Shirley
DE LA HUNTY
(formerly STRICKLAND) |
First
Australian woman to win an Olympic medal in athletics (London:
1948); first Australian mother to both perform and win at the
Olympics (Melbourne: 1956) |
SPORT
|
| Anne
DE SALIS |
First
woman appointed to Senior Executive level in Commonwealth Treasury
since Federation (1991), she later established AMP Direct |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
BUSINESS
|
| Julie
DEVINE |
see
Julie DRYDEN |
|
| Collette
DINNIGAN |
Currently
the only Australian-based fashion designer recognized by the
Chambre Syndicale of women’s Prêt-a-Porter (ready-to-wear)
designers, first Australian to mount full-scale fashion show
at the Paris Collections (1995) www.collettedinnigan.com.au |
FASHION
|
Julie
DRYDEN
(formerly DEVINE) |
First
woman to work underground in QLD; first woman to obtain the
QLD First Class Mine Managers’ Certificate of Competency
(Metalliferous); QLD’s first woman Mines Inspector (QLD
Dept of Natural Resources and Mines, Townsville: 2002) |
SCIENCE
PUBLIC SERVICE
|
| Deirdre
DUNCAN |
First
woman in Australia to gain PhD in Educational Administration
(1976); first lay principal of Order-owned independent Catholic
girls secondary college; 1 of first Associate Professors appointed
at the Australian Catholic University, Strathfield NSW |
EDUCATION
|
| Ruth
DUNKIN |
First
woman Vice-Chancellor and President of RMIT University (Royal
Melbourne Institute of Technology); first woman Vice-Chancellor
of any VIC University (2000) |
EDUCATION
|
| Pam
DUNSFORD |
First
woman student and oenology (winemaking) graduate at the all-male
residential Roseworthy Agricultural College, SA (1973) www.chapelhillwine.com.au |
GASTRONOMY
EDUCATION
|
| Judith
DURHAM |
Lead
singer of Australia’s first international chart topping
group, The Seekers; first Australian international female pop
star (1960s) |
MUSIC
PERFORMING ARTS
|
| Val
DYER |
First
winner of the inaugural NT Rural Woman of the Year (1994) |
RURAL
|
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|
|
| Ella
EBERY |
First
woman Councillor (1969) and Mayor of St Arnaud, VIC (1988-90);
first woman editor of the North Central News, St Arnaud, VIC
(since 1981) |
POLITICS
MEDIA
|
| Barbara
ETTER |
First
woman Commander within the NT Police (1992) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Elizabeth
EVATT |
First
woman to preside in an Australian Federal Court when appointed
Chief Judge of the newly created Family Court of Australia (1975) |
LAW
|
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to top |
|
|
| Beatrice
FAUST |
Founder
of the Women’s Electoral Lobby (WEL) in Australia (1972) |
ACTIVISM
|
| Molly
FERGUSON |
see
Molly HEALY |
|
| Leanne
FERRIER |
First
woman racing driver ever to finish on the V8 Supercar podium
when the then 20 year old became runner up in the first round
of the 2001 Konica series; first woman ever to win a race and
championship round (2000) |
SPORT
|
| Michelle
FIELD |
1
of 3 first women professional firefighters recruited to the
VIC Metropolitan Fire Service (1988) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Rhondda
FIGGIS CLOSE |
First
woman President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (NSW
branch) in its then 112 year-old history (1984-87); first woman
President of the NSW Council of Professions |
MEDICINE
PUBLIC SERVICE
|
| Diane
FINGLETON |
First
woman police officer appointed to the SA Drug Squad (1971);
to become Detective Sergeant (1979); in charge of a country
region (Yorke Peninsula: 1989) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Chantal
FISCHER |
see
Chantal PARSONS |
|
| Margie
FISCHER |
Co-founder
(with Roxxy Bent and Ollie Black) of Vitalstatistix (Adelaide:
1984) which later became the National Women’s Theatre |
PERFORMING
ARTS
|
| Penny
FLETT |
First
woman in peacetime to hold a male rank and first woman doctor
to serve in the RAAF (1974) |
MILITARY
MEDICINE
|
Kathryn
A. FLYNN
(formerly HENDERSON) |
First
and only woman to compete in the National Parachute Championships
(Cessnock, NSW: 1962); first and only woman to represent Australia
at the (6th) World Parachute Jumping Championships (Orange,
Massachusetts, USA: 1962) |
AVIATION
|
| Rosemary
FOLLETT |
First
woman to head an Australian government (ACT’s first female
Chief Minister and first woman to attend a Premiers’ Conference:
1989) |
POLITICS
|
| Leneen
FORDE |
First
woman Governor of QLD (1992); first Australian International
President of Zonta International, the service club of executive
and business professional women (1990-92) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
COMMUNITY SERVICE
|
| Nicolette
FRAILLON |
First
Australian woman to conduct an ABC orchestra; first woman Music
Director and Principal Conductor of major European symphony
orchestra (Royal Netherlands National Ballet Company in Amsterdam:
1994) |
MUSIC
PERFORMING ARTS
|
| Dawn
FRASER |
First
and only swimmer in history of Olympic Games to have won an
Olympic event (100m freestyle) 3 times in succession (achieved
Tokyo: 1964) |
SPORT
|
| Marian
FREE |
First
woman in Brisbane Anglican Diocese to be made a Rector of a
Parish; 1 of 2 women who broke ground by becoming General Synod
Representatives; first woman in the Brisbane Diocese to receive
a Phd |
RELIGION
|
| Cathy
FREEMAN |
First
indigenous Australian to win an international track medal (bronze,
4x400m relay, Auckland Commonwealth Games, 1990); first to win
Commonwealth gold (Canada, 1994); first indigenous Australian
to win individual Olympic gold medal (Sydney, 2000) www.cathyfreeman.com.au |
SPORT
|
| Sandra
FRENCH |
First
woman Mayor of Burnie City Council, TAS (1991-96) |
POLITICS
|
| Jan
FULLERTON |
First
woman Director General of the National Library of Australia,
Canberra (1999) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Margaret
FULTON |
First
and greatest of the Australian celebrity cookery writers, with
