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Australian women

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Black and white photo of 21 women of various ages smiling, standing in front of a plane. Below the image is a list of these women's names and where they're from

[Black-and-white group photograph from the first Annual General Meeting of the Australian Women Pilots Association with list of attendees], 1951, nla.obj-3116965008

Pioneering Australian women pilots

Dive into the records of the Australian Women Pilots’ Association and some of the stories they tell about early Australian female pilots.

Blog
Dr Jo Langdon standing and leaning on a table in the Special Collections Reading Room with a Royal Perth Hospital Nurses uniform worn including a red cape and two pilot's helmets and goggles on it

Dr Jo Langdon with Royal Perth Hospital Nurses uniform worn including a red cape from the Papers of Robin Miller Dicks, 1943-1978, nla.cat-vn4456021, and Air pilot's cap and goggles owned by Freda Thompson, c. 1934, nla.obj-139636320

Re-presenting Australian female pilots through poetry

Hear from Dr Jo Langdon about her research and experience as a 2024 Creative Arts Fellow.

Blog
Photographs spread on a table, of a woman throughout her career in ballet, including photos of her dancing and portraits

Photographs of Laurel Martyn throughout her career from Papers of Laurel Martyn, 1901-1988, nla.cat-vn307525

Re-writing Australian ballet history

See how Yvette Grant used the Library’s collections to revive the memory of four women in the story of Australian ballet.

Blog
Smiling woman with short black hair and a fringe sitting at a table where several black and white photos of a woman are spread out
Researching a biography of scriptwriter and playwright Eleanor Witcombe

Learn about the fascinating career of Eleanor Witcombe with 2023 National Library Fellow and biographer Eleanor Hogan.

Blog
A photograph of a smiling woman seated in a wheelchair in front of a large bookcase and desk. She is wearing a white tshirt. The wheelchair has a control stick which sits just below her chin.

Rosemary Kayess, 2015, photo courtesy of Kim Rubenstein

Rosemary Kayess - Human rights lawyer

Topic 

Rosemary Kayess has devoted her career to the study and promotion of human rights and discrimination law in Australia and internationally.

Digital Classroom
Cover of the book 'Searching for Charlotte: The Fascinating Story of Australia's First Children's Author'
Searching for Charlotte: The Fascinating Story of Australia's First Children's Author

Kate Forsyth & Belinda Murrell

Book
NLA Publishing book
Top portion of a poster differently coloured side profiles of a face on a red background, with black text reading 'Universal Declaration of Human Rights'

United Nations Association of Australia, Collection of posters from United Nations Association of Australia (detail), 1978, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2847513995

The International Stage: Australian women lawyers as active citizens

Topic

This topic links the Australian Women Lawyers who have acted as active citizens on an international stage.  

Digital Classroom
event birdo book launch
Towards a level playing field: Women in sport panel discussion

A conversation about the experiences of women in Australian sport with cricket rising star Holly Ferling, former Matildas player Michelle Heyman, paralympic gold medallist Vanessa Low and facilitated by sports journalist Anthea Moodie.

Event
Video
Law books stacked on a desk
Trailblazing women lawyers

Module

Explore the stories of Australian women who broke barriers in the legal profession in this learning module.

Digital Classroom
A gold medal standing upright on a white cotton surface. The medal shows a figure holding a trumped and a wine amphorae. Behind the figure is a bust on a stand. In raised lettering around the edge of the medal are the words 'Olympiska Spelen Stockholm' The year '1912' is also present.

Olympic gold medal won by Miss Fanny Durack at Stockholm, 1912, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-139311257

Women in sport

Historically, Australian women have made their mark in the sports record books worldwide.

Research guide
A gold medal standing upright on a white cotton surface. The medal shows a figure holding a trumped and a wine amphorae. Behind the figure is a bust on a stand. In raised lettering around the edge of the medal are the words 'Olympiska Spelen Stockholm' The year '1912' is also present.

Olympic gold medal won by Miss Fanny Durack at Stockholm, 1912, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-139311257

Women in sport

Topic

Today, at the Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games, tennis tournaments and a host of other sporting events, men and women can compete at elite levels. But this has not always been the case for sports and recreational physical pursuits.

Digital Classroom

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