The Australian Women's Register

Elizabeth Refchange was the only daughter of John and Ruby Refchange (nee Smith). Her father was employed in the North Mine at Broken Hill, New South Wales. Of her two brothers, Francis and John Sydney Refchange, only Francis survived infancy. Elizabeth was educated at the North School, then Broken Hill High School, before finding employment as a hairdresser in Argent Street.

In 1937, Elizabeth entered and won the local Movie Ball look-alike competition. On the basis of this, she was chosen to enter the Pix Beauty contest, and travelled to Sydney for the semi-finals in November 1944. After parading in swimwear for representatives of the Columbia Movie Company, she was selected for the next round of competition and was filmed by Iva Ive on behalf of the Movie Company. By December 1944 she was one of the final two in the competition, alongside Joy Evans of Manly, and in January 1945 was announced as the winner. 20,000 photographs had been submitted for the competition. Elizabeth won a screen test for Hollywood, a ₤100 war bond from Columbia Pictures and a Pix model contract. She was filmed at Cinesound Studios in Sydney.

Elizabeth Refchange married John Bennett at Elizabeth Bay in June 1947. She later moved to Coffs Harbour.