Women in Australia’s Working History (2002 - )

In July 2002, the Australian Workers Heritage Centre celebrated the opening of Stage One of its national $8 million project, Women in Australia’s Working History. The first stage is an exhibition, A Lot On Her Hands, featuring the working experiences of a diverse range of Australian women.

The Australian Workers Heritage Centre is a museum style complex opened in 1991 in the grounds of the old Barcaldine State School in southwestern Queensland. Many of the original structures have been reinvented into exhibition space, telling the stories of Australia’s working history through objects, art and multi-media presentations. Historic workplaces of yesteryear, including a one-teacher school, police watch-house and railway station, have been relocated to the centre from throughout Queensland.

The exhibition A Lot on Her Hands is a major component of the Working Women project at the centre. It looks at the experience of Australian women in paid and unpaid work, from both the perspective of the individual and in the context of the broader issues in our nation's history. The exhibition features a diverse range of Australian women, some known to us, others less well known but equally inspirational. The title reflects the understated resilience of the women represented in the exhibition. Some of the individuals featured include:

• Ruth Hegarty, a child of the stolen generation and indigenous advocate;
• Louisa Lawson, newspaper proprietor, suffragist and mother;


• Mary Barry, business woman and goat farmer;
• Joan Kirner, Australia's first woman Premier.

Related People

• Kirner, Joan Elizabeth (1938 - )

  The life of Joan Kirner features as one of the case studies in the exhibition A Lot On Her Hands, the first stage of the Women in Australian's Working History project being undertaken at the Australian Workers Heritage Centre.

• Lawson, Louisa (1848 - 1920)

  The life of Louisa Lawson features as one of the case studies in the exhibition A Lot On Her Hands, the first stage of the Women in Australian's Working History project being undertaken at the Australian Workers Heritage Centre.

• Miller, Emma (1839 - 1917)

  The life of Emma Miller features as one of the case studies in the exhibition A Lot On Her Hands, the first stage of the Women in Australian's Working History project being undertaken at the Australian Workers Heritage Centre.

• Oodgeroo Noonuccal (1920 - 1993)

  The life of Oodgeroo Noonuccal features as one of the case studies in the exhibition A Lot On Her Hands, the first stage of the Women in Australian's Working History project being undertaken at the Australian Workers Heritage Centre.

Books

• Songs of the Unsung Heroes: Stories and Verse Celebrating Australian Women and their Work, Australian Workers Heritage Centre, Barcaldine, 2002. [ Details... ]