• Entry type: Person
  • Entry ID: IMP0136

Elphick, Gladys

(1904 – 1988)
  • Born 27 August, 1904, Adelaide South Australia Australia
  • Died 19 January, 1988
  • Occupation Community worker, Welfare worker

Summary

A Kaurna woman, Gladys Elphick was born in Adelaide and brought up on the Point Pearce Reserve. Elphick’s life long work against discrimination and exploitation of Aboriginal people included her formation of the Aboriginal Women’s Council and, with others, a legal aid service, medical service and the Aboriginal Community Centre in Adelaide. Also well known as ‘Aunty Glad’, Elphick was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire on 1 January 1971 for services to the Aboriginal community. In 1984, during National Aborigines Week, Elphick was named South Australian Aboriginal of the Year.

Horton (ed) (1994), Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia; Healey (2001), S.A.’s Greats.

Published resources

  • Edited Book
    • The Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia : Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, society and culture, Horton, David, 1994
    • A Question of choice : an Australian Aboriginal dilemma; A collection of papers Advancement of Science Congress, Adelaide, 1969., Berndt, Ronald M., 1971
    • S.A.'s greats: the men and women of the North Terrace plaques, Healey, John, 2001
  • Book
    • Living black: blacks talk to Kevin Gilbert, Gilbert, Kevin, 1977
    • Aboriginal people and their communities today, Years 5-7., 1988
    • The Kaurna people : Aboriginal people of the Adelaide Plains : an Aboriginal studies course for secondary students in years 8-10., 1989
    • Survival in our own land : 'Aboriginal' experiences in "South Australia' since 1836; told by Nungas and others, Mattingley, Christobel and Hampton, Ken, 1988
    • Turning the tide : a personal history of the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, Bandler, Faith, 1989
    • As we've known it : 1911 to the present, Graham, Doris May; Graham, Cecil Wallace, 1987
    • Living in South Australia : a social history, Elizabeth Kwan, 1987
    • Race relations in Australia : the Aborigines, Gale, Fay; Brookman, Alison, 1975
    • Sketches of outstanding Aborigines; Extracts from an Australia Day address at Maughan Methodist Church P.S.A., Adelaide, on Sunday, January 29th, 1956., Rowe, Gordon, 1956
    • Some Aboriginal women pathfinders : their difficulties and their achievements, Beeson, Margaret J (compiled by), [1980]
  • Journal Article
    • Current problems of Aborigines, Elphick, Gladys, 1970
    • The role played by Aboriginal women in South Australia, particularly among urban Aborigines, since 1945, Jackson, Russ, 1986
  • Newspaper Article
    • Gladys battles for her people., 1981
    • Aboriginal Honour for Glad, Hirst, C., 1984
    • Everybody knows her as Auntie Glad, 1979
    • Permit system keeps people on reserves : changed attitude must come from whites, Elphick, Gladys, 1969
    • Nunkuwarrin Yunti celebrates 30 years. SA, Brown, Christine, 2002
    • High-flyers at Wilto Yerlo / Students soar at Wilto Yerlo. Koori Mail Education, Brown, Christine, 1999
    • Honours for Aborigines, 1972
    • Details of pioneers in Aboriginal movement., Horner, Jack, 1972
  • Conference Proceedings
    • Reports and resolutions, Conference on Aboriginal Affairs (8th : 1965 : Canberra, A.C.T.), 1965
    • The Aborigines of South Australia : their background and future prospects : proceedings of a conference held at the University of Adelaide, June 13-16, 1969, 1969
  • Journal
    • C.A.W.S.A. : newsletter of the Council of Aboriginal Women of South Australia Inc., 1968-
  • Site Exhibition
  • Resource

Archival resources

  • State Library of South Australia
    • Papers of the Migrant and Indigenous Women Action Group

Related entries


  • Related Awards
    • The Gladys Elphick Awards
  • Related Women
    • O'Donoghue, Lowitja (1932 - 2024)
    • McNamara, Natascha Duschene (1935 - )