4 million cookbook sales over the past 40 years; credited with
being 1 of first to bring international cuisine to the Australian
table after WWII |
GASTRONOMY
|
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|
|
Sue
GAJDOS
(now VIRAGO) |
1
of 3 first fully-trained women wharfies (stevedores) in NSW
to join men at Port Botany, Sydney (1997); first Australian
woman to represent women transport workers at international
level (as Maritime Union of Australia delegate at International
Transport WorkersB9 Federation Women’s Conference, New
Delhi, India (1998) |
UNION
|
| Fay
GALE |
First
woman Professor of Geography in Australia (University of Adelaide:
1978) |
EDUCATION
|
| Mary
GAUDRON |
First
woman Judge to the High Court in Canberra, the highest court
in the Australian judicial system (1987) |
LAW
|
| Jennie
GEORGE |
First
woman President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)
(1995) |
UNION
|
| June
GILL |
First
woman Board member of the SA Fishing Industry Council (1998);
founding Chair of SAWIN (SA Women in Fishing: 1996); instigated
first National conference for Seafood Women; developed first
state seafood women’s Action Plan (1997) |
BUSINESS
ACTIVISM
|
| Rebecca
GILMORE |
First
woman (with team partner Loudy Tourky) to win Australia’s
first Olympic medal (bronze) in synchronized diving (Sydney:
2000) |
SPORT
|
| Freda
GLYNN |
Co-founder
of CAAMA (Central Australian Aboriginal Medial Association:
1980) which includes Imparja, first Aboriginal commercial TV
station (1988), and first licenced Aboriginal radio station
Radio 8KIN FM broadcasting in regional languages |
MEDIA
|
| Madeleine
GLYNN |
First
woman Superintendent with SA Police (appointed Local Service
Area Commander of the South Coast Division: 1998) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Melanie
GOEHR |
First
woman firefighter recruited to NT Fire & Rescue Service
(1992) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Kay
GOLDSWORTHY |
1
of 8 women ordained as Australia’s first female deacons
(1986); 1 of 10 women ordained as Australia’s first female
Anglican priests (Perth: Sunday 7 March 1992) |
RELIGION
|
| Evonne
GOOLAGONG |
see
Evonne CAWLEY |
|
| Sue
GORDON |
First
Aboriginal person to head a government department in WA (appointed
Commissioner for Aboriginal Planning: 1986); first full-time
and first Aboriginal Magistrate in the Children’s Court
of WA (Perth: 1988) |
LAW
PUBLIC SERVICE
|
| Monica
GOULD |
First
woman Minister for Industrial Relations in the VIC government
(1999) |
POLITICS
|
| Shane
GOULD |
First
and only woman in history to win 3 individual swimming Olympic
gold medals in world record time (Munich: 1972); only woman
in field of swimming to hold records for every freestyle distance
simultaneously www.shanegould.com.au |
SPORT
|
| Grace
GRACE |
First
woman General Secretary for the QLD Council of Unions in its
115 year history (2000) |
UNION
|
| Nicole
GREEN |
First
woman in Australia (and probably the world) to prepare a cricket
pitch for an international fixture (West Indies v NT invitational
eleven in a one-day match, Alice Springs: 2000) |
SPORT
|
| Catherine
GREGSON |
see
Catherine MacLEAN |
|
Alison
GROSSE
(formerly KERR-JONES) |
First
woman Mayor of Maroochy Shire Council, QLD’s Sunshine Coast
(2000) |
POLITICS
|
| Deirdre
GRUSOVIN |
First
woman Chair of NSW Legislative Council Labor Caucus (1984);
first woman Chair of St Margaret’s Hospital Advisory Board
(1984) |
POLITICS
|
| Margaret
GUILFOYLE |
Australia’s
first woman Cabinet Minister with Portfolio (heading department
as Minister for Social Security: 1975-80) |
POLITICS
|
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|
|
| Julie
HAMMER |
First
woman to command operational unit in RAAF (Electronic Warfare
Squadron, 1992); first serving woman in history of Australian
Defence Force to be promoted to Air Commodore (1999) |
MILITARY
|
| Glenice
HANCOCK |
First
woman Vice-Chancellor at Central QLD University (CQU); first
woman Vice-Chancellor at any of QLD’s 9 universities (2001) |
EDUCATION
|
| Janet
HAYES |
First
woman Mayor of Kempsey Shire Council, NSW (2001) |
POLITICS
|
Trudy
HAYES
(formerly JOHANNSEN) |
First
woman commercial photographer in Alice Springs (1930s); produced
the town’s first postcard; developed photographs for pioneering
anthropologist Ted Strehlow |
BUSINESS
ARTS
|
Mary
Myrtle (Molly) HEALY
(formerly FERGUSON) |
Foundation
and first woman teacher employed by School of the Air (officially
opened at Royal Flying Doctor Base, Alice Springs, first school
of its kind in world: June 1951) |
EDUCATION
|
| June
HEARN |
First
woman Deputy Chancellor of Monash University (2001); first woman
lecturer in the Graduate School of Business Administration,
University of Melbourne; first woman President of Melbourne
University Staff Association; first woman CEO in higher education
in VIC (appointed Director of Hawthorn Institute of Education:
1987) |
EDUCATION
|
| Eileen
HEATH |
Anglican
Deaconess, foundation Superintendent of St Mary’s Church
of England Hostel, Alice Springs, NT (1946) |
RELIGION
|
| Kathryn
HENDERSON |
see
Kathryn FLYNN |
|
| Aminta
HENNESSY |
First
Australian woman to fly solo across the Atlantic in a single-engine
aircraft (1978); first woman to complete solo back-to-back flights
across Pacific; founder of first Fear of Flying Clinic in NSW
(1979) |
AVIATION
|
| Suzie
HERZBERG |
First
woman Chair of Board of the Botanic Gardens & State Herbarium,
Adelaide (2000) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Maggie
HICKEY |
First
woman to lead NT parliamentary party (elected Leader of Labor
Opposition: 1996) |
POLITICS
|
| Jan
HILLS |
First
veterinarian to set up full-time practice in NT (originally
servicing Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine and Gove: 1964) |
SCIENCE
|
| Mai
HO |
Australia’s
first Vietnamese-born woman Mayor; first Vietnamese woman to
