National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame

Her Story

The National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame is the brainchild of outback pioneer Mrs Molly Clark, of Old Andado Station, who recognized that women who toiled alongside their men had received very little public or even private recognition over the years.

The National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame commemorates the Australian pioneer women who first opened the doors, confronted the obstacles and made it possible for today's women to have more power, more freedom and more options than ever before.

A pioneer woman is any woman who is a pioneer in her chosen field, referring not only to the traditional meaning of the word - a colonist, explorer or settler in a new land - but to anyone who is an innovator or developer of something new: those women who were the early settlers in Australia, and those who have attained pioneering achievements such as the first women doctors, lawyers, aviators etc.

The NPWHF seeks to commemorate the achievement of all Australian women and all ethnic and religious backgrounds.

Our exhibition includes:

• Ordinary Women/Extraordinary Lives: Women First in their Field: An exhibition featuring over 100 photographs of Australian women who were pioneers in over a dozen, largely male-dominated professions from the first women granted a University degree in the 1880s to the first female-ordained Anglican priests over a century later in the 1990s. Discover the obstacles encountered as they attempted to pioneer unchartered territory – a man's world.
• Women at the Heart: the story of the Pioneering Women in Central Australia 1870's – 1940's. Learn about the fortitude, courage and ingenuity of these often forgotten women – the wives of missionaries, miners and telegraph masters, as well as their governesses and kitchen maids. Find out more about the women who contributed to the development of the surrounding pastoral properties and the township of Stuart (now Alice Springs).
• Women's Work of Yesteryear - A display of traditional "Women's Work" items: laundering, cooking and cleaning equipment as well as craft work. This includes some ingeniously home-made household items such as the meat safe, cot, domestic artifacts from traditional women’s work.
• A Patchwork of Empowerment: Celebrating women's achievements over the last 100 years, the 3m x 2.5m signature quilt contains 343 signatures of women who were first in their field.

Heritage

Now located at the Old Alice Springs Gaol, the National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame at the Old Alice Springs Gaol provides visitors the opportunity to visit two interesting and completely different heritage attractions at the one location.

The Gaol was open from 1938 to 1996. It came close to demolition in 1997 to make way for development but was saved by a determined group of locals. Their hard work has paid off with the buildings making for a very interesting social history of the town and also the country.

Situated close to the Central Business District and in the Heritage Precinct, next to the Royal Flying Doctor Service and across the road from the Alice Springs Reptile Centre, we provide a varied and very interesting few hours.

National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame is Australia's only virtual women's museum, found at www.pioneerwomen.com.au.