Women In Australia's History

Women have played a vital and often unrecognized role in Australia's development. Learn about the contribution of Australia’s working women – some famous and some not-so-famous – as you experience the exhibition, “A Lot on her Hands”.

Working Women

Women are the unsung heroes of Australian working life.

The Australian Workers Heritage Centre is proud to honour the work of women in the first stage of its ‘Women in Australia’s Working History’ Project - the exhibition, “A Lot on her Hands”.

The Exhibition

Learn about the contribution of Australia’s working women – some famous and some not-so-famous – as you experience the exhibition, “A Lot on her Hands”. This exhibition is a rich and rewarding illumination of an amazing cross section of Australian women and their labours, both paid and unpaid over the past 200 or so years. There have been many challenges and important milestones for Australian women along the way.

Photo of Emma Miller - seamstress, radical activist, pacifist and suffragette.

Vicki Wilson display with one of her netballs.

Louisa Lawson was a writer, publisher, fighter for women’s rights and a wife and mother. You can see the printing artifacts and mastheads from her days working on the journals, The Republican and The Dawn. She was also a poet in her own right.

Pat Marks has been a pioneer in the fight to limit the capacity of mosquitoes to spread disease.

Communicators like much-loved School of the Air teacher, Bid O’Sullivan tell their stories through sound and pictures.

Sharan Burrow was elected the President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions in 2000.

Helen Robertson helped found the all-women Tailoresses' Union, victors in one of the most important strikes of the 1880s.

Jane Bell was a founder of the modern nursing profession.

Women from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds have made an enormous contribution to the development of Australia through their paid and unpaid work.

Women have been cruicial in communication since the invention of the telephone over 100 years ago.

Extraordinary Stories

There are many other women - both ordinary and extraordinary- who tell their own stories of work, paid and unpaid - read their fascinating stories.

Elsie Wright - Prizewinning Queensland embroiderer.
Mary Sutherland - An impressive modern-day “maker” who, with a couple of friends invented an industry – Tambo Teddies.
Ruth Hegarty - A member of the stolen generation whose story will move and inspire you.
Oodgeroo - Poet and Campaigner
Joan Kirner - Politician
Grace Munro
Mary Dillon
Sister Margaret McKenna
Connie Ellis
Mary Barry
Louisa Meredith
Catherine Helen Spence
Kate Dwyer