55th Annual Women’s Australia Day Ceremony

On Thursday 21 January, the National Council of Women of Victoria held their 55^th Annual Women’s Australia Day Ceremony at the Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden. This was a free event, honouring women pioneers or ‘firsts and forerunners’.

This year’s speaker was Dr Liz Rushen of the National Centre for Australian Studies at Monash University, speaking on Frances Perry ’s legacy at the Royal Women’s Hospital. Frances Perry 1814-1892

Have you visited the Garden? Not far from the Myer Music Bowl, this cool space was created in 1935 by public donation as part of Melbourne's centenary celebrations, to commemorate women’s contribution to the city and the state. (Melway map reference 2G B5)

Over the years, many high achieving women have spoken at this annual Women’s Australia Day event, from Dame Margaret Blackwood and Dame Phyllis Frost through to May Hu, Senior Producer, Mandarin Program, SBS Radio (2011), Tania Chapman, 2012 RIRDC Victorian Rural Woman of the Year, Mildura citrus grower and Chair of Citrus Australia (2013) and Professor Kim Rubenstein on trailblazing women and the law (2014).

Download Dr Liz Rushen's Paper which was delivered at the the Australia Day Women's Ceremony