Milestones for Tasmanian Women

1810	Salome Pitt and an Aboriginal companion, Miss Story, first women known to have climbed Mt Wellington.
1890	Constance Stone (b.1856 Hobart) first woman to be registered with the Medical Board of Victoria, and first woman registered as medical practitioner in Australia (having studied and trained overseas).
1896	Eliza Helen Wilson first woman to graduate from the University of Tasmania (Bachelor of Arts).
1899	Founding of Queen Victoria Hospital for Women officially opened, the first of such institutions established by Australian women. Founding of National Council of Women by Emily Dobson.
1902	Changes to Constitution Act gave women in the four states without female suffrage (including Tasmania) the right to vote in Federal elections and the right to sit in Federal Parliament. Elections for the Second Commonwealth Parliament were held on 16 December 1903.
1904	All Tasmanian women became eligible to vote in House of Assembly elections after 1903 Constitution Act changed the eligibility term from "man" to "person".Franchise for Legislative Council for owners of freehold of 10 pounds annual value or leasehold of 30 pounds extended to women.Legal Practice Act allows women to be admitted to legal practice.
1907	Gertrude Halley appointed to the School Medical Service and first woman doctor in Hobart.
1913	Alicia O'Shea Peterson first woman to stand for election to Commonwealth Parliament in Tasmania.
1918	First meeting of Graduate Branch of University Women's Unions (affiliated with Australian Federation of University Women in 1922).
1919	Amy Rowntree first woman to be appointed Inspector of Schools.
1920	Women who had served as nurses in the First World War eligible to vote in Legislative Council elections.
1921	Women eligible to stand for the Tasmanian House of Assembly.
1927	Christine Walch (graduated University of Sydney 1925) establishes medical practice in Macquarie Street, Hobart.
1928	Edith Lowenstein first full time woman lecturer appointed by University of Tasmania.
1931	Helen Ida Dunbar first woman to graduate from University of Tasmania Law School.
1932	First International Women's Day March in Tasmania - about 250 women and children marched through Hobart to the Domain.
1933	Ida Birchall, one of the first Tasmanian woman to study medicine within Australia, graduates from Sydney University. First Tasmanian member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 1936.
1935	Nancy McPhee first woman admitted to practice Supreme Court of Tasmania. Married Women's Property Act 1935 gives married women who own property the same rights as men and single women.
1936	Marguerite Grueber (later Pixley) of Hobart was one of the first two air hostesses in Australia recruited by Holyman Airlines.
1939	Lady Gowrie Childcare Centres established - initially operated on kindergarten model.
1941	Franchise for the Legislative Council extended to all "servicemen and women in any war" and the age limit reduced from 30 to 21 years of age.
1943	Enid Lyons standing for the electorate of Darwin (NW Tasmania) first woman in Australia to be elected to House of Representatives in Federal Parliament.
1944	Lipscombe Child Care Centre opened.
1947	Amy Padfield first woman appointed as a Council Clerk (Gormanston Council).
1948	Margaret McIntyre first woman elected to Tasmanian Parliament, seat of Cornwall in Legislative Council. Dorothy Edwards first woman Alderman - Launceston.
1949	Enid Lyons appointed Vice-President of the Executive Council, the first woman to enter Federal Cabinet.
1950	Ida West begins campaigning for Aboriginal women's health and social issues. Later becomes President of Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (incorporated 1973). The female rate of pay is set at 75% of the male rate in the Commonwealth Basic Wage Case.
1951	Jean Batt becomes first woman to sit on Professorial Board of the University of Tasmania.
1952	Mabel Miller first woman Alderman - Hobart.
1954	Spouses of property owners became eligible to vote in Legislative Council elections.
1955	Mabel Miller and Amelia Best first women elected to Tasmanian House of Assembly.
1956	Dorothy Edwards first woman Mayor in Tasmania (Launceston City Council) and one of the first in Australia.
1959	Enid Campbell returned to Tasmania and became the first female lecturer in the Law School, teaching political science.
1962	All Aboriginals entitled to vote in Commonwealth elections.
1967	Abolition of marriage bar in State Public Service. Full adult franchise for Legislative Council for those over 21 years of age. Commonwealth referendum - 92 per cent of Australians voted to allow the Commonwealth to make laws for aboriginals and to include them in the census. Enid Campbell - first female Dean of a Law Faculty in Australia, Sir Isaac Isaac Professor of Law at Monash University.
1968	Phyllis Benjamin - First woman leader of an Upper House in Australia. Longest serving woman member of any State Parliament (1952-1976).
1972	The Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission adopted the principle of equal pay for work of equal value. Commonwealth Child Care Act provides impetus for establishment of range of child care services.
1973	Attorney General, Merv Everett appoints Kim Boyer as first female Coroner.
1974	First women's refuge in Hobart opened by women's co-operative in Sandy Bay. Hobart born Helene Chung [Martin] first non-white reporter on Australian TV.
