| 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) http://members.optusnet.com.au/~whirlygirl99/ |
AVIATION
|
| Allana
ARNOT |
First
woman to fly a helicopter around Australia’s coastline
(1997) www.allana.com.au |
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) www.senatorcrossin.octa4.net.au |
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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to top |
|
|
| 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
|
| back
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) www.leanneferrier.com.au |
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
|
| back
to top |
|
|
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 Aborigin |
