The South Australian Country Women's Association Inc.

Australian Women
Corporate entry

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The South Australian Country Women's Association Inc. (1929 - )

Function: Lobby group

The South Australian Country Women's Association is a non-sectarian, non-party-political, non-profit lobby group and service association working in the interests of women and children in rural and urban areas. Although ostensibly non-party-political, in practice the group has tended to bolster conservative politics.

The State association was formed in 1929. The first branch of the Association in South Australia was actually formed in 1926 at Burra by Mary Warnes. By 1988, nearly every small settlement in South Australia had a CWA branch and the Association comprised 270 branches with 7,500 members (at its peak in 1956 the Association boasted 277 branches and 14,000 members).

The Association has engaged in an enormously diverse range of service and lobbying activities since its inception - from the provision of rest rooms and holiday houses for members, and handicraft and homecraft instruction, to the provision of health services in rural areas. Much of the Association's energy has been directed towards providing relief in times of recessions, droughts, floods, war and disasters. Its size and scope made it one of South Australia's most significant women's organisations.

Archival note:
It is the policy of the headquarters archives to call in all paper-based material relating to all branches when no longer required. For many years the South Australian Association was also responsible for branches in the Northern Territory.

Details

URL: The home page for this entity is located at http://www.picknowl.com.au/homepages/sacwa/index.html

Additional Information:

The first moves towards forming a state-wide Country Women's Association in South Australia actually took place in 1926 when Mrs T. Bowman, then president of the National Council of Women of South Australia, called a meeting of all country Mayoresses and wives of chairmen of district councils. No one replied. However, Bowman held an informal afternoon tea of country women which inspired Mary Warnes, of Koomooloo station, to establish the first CWA branch in Burra. Warnes saw the need for country women's rest rooms, where children could be fed and tea made when women from rural areas had to visit town, and for the need to reduce the isolation experienced by women in the country. A Metropolitan branch formed in Adelaide in 1928,with a Metropolitan Younger Set forming soon after.

By late 1931 there were8 branches and by 1937 there were 51 branches and six 'Younger Sets', totaling 3000 members. By 1946 this increased to 141 branches and by 1956 there were 277 branches with 14,000 members. By the 1970s members decreased to around 10,000, declining to 7500 by 1988.

The early activities of the Association included the establishment of rest rooms in regional centres and the creation of a circulating library by the Metropolitan branch. They provided relief to rural families during the Depression and droughts of the early 1930s. From the 1930s they ran a kiosk and rest room at the annual Royal Show in Adelaide. In 1932 they also assisted with the establishment of the Baby Health Train, which provided much needed health services to remote areas, and worked with the Mothers and Babies Health Association.

As in other states, handicrafts have featured prominently in the Association's activities, and they have also produced numerous cookbooks and local histories. They also supported 'Wool Week' by holding exhibitions of woolen articles made by members. Many branches devoted their time to fundraising and organising social events. From the mid-1930s, several holiday homes for members were also purchased.

During the war years, much energy was directed towards supporting the war effort, although normal Association activities were also continued. They assisted particularly with the Women's Land Army, the nationwide CWA camouflage net making contract (of which 20,000 were made). Thousand of pounds were raised and donated to purchase medical equipment for the army, a trainer plane for the RAAF and to provide meals and other 'comforts' for soldiers in training camps, as well as large donations to the Red Cross. Almost every branch had an Emergency World Circle which made up various woolen garments and other items, as well as sheepskin vests. They also supported 'Food for Britain

One of the most immediate postwar developments was the flowering of music, drama and graphic art under the direction of the Combined Arts Advisory Committee for in 1947. Handicrafts activities also expanded - with numerous courses being held in branches across the state. The association also took an interest in new migrants and supported the work of the Good Neighbour Council. From 1957 they also held an annual Homemakers' School at their headquarters and club in Adelaide as well as in regional centres.

From 1934 the CWA was allocated a page in the Rural Review to report on its activities. From 1953-1971 they produced their own weekly newspaper, The South Australian Countrywoman. From 1971 this appeared as weekly segment of the Farmer and Grazier and from 1975 this became a monthly newsletter.

Sources used to compile this entry: The First Fifty Years: Golden Jubilee History of the South Australian Country Women's Association.

Books

So We Grow, South Australian Country Women's Association, Adelaide, 1954, 40 pp. [ Details... ]
Fifty years of CWA at Tarcowie, South Australian Country Women's Association, Tarcowie Branch, Tarcowie, 1988, 26 pp. [ Details... ]
Ashby, Marjorie, Carinya 1956-1989, South Australian Country Women's Association, Clare Branch, Clare, 1989, 84 pp. [ Details... ]
Beard, Mary, A Continuation of the History of the CWA on Eyre Peninsula, Cleve Printery, Cleve, 1985, 56 pp. [ Details... ]
Bishop, Jennette, Melrose CWA: 50 Years of History, South Australian Country Women's Association, Melrose Branch, Melrose, 1989, 76 pp. [ Details... ]
Hughes, Ann, The History of the Geranium CWA Branch 1946-2000, South Australian Country Women's Association, Geranium Branch, Geranium, 2000, 78 pp. [ Details... ]
Kimba Country Women's Association, Kimba CWA, 1931-1981, Golden Jubilee, Kimba, 1981, 68 pp. [ Details... ]
Parker, Heather, The First Fifty Years: Golden Jubilee History of the South Australian Country Women's Association, South Australian Country Women's Association, Kent Town, 1979, 329 pp. [ Details... ]
Snashall, Evelyn, The Passing Years, South Australian Country Women's Association, Clare Branch, Adelaide, 1946?, 26 pp. [ Details... ]
Young, Bertha, Our First Forty Years: The South Australian Country Women's Association, Inc. Willunga Branch, 1947-1987, The South Australian Country Women's Association, Inc. Willunga Branch, Willunga, 1987, 20 pp. [ Details... ]
Zabukovec, Victoria, In Their Own Words: History of the South Australian Country Women's Association from 1979 to 1999, South Australian Country Women's Association Inc., Kent Town, 2000, 256 pp. [ Details... ]

Edited Books

Parker, Heather (ed.), Musing and Amusing, South Australian Country Women's Association, Kent Town, 1981, 68 pp. [ Details... ]

Journals

The rural review: A weekly journal published in the interests of primary producers in South Australia, 1934-1953. [ Details... ]

Newsletters

South Australian Country Woman, South Australian Country Women's Association, 1953-1971, 1975-. [ Details... ]

Reports

South Australian Country Women's Association, Annual Report, 1949-1981, 1996-. [ Details... ]