achieve such high office in local government in this country
(Mayor of Footscray, VIC: 1997-8) |
POLITICS
|
| Marina
HOARE |
First
woman President of an Australian National Sportfishing Association
(Cairns Sportfishing Club, QLD: 1982) |
SPORT
|
| Una
HOBDAY |
First
woman & Charter President of Rotary Club of Derby WA District
9450 (1997-8); first woman District Governor in Australia and
New Zealand for Rotary International (District 9450: 1999-2000) |
COMMUNITY
SERVICE
|
Nancy
HOFFMANN
(formerly JOHNSTON) |
First
totally deaf woman to obtain degree from Australian university
(Distinction in Zoology, University of NSW: 1962); followed
by a Master of Rural Science (University of New England). She
followed in the footsteps of her great aunt, Fanny
Hunt, University of Sydney’s first woman science
graduate (1888) |
EDUCATION
|
| Janet
HOLMES À COURT |
First
woman Board member of the Australian Reserve Bank (1992) |
BUSINESS
|
| Diane
HOLUIGUE |
First
Australian member of the International Association of Culinary
Professions, holding its highest examination grading of Certified
Food Professional |
GASTRONOMY
|
| Diana
HORVATH |
irst
woman Chair of National Health & Medical Research Council,
Australia’s most influential government advisory and research
funding body (1991-93); first woman CEO of an Area Health Service
in Australia (Central Sydney Area Health Service: 1992) |
MEDICINE
|
| Jutta
HOSEL |
1
of 3 first Australian women (with Elizabeth Chipman and Shelagh
Robinson) on the Antarctic continent with ANARE - Australian
National Antarctic Research Expeditions (Casey: summer 1975-6) |
SCIENCE
|
| Jennie
HOUGHTON |
First
woman Committee member of the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association
(AOPA), organisation representing the common interests of all
aircraft owners and pilots (1986); with Ruth WILSON (also listed
here), first all-female crew to compete in prestigious Gordon
Bennett Cup, an international gas-ballooning competition (since
foundation: 1906), traveling over 1000 km from New Mexico to
Oklahoma (1999) |
AVIATION
|
| Maisie
HUDSON |
Australia’s
first woman judge within Working Sheepdog Trials; judged competitions
in various outback towns in Far West NSW including Bourke and
Broken Hill (1940s) |
SPORT
|
| Leslie
HUGGINS |
see
Leslie OLDFIELD |
|
| Adelie
HURLEY |
Australia’s
first woman Press Photographer (worked on several Sydney newspapers
and women’s magazines for 40 years: from 1938) |
MEDIA
ARTS
|
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|
|
| Heather
INNES |
First
woman to head drug squad in Australia, reaching rank of Detective
Inspector on retirement from TAS Police (1989) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Ros
IRWIN |
First
woman Mayor of Lismore City Council, NSW (1997-1999); first
woman Deputy Mayor (1995-97); first woman Chair of the regional
water supply authority, Rous Water (1995-97) |
POLITICS
|
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|
|
| Donna
JACKSON |
Founding
Director of the Women’s Circus (Melbourne: 1991), an innovative
project of the Footscray Community Arts Centre |
PERFORMING
ARTS
|
| Marjorie
JACKSON-NELSON |
First
Australian woman athlete to win Olympic gold medal (Helsinki:
1952) |
SPORT
|
| Irene
JEFFREYS |
SA’s
first woman Chartered Accountant; first woman member of General
Synod of Church of England in Australia (1962); first woman
appointed to worldwide Anglican Consultative Council (1971) |
BUSINESS
RELIGION
|
| Trudy
JOHANNSEN |
see
Trudy HAYES |
|
| Benita
JOHNSON |
First
Australian woman to break 15 mins for 5 km after finishing runner-up
in the Flora Light 5 km road race (London: Sept 2002) |
SPORT
|
| Caroline
JONES |
First
woman reporter for ABC’s “This Day Tonight” program
in the 1960s |
MEDIA
|
| Marilyn
JONES |
1
of first Principal Dancers with the Australian Ballet (1962);
later its Artistic Director (1979-82); founded the Dancers Company
of the Australian Ballet (1980) |
DANCE
PERFORMING ARTS
|
| Bernadette
JOYNER |
First
woman licenced bookmaker in NT (1977), working at Alice Springs
Pioneer Park racecourse where known as “Bernie the Bookie” |
BUSINESS
SPORT
|
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|
|
| Stella
KARIOFYLLIDIS |
First
woman Mayor of Moreland City Council, VIC; first ever Greek-born
Australian female Mayor (2000) |
POLITICS
|
| Jenny
KEE |
First
Australian designer to have her fashion presented in the Italian
“Vogue” (1977) |
FASHION
|
| Lisa
KEIGHTLEY |
First
woman to score a century at Lord’s, the London headquarters
of international cricket (1998) |
SPORT
|
| Gaby
KENNARD |
First
Australian-born woman to fly solo around the world in a single-engined
aircraft (1989) |
AVIATION
|
| Jan
KENNY |
Australia’s
first woman cinematographer (camera ‘man’); first
woman to work on feature film as part of camera crew (as clapper
loader on Summer of Secrets, 1975); first woman to shoot feature
film (Fran, 1985); first woman to receive accreditation by the
Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) |
FILM
INDUSTRY
|
| Jill
KER CONWAY |
First
woman to chair listed Public Company in Australia (investment
& property giant, Lend Lease: 2000) |
BUSINESS
|
| Alison
KERR-JONES |
see
Alison GROSSE |
|
| Michelle
KETTNER |
First
Australian woman weightlifter to lift 100kg in snatch discipline
(Women’s Weightlifting first introduced at Sydney Olympics:
2000) |
SPORT
|
| Susan
KIEFEL |
First
woman Queens Counsel (QC) in QLD (1987) |
LAW
|
| Priscilla
KINCAID SMITH |
First
woman President of Royal Australasian College of Physicians
(1985) |
MEDICINE
|
| Aviva
KIPEN |
Australia’s
first woman ordained Rabbi (1991) |
RELIGION
|
| Joan
KIRNER |
First
woman to head VIC government (State Premier: 1992) |
POLITICS
|
| Beverley
KNIGHT |
First
woman elected to Essendon Football Club Board, VIC in its 123-year-old
history (1993) |
SPORT
|