1975	First Family Day Care Scheme established by Glenorchy Council. Shirley Walters first woman to represent Tasmania in the Senate.
1976	Truganini's ashes scattered in D'Entrecasteaux Channel in line with her request at the time of her death in 1876. Women's information and resource centre opened at Palfreyman's Corner North Hobart with International Women's Year Grant of $2000. Kim Boyer appointed first Women's Adviser to a Premier in Tasmania. Initial appointment was with Bill Neilson, then Premiers Doug Lowe and Harry Holgate.
1980	Alison Anderson - first woman jockey to ride against men in Tasmania.
1980	Gill James - first woman Minister in a Tasmanian Government. Fiona McConnell becomes University of Tasmania's first woman Rhodes Scholar (following liberalisation of the Scholarship conditions in 1976).
1982	Bev Buckingham - as a second year apprentice became first woman in the world to win a State Jockey's Premiership, having ridden 63 winners in the season. Heather Sculthorpe - first Tasmanian Aboriginal to obtain law degree, University of Tasmania.
1983	Hobart born Helene Chung [Martin] first woman posted overseas by the ABC.
1985	June Sculthorpe, graduate of ANU, appointed as first Aboriginal Tutor/Counsellor at University of Tasmania. First sexual support service established. Domestic Violence Crisis Service established.
1987	Margaret Reynolds (Senator for Queensland) first Tasmanian born woman to serve in Federal Ministry (Minister for Local Government and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Status of Women).
1988	Women's Studies introduced as a subject by University of Tasmania. Karadi (Aboriginal Women's Workshop) established.
1989	Opening Aboriginal Children's Centre West Moonah.
1990	Tasmanian Office of the Status of Women established by Tasmanian Government.
1992	Valda Gee - first Aboriginal woman to obtain Bachelor of Arts through the Bridging Program at Riawunna. Aboriginal Kindergarten opens at Glenorchy.
1993	Christine Milne - first woman to lead a political party in Tasmania. Austra Maddox - first woman President of the Tasmanian Trades and Labour Council. Gillian Biscoe - first woman appointed as Head of Agency in Tasmanian State Service (Department of Community and Health Services).
1994	Helen Lambert - appointed as first woman Magistrate. Roger Groom introduced State Government Domestic Violence Policy.
1995	Sex Discrimination Act of 1994 proclaimed.
1996	Lara Giddings - Youngest woman elected to an Australian Parliament at age 23 years.
1997	Annette Peardon delivers speech on behalf of the Stolen Generation to the Tasmanian Parliament from the floor of the Chamber. Silvia Smith - first woman member to sit in both State Parliament (1997- 2003) and Federal Parliament (MHR Bass 1993-96).
1998	Paula Wriedt - youngest ever woman member of a Tasmanian Cabinet.
1999	Anti Discrimination Act proclaimed. Handback of Wybalenna to the Aboriginal Community. Premier of Tasmania recognises the role of Aboriginal elders Aunty Ida West and Ruby Roughley in achieving this milestone. Sue Napier - first woman leader of the Tasmanian Parliamentary Liberal Party Melanie Bartlett first woman President of the Law Society of Tasmania (established in 1888)
2000	State Industrial Commission ratifies pay equity principle Edyth Langham - First woman elected to Tasmanian Racing Club (established 130 years)
2001	Introduction of Paid Maternity Leave for State Government employees (12 weeks). All women parliamentarians support legislation to clarify the Tasmanian law in relation to termination services and to remove legal uncertainties in relation to medical procedures. Hon. Allison Ritchie MLC - youngest woman and youngest person ever elected to the Tasmanian Legislative Council. Elected to the seat of Pembroke.
2002	Janie Dickenson - youngest ever woman to be elected Mayor in Australia at age 27. Kathryn Hay - first Aboriginal elected to the Tasmanian Parliament. Judy Jackson - becomes the first Tasmanian woman Attorney General.
2003	Georgina Wallace - first woman president of Campbell Town Show Society (established for 165 years).
2004	Marion Cooper - first woman Commodore of the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania (established for 125 years).
2005	Shan Tennent first woman judge appointed to Supreme Court of Tasmania. Family Violence Act of 2004 proclaimed. Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women established. First Micro-credit program for Tasmanian women established.
2007	Shirley Berger becomes the first female career Leading Firefighter in the Tasmania Fire Service.
2008	Lara Giddings MP becomes first female Deputy Tasmanian Premier. Sue Smith MLC becomes first female president of the Legislative Council of Tasmania. Commander Donna Adams appointed first female Commander in the history of Tasmania Police. Barbara Baker becomes the first Tasmanian woman to be appointed a federal magistrate.
2009	Tasmanian-born Professor Elizabeth Blackburn was named joint winner of the Nobel Prize for Medicine for her work on chromosomes and the enzyme telomarese, making her the first Australian woman to receive a Nobel Prize.

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