ECU honours WA pioneering women of the past in new exhibition

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ECU honours WA pioneering women of the past in new exhibition

Tuesday, 24 August 2021

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Edith Cowan University (ECU) is hosting a travelling ‘Roll of Honour’ photographic exhibition featuring fourteen Western Australian women, who in 2021 have been posthumously inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame.

Each year, the WA Women’s Hall of Fame acknowledges and celebrates the enormous contributions and achievements women have made to Western Australia. This year, the fourteen new inductees were acknowledged for their significant contribution to WA’s history prior to 1921.

“The women’s stories from our past, are an important part of the historical fabric of the State in which we live today. A rich tapestry, often weaved from hardship; loss, determination, and resilience. These are women we can all admire and draw inspiration from”, said Fiona Reid, Chair, WA Women’s Hall of Fame.

ECU has a strong relationship with the WA Women’s Hall of Fame, and officially launched a partnership on 6 March 2020 as part of ECU’s International Women’s Day celebration.

ECU also provides a home for an ongoing exhibition of the WA Women’s Hall of Fame showcasing a series of photographs of inductees at Edith Cowan House, permanently located on ECU’s Joondalup Campus.

Some of the women featured in the travelling exhibition include:

Fanny Balbuk Yooreel (1840 – 1910), Whadjuk Yorga and Perth Resistance Fighter;
Lady Margaret Forrest (1844 – 1929) President of the West Australian Society of Arts and foundation member of the Karrakatta Club;
Mary Ellen Cuper (1847 – 1877) Aboriginal Postmistress and Telegraphist; and
Mary Hynes Swanton (1861 – 1940) Trade Unionist.

To provide a more detailed summary of what each of these women has achieved, a commemorative booklet has been produced to accompany the exhibition and is available for download.

ECU is showcasing the exhibition at the Edith Cowan University, Joondalup Campus, 270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup until 16 September 2021.

The exhibition is located in the foyer of the Building 32 Lecture Theatre, open Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm.

WA Women’s Hall of Fame

First established in 2011 in recognition of the Centenary of International Women’s Day, the WA Women’s Hall of Fame celebrates the significant achievements of Western Australian women past and present.

ECU’s connection with the WA Women’s Hall of Fame extends to some of its distinguished inductees. ECU’s namesake, Edith Dircksey Cowan, was the first woman elected to an Australian Parliament 100 years ago and was an inaugural inductee of the WA Women’s Hall of Fame in 2011.

ECU’s Chancellor the Honourable Kerry Sanderson AC and former Governor of Western Australia was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

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