| Nancy
KNUDSEN |
Co-founder
(with Bill Peach) of Aircruising Australia Ltd (1984); first
woman to float a company on main board of Sydney Stock Exchange
(1986); for many years only female Chair of a Public Company
in Australia; first woman in Australia to import and operate
a commercial sized passenger aircraft, holding an RPT licence
from 1990 onwards |
BUSINESS
|
| Leonie
KRAMER |
First
woman Professor at Australia’s oldest academic institution,
the University of Sydney (appointed Professor of Australian
Literature: 1968) |
EDUCATION
|
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|
|
| Le
LAM |
First
Asian Councillor for Auburn City Council, NSW (1991), this Vietnamese
refugee became city’s first female Mayor and first Asian
Mayor (2000) |
POLITICS
|
| Carmen
LAWRENCE |
First
woman to head State government in Australia (Premier of WA:
1990) |
POLITICS
|
Deborah
LAWRIE
(formerly WARDLEY) |
First
woman pilot to captain a major airline (Ansett), following landmark
decision of Equal Opportunity Board (1979); maiden commercial
flight co-piloting a Fokker Friendship from Alice Springs to
Darwin, 22 Jan 1980 |
AVIATION
|
| Fay
LEDITSCHKE |
First
female Commissioned Officer with the SA Police (1979) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Dorothy
LEE |
First
woman full-time lecturer and later Professor in Theology in
Australia |
EDUCATION
RELIGION
|
| Heather
LEEMBRUGEN |
First
woman and only Australian to receive prestigious IAA Samir Fares
Award for outstanding service to the International Advertising
Association and the advertising industry |
BUSINESS
|
| Georgia
LE PLASTRIER |
Youngest
member of team of 4 women (with Robyn Fox, Jenny McKenzie and
Jo VAN SON also listed here) who made first Australian all female
descent of Canada’s Yukon River by canoe (1997), a journey
across Alaska of 2000 miles (3200 kms) |
ADVENTURE
|
| Anne
LEVY |
First
woman President of SA government’s Legislative Council;
first woman to preside in any House in all the Parliaments in
Australia (1986) |
POLITICS
|
| Leanne
LIDDLE |
First
Aboriginal woman police officer with SA Police (1988) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Jill
LINDSAY |
First
woman awarded Life Membership to the AFL (2002) |
SPORT
|
| Coralie
LING |
VIC’s
first and Australia’s second woman Methodist minister (ordained
at the Wesley Church, Melbourne: 1969) |
RELIGION
|
| Marie
LITTLE |
First
woman elected to International Paralympic Committee (1993);
instrumental in forming SASRAPID (SA Sport & Recreation
Association for people with integration difficulties: 1982),
first of the nationwide RAPIDS, leading to foundation of national
body AUSRAPID (1986) |
SPORT
|
| Margaret
LUCAS |
First
woman member (1997) and Chair (2001) of all-male Committee of
Warrnambool Racing Club, VIC |
SPORT
|
| Dianne
LUCAS LUPPI |
QLD’s
and possibly Australia’s first woman allowed to compete
against men in the then male-dominated field of bull riding
(1980s) |
SPORT
|
| Kate
LUNDY |
First
woman elected as President of the ACT’s peak union body,
the Trades & Labour Council, (1993) www.katelundy.com.au |
UNION
|
| Helen
LYNCH |
First
woman Chief General Manager of a bank in Australia (1993) |
BUSINESS
|
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|
|
| Deborah
McCULLOCH |
First
Women’s Adviser to SA Premier (Don Dunstan: 1976-79); instrumental
in setting up 3 services for SA women – Women’s Information
Switchboard, Working Women’s Centre and first Rape Crisis
Centre |
POLITICS
|
| Lena
McEWAN |
First
woman specialist plastic surgeon in Australia (Honorary appointment
at Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital: 1959); SA’s first
woman General Surgeon (1955) |
MEDICINE
|
| Colleen
McGANN |
First
woman to serve on Australian Health Insurance Association’s
National Executive since formed in 1971 (2001) |
BUSINESS
|
| Sue
McGINN |
First
woman appointed to Australian Dairy Farmers’ Board (2000) |
RURAL
|
| Wendy
McGUIGAN |
First
woman member of the Mosman/Neutral Bay Rifle Club (1970s); first
woman Captain in Club’s 87 year-old history (2002) |
SPORT
|
| Judith
McKAY |
First
woman curator appointed to the Australian War Memorial (1977-79);
custodian of one of nation’s largest and most historically
significant art collections |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
ARTS
|
| Shirley
McKERROW |
First
woman President of any major Australian political party when
elected President of the National Party (1976); first woman
Federal President |
POLITICS
|
| Jenny
MACKLIN |
First
woman Deputy Leader in history of Australian Labor Party at
Federal level (2001) |
POLITICS
|
Catherine
MacLEAN
(formerly GREGSON) |
First
woman to drive by car around Australia, the then 23 year-old
took 6 months driving from Sydney to Darwin via Adelaide and
Alice Springs, and thence to Perth, across the Nullabor and
back to Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne (1937) |
ADVENTURE
|
| Margaret
McMURDO |
First
woman judge of the District Court of QLD (1992) |
LAW
|
| Hope
MacPHERSON |
see
Hope BLACK |
|
| Judy
M MADDIGAN |
First
woman Deputy Speaker in VIC parliament (1996) |
POLITICS
|
| Susan
MAGAREY |
Founding
director of Australia’s first Research Centre for Women’s
Studies (University of Adelaide: 1983) |
EDUCATION
|
| Mary
MAGEE |
First
woman pharmacist invited to join the Pharmacy Board of QLD (1988) |
SCIENCE
MEDICINE
|
| Norma
MALE |
NSW’s
first woman town clerk (1944-56) and shire clerk (1957-74) when
appointed to Balranald Municipal, later Shire Council |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Margaret
MANION |
First
woman Chair of Academic Board of University of Melbourne; first
woman appointed to an established Chair at that university (Professor
of Fine Arts: 1979-1995), making significant contribution to
study of Medieval and Renaissance Art History |
EDUCATION
ARTS
|
| Pauline
MARKWELL |
