Women Shaping the Nation Victorian Honour Roll of Women Volume 1 2001 Women Shaping the Nation Victorian Honour Roll of Women Volume 1 2001 Published by the Centenary of Federation Victoria Copyright © 2001 Centenary of Federation Victoria Designed and produced by B&B Design Australia Pty Ltd Designer: Emma Smart Printed by Color Solutions Pty Ltd Binding by M&M Binders Edition of 15 IntroductionIntroduction Women Shaping the Nation is a major event in Victoria’s volume of the inaugural Victorian Honour Roll of Women. Centenary of Federation Celebrations. This presentation will be supported by Honour Roll nominees. The Centenary of Federation is an opportunity for all The Honour Roll features marvellous stories of 250 key Australians to reflect upon our achievements and challenges Australian women who have achieved ‘firsts’ or have been and reaffirm our commitment to the future. In particular, founders of movements benefiting women and the community the Victorian Government and the Centenary of Federation nationally or internationally, as well as Victorian women Victoria Committee want to ensure the contribution of who have made a significant contribution to the progress women is acknowledged and honoured in the celebrations. of women and the community. The first level of nominees On 7 May 2001, 9.30 to 11.30am, in Parliament House, was obtained by research undertaken by the Museum of Victoria, over 800 women from across Australia will meet Victoria and the second level of nominees are nominations to recognise women who won the right for women to vote from peak Victorian community and women’s organisations. and who are pioneers or major contributors to the shaping This first volume is an important step towards a better record of our nation. and greater understanding of women’s roles in Australian history. The further development of the Honour Roll will The Event will feature the presentation of the 2001 Women’s be an ongoing initiative of the Victorian Government. Petition by the Hon. Mary Delahunty, Minister for Education and Minister for the Arts and Minister responsible for The participation of Victorian women from all walks of life Centenary of Federation. The Petition has been developed and all areas of endeavour in the Women Shaping the Nation and signed by thousands of women across Victoria. Program augurs well for the achievement of a more just, The Petition highlighted the eight main issues on which women equitable and sustainable society. wanted community and government action and honoured the historic role of the women who developed and presented to the Victorian Parliament the ‘Great Petition’ of 1891, which demanded the right for women to vote. It was signed by 30,000 women. The Hon. Sherryl Garbutt The Hon. Mary Delahunty The Hon. Sherryl Garbutt, Minister for Conservation Minister for Conservation Minister for Education and the Environment and Minister for Women’s Affairs, and the Environment, and Minister for the Arts, will present to the 7 May assembly of women, this first Minister for Women’s Affairs Minister responsible for Centenary of Federation — 1 AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements The Victorian Honour Roll of Women is a joint initiative We also thank Professors Marilyn Lake, LaTrobe University, of the Centenary of Federation Victoria Committee, and Pat Grimshaw, University of Melbourne for their advice. the Office of Women’s Policy and the Women Shaping We also wish to acknowledge the excellent work done on a the Nation Steering Committee. difficult task by the Independent Advisory Panel, the Hon. This Honour Roll book has been compiled by the Hon. Joan Kirner, Chair, Ms Joy Murphy, Dame Margaret Guilfoyle, Joan Kirner, AM, Chair, Women Shaping the Nation Ms Vicki Mitsos, Ms Jacinta Allan, MP, Hon. Jeanette Powell, Steering Committee, (Hatice) Hutch Hussein, Women MP, Cr Julie Hansen, Ms Eve Mahlab, Ms Andrea Mc Call, MP, Shaping the Nation Event Project Manager, with the Ms Judy Maddigan, MP, Ms Sue Nattrass, Ms Ella Ebery, generous assistance of David Pitchford, Chief Executive Ms Sarah Miller, Ms Ellen Kleimaker and Prof. Shurlee Swain. Officer, Centenary of Federation Victoria, CFV support The brief accounts of Honour Roll nominees contained in staff, in particular Joe Bogdanov and the staff of the Office the book are completed to the Project Team’s best ability of Minister Delahunty and Minister Garbutt. in a very short time frame. Special thanks for work on the book are due to Emma As the Honour Roll is further developed, the biographies Willoughby and Jayne Josem of the Museum of Victoria, will be improved and the Honour Roll extended. who researched the ‘Firsts & Founders’, Helen Burbery, Emma Smart, assisted by Darren Rath, Ann Rzesniowiecki, Luize Svikers and James Rule from B&B Design Australia who designed and produced the book, and Helen Duffy (author) and Bruce Postle, who supplied photographs from the book, Women of Australia, by Helen Duffy and Ingrid Ohlsson. 