First
woman in executive search in Australia with US based Korn/Ferry
International (1981) |
BUSINESS
|
| Fay
MARLES |
First
woman Chancellor of University of Melbourne in its 150 year-old
history (2000); first woman President of Melbourne’s Alfred
Hospital, (1992); first VIC Commissioner for Equal Opportunity
(1977); first Social Worker appointed to academic staff of University
of QLD (1951) |
EDUCATION
PUBLIC SERVICE
|
| Carol
MARTIN |
First
indigenous woman elected to an Australian Parliament (Seat of
Kimberley, WA 2001) |
POLITICS
|
| Clare
MARTIN |
First
woman Chief Minister of NT government (2001) |
POLITICS
|
| Dianne
MARTIN |
Part
of 3-women team of NT Park Rangers in charge of Arltunga Historical
Reserve, in East MacDonnell Ranges, Central Australia –
believed first Australian park solely staffed by female officers
(1994) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Bernice
MASTERSON |
Australia’s
first Police Assistant Commissioner (VIC Police: 1989) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Ruth
MATCHETT |
First
woman Director-General of a QLD State Government Department
(Department of Family Services and Aboriginal and Islander Affairs:
1989-1995) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Hazel
MAYES |
First
and founding member of Australian Division of Women’s International
Motorcycle Association (WIMA); founding President of Sydney
Women’s Motorcycle Club (1947-51) |
SPORT
|
| Joanne
MEIN |
First
woman member of RAAF Roulettes Aerobatic Flying team, since
establishment in 1970 (public debut over Brisbane: Aug 1999);
believed world’s first woman to fly in military precision
flying team |
AVIATION
MILITARY
|
| Mary
MELDRUM |
Australia’s
first woman licenced auctioneer (1973) |
BUSINESS
|
| Pat
MILLER |
First
Aboriginal woman to be appointed Deputy Administrator of the
NT (2002) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Jennifer
MONDORA |
First
woman member of traditionally “male-only” club, the
Australian National Sportfishing Association |
SPORT
|
| Ingrid
MOSES |
First
woman and first Australian to head then 38 year-old International
Association of University Presidents (2002); first woman Vice
Chancellor of University of New England, Armidale, NSW (1997) |
EDUCATION
|
| Brigitte
MUIR |
First
Australian to climb highest mountain on each continent (the
Seven Summits); first Australian woman to climb the world’s
tallest peak (Mount Everest in Himalayas, 1997) www.adventureplus.com.au |
ADVENTURE
|
| Liz
MULLINAR |
Founder
of Australia’s first ever film casting consultancy (1969);
founder of Advocates for Survivors of Child Abuse (ASCA) (1995) |
FILM
INDUSTRY
|
| Helen
MURPHY |
First
woman to win an Australian Nuffield Scholarship (1995); first
Australian to win an Australian Rural Leadership (1998) &
Churchill Scholarships (1999) |
RURAL
EDUCATION
|
| Sara
MURRAY |
First
woman Mayor of Wingecarribee Shire Council, NSW (1997-2000) |
POLITICS
|
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|
|
| Beryl
NASHAR |
First
woman in Australia to win Rotary Foundation Fellowship (1949:
Dept of Mineralogy and Petrology, Cambridge, UK); first woman
awarded PhD in geology from Australian university (University
of Tasmania: 1952); 1 of first woman Professors in an Australian
university (Foundation Professor of Geology, University of Newcastle:
1965); first woman Dean of Science in an Australian university
(University of Newcastle: 1969) |
EDUCATION
SCIENCE
|
| Sue
NATTRASS |
First
woman Artistic Director of the Melbourne International Festival
(1998) |
PERFORMING
ARTS
|
| Di
NICOLIOS |
First
woman archdeacon - first woman given significant status in the
hierarchy of clergy - in Sydney diocese (1993) |
RELIGION
|
| Carmel
NILAND |
First
woman Councillor for Equal Opportunity in NSW (1979-82); first
woman President of NSW Anti-Discrimination Board (1982-88);
first woman to address the Broken Hill Barrier Industrial Council;
created first Women’s Register in Australia for appointment
of women to Boards and Authorities; developed funding model
for NSW’s first women’s refuge network; established
first government liaison group with gay and lesbian community
(1982); conceived Australia’s first landmark sexual harassment
case; drafted and advocated Australia’s first racial vilification
bill (1989) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
LAW
|
| Christine
NIXON |
First
woman Commissioner of Police in Australia (VIC Police: 2001) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Joy
NOBLE |
Pioneered
volunteer program within a government department in early 1970s,
leading to co-founding of VolunteeringSA (1982) and establishment
of national body on volunteering, Volunteering Australia |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Elizabeth
NOSWORTHY |
First
woman President of QLD Law Society (1986); first woman Chancellor
of Gold Coast’s Bond University (1990) |
LAW
|
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|
|
| Mary
O’BRIEN |
First
Australian woman to work as pilot overseas (Singapore: 1970-74);
flew first Grumman Cougar light twin aircraft into Australia
(1978); first woman in Australia to captain a Lear jet –
LR35 (Wards Express airfreight company: 1983); first female
Examiner of Airmen (Flying), the highest aviation appointment
give to a woman (Dept of Transport & Communications: 1987);
first woman appointed to an operational management position
with the Civil Aviation Authority (District Flight Operations
Manager, Bankstown Airport, NSW: 1991) |
AVIATION
|
| Bev
O’CONNOR |
First
woman to be part of TV Footy Panel (ABC’s Lateball: 1993);
first woman elected to Board of Melbourne Football Club (Director
since 1999); first woman Vice President of Melbourne Football
Club (2001) |
SPORT
|
| Lowitja
O’DONOGHUE |
First
Aboriginal woman to receive Order of Australia (1976); founding
Chairperson of ATSIC (1990); 1 of SA’s first trained Aboriginal
nurses (1956) |
ACTIVISM
MEDICINE
|
| Christine
O’KEEFE |
First
woman to win the Australian Mathematical Society Medal in its
then over 20 year-old history (2000) |
SCIENCE
EDUCATION
|
| Leslie
OLDFIELD |
First
woman Mayor elected to Alice Springs Town Council, NT (1983) |
POLITICS
|
| Pamela
O’NEIL |
Australia’s
first Commonwealth Sex Discrimination Commissioner (1984-88);
first woman to hold leadership position in Australian parliamentary
party (elected Deputy Opposition Leader: 1981) whilst ALP member
of NT Legislative Assembly; founded Darwin Women’s Centre,
NT’s first women’s refuge |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
POLITICS
|
| Pam
O’NEILL |
First
woman jockey in Australia (1979) following 20 years of writing
to QLD Turf Club to change rule so that women could ride against
men. (On first day of race riding, she rode 3 winners –
world record for any jockey on their first day) |
SPORT
|
| Pat
O’SHANE |
Australia’s
first Aboriginal woman barrister (1976); first woman to head
state government department in Australia (appointed permanent
head of newly established NSW Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs:
1981) |
LAW
PUBLIC SERVICE
|
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|
| Lesley
PARKER |
First
woman appointed to senior executive position at WA’s Curtin
University of Technology, Perth, (Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor:
1997) |
EDUCATION
|
| Chantal
F PARSONS |
First
woman Officer-in-Charge of NT police station (Harts Range on
the Plenty Highway, Central Australia, with beat of 115,000
square kms to QLD border: 1999) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Ruth
PATERSON |
First
woman to Chair an Agricultural Field Day organising committee
in Australia (Agfest, Tasmania’s only Rural Trade Fair:
1993 and 1994) |
RURAL
|
| Donna-Lee
PATRICK |
First
white Centralian woman to play for the National Australian Senior
Women’s Hockey Team – The Hockeyroos (2001) |
SPORT
|
| Diana
PATTERSON |
First
woman to manage an Australian Antarctic Research Station (Casey:
1989) |
SCIENCE
|
| Jacqui
PAYNE |
First
indigenous judicial appointment in QLD (appointed Stipendiary
magistrate: 1999) |
LAW
|
| Marise
PAYNE |
First
woman Federal President of Australia’s Young Liberal Movement
(1989) |
POLITICS
|
| Kerryn
PHELPS |
First
woman Federal President of the Australian Medical Association
(AMA) (2000) |
MEDICINE
|
| Samantha
PILLAY |
First
woman urological surgeon in SA (opened her practice “Continence
Matters” at the Calvary Hospital, Adelaide : 2002) |
MEDICINE
|
| Catherine
PIRIE |
First
woman Torres Strait Islander judicial appointment in QLD (appointed
Stipendiary magistrate: 2000) |
LAW
|
| Joyce
POLSON |
Within
Perth diocese, 1 of first 3 women granted permission to administer
the chalice at the Eucharist, to baptize and preach; 1 of first
3 women ordained Deacon (1986); 1 of first 10 women ordained
to priesthood in the Anglican Church in Australia (Perth: Sun
7 March 1992) |
RELIGION
|
| Kerri
POTTHARST |
First
woman (with team partner Natalie Cook) to win Olympic gold medal
for Australia in Beach volleyball (Sydney: 2000) |
SPORT
|
| Jeanette
POWELL |
First
woman National Party MP in VIC Parliament (elected to Legislative
Council for North Eastern Province: March 1996); first National
Party woman elected to VIC Legislative Assembly (Shepparton
District: November 2002) |
POLITICS
|
| Cheryl
E PRAEGER |
First
woman President of the Australian Mathematical Society (1992-94) |
SCIENCE
EDUCATION
|
| Catherine
PRIME |
First
woman in Australia to qualify as an actuary; first woman President
of Institute of Actuaries in Australia (1991) |
BUSINESS
|
| Jennifer
PRINCE |
First
woman to head a Treasury in Australia (appointed NT’s Under
Treasurer: June 2002) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Mareena
PURSLOWE |
Founded
first all female-staffed funeral company (Mareena Purslowe &
Associates) (Subiaco, WA: 1989); first woman in Australia awarded
title of Master Funeral Director by Australian Funeral Directors
Association (2002) |
BUSINESS
|
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|
| Sharelle
QUINN |
Australia’s
first woman captain of an international airline (Qantas: 1992) |
AVIATION
|
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|
| Judy
RAPER |
First
woman Dean of Engineering at University of Sydney (1997) |
SCIENCE
EDUCATION
|
| Spider
REDGOLD |
First
woman appointed liaison officer for Australia to a global Internet
network (Association for Progressive Communication: 1995); convenor
and creator of womenZnet, first internet domain for Australian
women and first and only national ISP for women (1995) |
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
|
| Elizabeth
REID |
First
Federal Government adviser to the Prime Minister on Women’s
Affairs (1973), ultimately developing into the Office of the
Status of Women |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Margaret
REID |
First
woman President of the Senate (1996-2002) |
POLITICS
|
| Pauline
REILLY |
First
Australian woman President and first woman Fellow of Royal Australasian
Ornithologists Union (now Birds Australia: 1981); first woman
President of Bird Banders Association of Australia (1969-70);
first non-academic woman to summer on Antarctic’s Macquarie
Island in scientific capacity (banding penguins); internationally
known for her work on penguins |
SCIENCE
|
| Jan
RICHARDSON |
First
woman shire clerk in the West when worked at Kalkaringi, an
Aboriginal community 470 SW of Katherine, NT; pioneered a Homemaker
program for Aboriginal women |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Shelagh
ROBINSON |
1
of 3 first Australian women (with Elizabeth Chipman and Jutta
Hösel) on Antarctic continent with ANARE - Australian National
Antarctic Research Expeditions (Casey: summer 1975-6) |