2 — ContentsContents The Victorian Honour Roll of Women List is divided into two sections. The first section lists and documents the stories of women who have achieved firsts in the nation and women who have been or are leaders or founders of movements or organisations. The second section lists and documents the stories of women who have been nominated by peak women’s or community organisations for their significant contribution to Victoria or the nation. Firsts and Founders page 4 Community Nominations page 136 — 3 Firsts and Founders 4 — Elizabeth Macarthur Elizabeth Macarthur 1809: First Australian woman pastoralist Elizabeth Macarthur was born in Devon, England on 14 August visiting their estate regularly despite the danger of venturing 1766, to a farmer and his wife who were educated and affluent. into the bush. Elizabeth oversaw every aspect of the Elizabeth received an education before marrying John management of their flocks and communicated with her Macarthur in October 1788. He joined the New South husband in England. As a result of their joint interest they Wales Corps in 1789 and sailed to Australia with his wife were able to sell their wool competitively in the British market and young son, Edward. They arrived in June 1790 having and effectively established the reputation of the colony as a lost a baby daughter en route. centre for this industry. Elizabeth did not complain about Elizabeth was the first educated woman to reach the colony her workload, nor did she boast of her achievements. and held a privileged position. Over the next two decades she On John’s return in 1817, Elizabeth retired from the gave birth to four sons and three daughters, one of whom died. business affairs and spent more time enjoying social life and Letters to her family reveal a positive nature and strength of her children in Sydney and Parramatta. She was distressed character which helped her overcome the hardships of early by her husband’s fits of depression and jealousy and they colonial life. By 1794, the Macarthurs had built Elizabeth soon lived in virtual separation. She strove to keep the Farm, a brick house at Parramatta. They had a beautiful family together. He died in 1834 and she lived another garden and the children received an excellent education. sixteen years during which Australian wool exporters In 1809, her husband was forced to leave the colony and return became very successful. Elizabeth was a beautiful, sensitive to England. Business partners administered his mercantile woman who was widely praised. She died on 9 February affairs but Elizabeth was responsible for the care of their 1850, and while her husband is remembered as the father valuable merino flocks, the Camden Park estate and their of Australia’s wool industry, her pivotal role in its success is often overlooked. convict labourers. She did so successfully for eight years, — 5 Mary Reibey Mary Reibey 1811: First known successful Australian businesswoman Mary was born in Bury, England on 12 May 1777. Christened By 1810, Mary had given birth to their seventh child. as Molly Haydock her family were yeomen and she received Thomas died the following year, aged 42, and his business a good education. Her parents passed away when she was young partner died a few weeks later. Mary was a 34-year-old wealthy so she lived with her grandmother. After her grandmother widow with seven children, farms, ships and a warehouse. died when she was in her early teens, Mary apparently spent She continued to run the business and was an astute much of her time disguised as a boy and called herself James businesswoman, adept at handling the American, Chinese Burrows. It was under this guise that she was arrested for and Indian traders. Mary expanded the business and made stealing horses in 1790, a most serious offense punishable by extensive investment in city property, erecting many hanging. She was thrown in gaol and in November 1791 her substantial buildings. She took an interest in the church, family and friends presented a petition calling for her release. education and charity. Unfortunately, none of them would act as guardian for her, Mary rose to respectability, became a social figure in Sydney so at fifteen years of age she found herself the youngest of and was an occasional guest of Governor Macquarie at 47 women transported to New South Wales. Government House. Her eldest son, Thomas, became a ship Mary arrived in October 1792 and by September 1794 she captain and spent a lot of time in Tasmania. He married into had married a young officer with the East India Company, a good family and built a house in Launceston. Mary took Thomas Rabey (later changed to Reibey). He applied for her two older girls to England to show them the world and a land grant and they soon moved to set up a farm by the provide them with some schooling.