SCIENCE
|
| Meredith
ROODENRYS |
see
Meredith CHROME |
|
| Maree
ROOKE |
see
Maree SCHUSTER |
|
| Merri
ROSE |
Gold
Coast’s first woman Cabinet Minister (1997); first woman
Minister for the Emergency Services portfolio in both QLD and
Australia (1998-9) |
POLITICS
|
| Joan
RYDON |
First
woman Professor of Politics in Australia (VIC’s La Trobe
University: 1975) |
EDUCATION
POLITICS
|
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|
| Louise
SAUVAGE |
First
internationally successful Australian female wheelchair athlete
in traditionally male-dominated sport (3 gold medals, Barcelona
Paralympics: 1992); only Australian to have won both Paralympic
and Olympic gold (Atlanta: 1996) |
SPORT
|
| Carol
SCHOFIELD |
First
woman Chair of the Advisory Board of Agriculture, governing
body of the Agricultural Bureau of SA, in its 113 year-old history
(2001) |
RURAL
|
Maree
SCHUSTER
(formerly ROOKE) |
First
woman in history of the sport of clay target shooting to make
the Open Australian (1986) and Open State (1987) Skeet Shooting
teams; first woman shooter to achieve AA grade status in skeet
shooting in Australia (1986); first woman to win an Open State
championship in skeet shooting (Qld doubles Championship: 1989);
first and only woman to qualify at the Oceanic Games for the
Womens World Shotgun Championships (Adelaide: 1991) in Olympic
skeet shooting |
SPORT
|
| Margaret
SCOTT |
Founding
director of the Australian Ballet School (1964) |
DANCE
PERFORMING ARTS
|
| Marion
SCRYMGOUR |
First
indigenous woman voted into NT parliament (Member for Arafura:
2001); Australia's first indigenous female Minister when appointed
NT government’s Minister for Family & Community Services,
Environment & Heritage (2003) |
POLITICS
|
| Mary
SEEFRIED |
First
Australian woman international judge of dressage; first Australian
to judge dressage at Olympic level (Sydney: 2000); QLD Parliament's
first female Parliamentary Librarian since 1860 (2002) |
SPORT
PUBLIC SERVICE
|
| Brenda
SHANAHAN |
VIC’s
first woman stockbroker becoming member of Melbourne’s
Stock Exchange. |
BUSINESS
|
| Christine
SHARP |
First
woman in WA Parliament (and the only Parliamentary Chair from
a Greens Party anywhere in Australia) to Chair a Standing Committee
(1997); first woman member of WA’s Environmental Protection
Authority when appointed by the Labor Government (1989) |
POLITICS
ENVIRONMENT/
CONSERVATION
|
| Wendy
SHARPE |
First
woman official war artist since WWII when appointed by Australian
War Memorial to cover conflict in East Timor (attached to Army
History Unit in Dili : 1999) |
ARTS
MILITARY
|
| Joan
SHELDON |
First
woman to head political party in QLD (Leader of Liberal Party:
1991-98); first woman Deputy Premier and Treasurer of QLD Government
(1996-98) |
POLITICS
|
| Ann
SHERRY |
First
woman CEO of bank in Australia (Bank of Melbourne); first woman
CEO of bank in New Zealand, largest in that country (Westpac:
October 2002) |
BUSINESS
|
| Elizabeth
SIMPSON |
First
woman appointed to Board of SA Museum, Adelaide (1952) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
SCIENCE
|
| Marie
SINGLE |
First
woman to hitch hike around Australia, at the age of 21 she took
2 years to complete her journey, attracting much media attention
including coverage by Movietone News (1947) |
ADVENTURE
|
| Minna
SITZLER |
First
woman Deputy Administrator for NT (1997) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Margaret
SMITH |
see
Margaret COURT |
|
| Sue
SMITH |
First
woman Managing Director of major Australian retail chain (STA
Travel: 1998); first Australian of Asian origin presented with
Telstra Business Women’s Award (Private and Corporate Sector,
VIC: 2002) |
BUSINESS
|
| Dale
SPENDER |
Author
of women’s history and consultant on pioneering concept
of eLearning; co-originator of the Routledge International Encyclopedia
on Women (and online database) as well as TRACE, the UK online
writing community; taught the teachers for the first virtual
school in QLD; examiner of first Australian web-based PhD. |
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
HISTORY
|
| Griselda
SPRIGG |
First
white woman to have successfully crossed the Simpson Desert
by car (1962) |
ADVENTURE
|
| Rosemary
STANTON |
Australia’s
first sports nutritionist; first dietician to go into private
practice in Australia |
GASTRONOMY
|
| Zali
STEGGALL |
First
Australian woman to win a World Cup alpine event (1997: slalom,
Park City, Utah, USA); first Australian to win an individual
medal at a Winter Olympic Games (1998: slalom, Nagano); first
alpine World Champion in Southern Hemisphere (1999: women’s
slalom, World Skiing Championships) |
SPORT
|
| Ursula
STEPHENS |
ALP’s
first woman State President (NSW: 2002) |
POLITICS
|
| Leonie
STILL |
First
woman Dean of a Faculty of Business/Commerce in Australia (University
of Western Sydney, Nepean: 1985) |
EDUCATION
BUSINESS
|
| Shirley
STRICKLAND |
see
Shirley DE LA HUNTY |
|
| Virginia
STUDDERT |
First
woman veterinarian to occupy Chair in an Australian Veterinary
School (Chair of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of
Melbourne: 1991) |
EDUCATION
SCIENCE
|
| Anne
SUMMERS |
Founder
of Australia’s first women’s refuge (Elsie, Glebe,
NSW : 1974); first woman to publish a modern feminist history
of Australia (Damned Whores and God’s Police: 1975) |
COMMUNITY
SERVICE
HISTORY
|
| Deirdre
SWAN |
First
woman delegate of Centenary AWU (Australian Workers Union) Convention
(Ballarat, VIC: 1986) |
UNION
|
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|
| Robin
TANDY |
1
of first 10 women ordained to priesthood in the Anglican Church
in Australia (Perth: Sunday 7 March 1992) |
RELIGION
|
| Alice
TAY |
First
woman President of Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission
(1998) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Elizabeth
TAYLOR |
First
woman President of Sydney Division of Australia’s Institution
of Engineers (1996) |
SCIENCE
|
| Sally
THOMAS |
First
woman Magistrate in NT (1978); first woman Chief Magistrate
in NT (1986); first woman Judge of NT’s Supreme Court (1992)
|
LAW
|
| Trang
THOMAS |
First
Vietnamese Australian to receive first class degree in psychology
(1969); first woman professor at the RMIT University (Royal
Melbourne Institute of Technology: 1991); first woman Chair
of Victorian Multicultural Commission (1993) |
EDUCATION
SCIENCE
PUBLIC SERVICE
|
| Dianne
THORLEY |
Elected
to QLD’s Toowoomba City Council (1997) and later Mayor
(2000); as Treasurer, first woman Board member of Toowoomba
Sports Ground Trust in its then 110 year-old history |
POLITICS
|
| Margaret
THROSBY |
First
woman to read full-length evening ABC news bulletin on radio
since WWII (1975); first woman to read 7 pm ABC-TV news (1978) |
MEDIA
|
| Josephine
TOBIAS |
First
woman to own and operate cruise ship in Australia (weekly cruises,
Cairns to Cape York: 1990); founder of Women at Work Australia,
Brisbane (1994) |
BUSINESS
|
| Bogart
TORRELLI |
First
woman in Australia to have a day shift on FM commercial radio
(1991) |
MEDIA
|
| Loudy
TOURKY |
First
woman (with team partner Rebecca Gilmore) to win Australia’s
first Olympic medal for synchronized diving (Sydney: 2000) |
SPORT
|
| Judith
TROETH |
First
woman to hold Agriculture portfolio in Federal Government (Parliamentary
Secretary to the then Minister for Primary Industries and Energy
- now Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry: 1997) |
POLITICS
|
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|
| Jo
VAN SON |
1
of team of 4 women (with Robyn Fox, Georgia Le Plastrier - also
listed here - and Jenny McKenzie) who made first Australian
all female descent of Canada’s Yukon River by canoe (1997),
a journey across Alaska of 2000 miles (3200 kms) |
ADVENTURE
|
| Marianne
VONAU |
First
woman neurosurgeon in Australia (1990) |
MEDICINE
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|
| Jo
WAINER |
Co-founded
with late husband Dr Bertram Wainer, first publicly acknowledged
abortion clinic in Australia (1972) |
MEDICINE
|
| Heather
WALDRON |
First
woman elected to QLD State Council of Australian Optometrical
Association (1977) |
MEDICINE
|
| Pearl
WALLACE |
First
Australian woman to become certified paddlesteamer skipper (earning
Master Mariner’s Certificate: 1947) |
BUSINESS
|
| Deborah
WARDLEY |
see
Deborah LAWRIE |
|
| Gai
WATERHOUSE |
First
woman to gain trainers’ licence from Australian Jockey
Club (1992) www.gaiwaterhouse.com.au |
SPORT
|
| Nola
WATSON |
First
woman (and non police officer) to head Intelligence Division
in NSW Police; first woman to manage ASIO investigations at
national level |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Lorraine
WEARNE |
First
woman Lord Mayor of Parramatta; first woman Lord Mayor in all
of Sydney (2000) |
POLITICS
|
| Karrie
WEBB |
First
Australian sportswoman to win more than US$1 million in a year
from her sport (achieved aged 21, in 10 months and 10 days:
1996); first woman to design golf course in Australia (Keysborough
Golf Club, Melbourne East: 2002) |
SPORT
|
| Margaret
WHITE |
First
woman judge in QLD’s Supreme Court (1992) |
LAW
|
| Sorrel
WILBY |
First
woman to climb Japan’s highest peak, Mount Fuji, with a
bicycle during her cycling trip through Asia, covering a total
of 17,000 kms (1983-5) |
ADVENTURE
|
| Erica
WILLIAMS |
1
of instigators of endurance horse riding in Australia and first
Tom Quilty 100 mile ride (1966); first woman to win the Australian
National Championship Quilty Gold Cup (1975) |
SPORT
|
| Helen
WILLIAMS |
First
woman to head Commonwealth government department in Australia
(Secretary of the Department of Education: 1985) |
PUBLIC
SERVICE
|
| Lynn
WILLIAMS |
1
of 2 first women (with meteorologist Denise ALLEN: also listed
here) to be awarded prestigious Antarctic Medal for outstanding
service in the Antarctic (1989) |
MEDICINE
|
| Robyn
WILLIAMS |
1
of first 2 women (with Flying Cadet Deborah Hicks) to graduate
from RAAF’s pilot training course (30 June 1988); first
woman RAAF test pilot |
AVIATION
MILITARY
|
| Ruth
E WILSON |
First
woman pilot to own and operate own hot-air balloon (1976); with
Jenny HOUGHTON (also listed here), first all-female crew to
compete in prestigious Gordon Bennett Cup, an international
gas-ballooning competition (since established: 1906), traveling
over 1000 km from New Mexico to Oklahoma (1999) |
AVIATION
|
| Ali
WOOD |
First
Australian concert pianist to make New York debut at Carnegie
Hall, (aged only 18: Oct 1998); first Australian for 100 years
(last being Dame Nellie Melba) www.aliwood.com |
MUSIC
PERFORMING ARTS
|
| Virginia
WYKES |
First
indigenous woman to gain a private pilot’s licence (1982);
and first to compete in long-distance air race (Centenary of
Federation London to Sydney Air Race: 2001, with co-pilot Steven
Hirvonen) |
AVIATION
SPORT
|
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|
|
| Dianne
YERBURY |
First
woman Vice-Chancellor in Australia (Macquarie University: 1987)
|
EDUCATION
|
| Mayse
YOUNG |
Outback
legend and pioneering NT businesswoman; ran the Pine Creek Hotel
from 1930s, penning her colourful life story in book “No
Place for a Woman”. |
BUSINESS
|
| Rosemary
YOUNG |
First
woman and first lay person to head Uniting Church of Australia’s
Frontier Services (appointed National Director: 1999) |
RELIGION
|
| Simone
YOUNG |
First
woman to conduct in major European opera houses of Paris, Berlin
and Vienna (1992/3) |
MUSIC
PERFORMING ARTS
|
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|
| Carla
ZAMPATTI |
Pioneering
fashion designer; first woman to Chair Board of SBS TV (1999);
believed first woman to design car for the women’s market
(Laser for Ford Australia: 1985) |
MEDIA
FASHION
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|
Signature Quilt 
