Famous Australian Women Trivia Quiz

Answer: Caroline Chisholm

Caroline Chisholm was born in England in 1808 and migrated to Australia in 1838 where she worked tirelessly to improve life on board ships bringing migrants to Australia, she helped poor families gain passage and for the families of transported convicts, she arranged free passage. In 1994 she was posthumously awarded a medal in the Order of Australia.

Answer: Dame Enid Lyons

Mother of twelve and a devoted wife, Dame Enid Lyons was truly a great woman who, as a politician, cared about people and proved that women had a part to play, not only in the home, but in the community as well! Born in Tasmania in 1897, she married at the age of 17. Shortly after marrying Joseph Lyons, he entered politics. He became Prime Minister in 1932.

Answer: Margaret Court

Retiring in 1977, Margaret Court was born in Albury, New South Wales. She won over 60 Grand Slam events during her career, including Wimbledon titles in 1963, 1965 and 1970 and US, French and Australian titles. In 1970 she became only the second woman to win all four majors in one year.

Answer: Nellie Melba

Dame Nellie Melba was born in Melbourne, Victoria and was a talented pianist who studied singing after she married in 1882. She appeared at Covent Garden in 1888 and the purity of her voice won her worldwide fame. She was made a Dame in 1918. 'Peach Melba' and 'Melba toast' were named after her!

Answer: Mary Gilmore

She was born near Goulburn in New South Wales and for 23 years, Dame Mary Gilmore was the editor of the women's section of the 'Sydney Worker' newspaper. She also published several books of verse that were thought socially radical at the time.

Answer: Dawn Fraser

She was voted Australian of the Year in 1964 and Australia's Greatest Female Athlete in 1988. Born in Balmain, New South Wales, Dawn Fraser won the 100 m freestyle in 1956, 1960 and 1964. She won six Commonwealth Games gold medals and set over twenty-five world records. In 1962 she became the first woman to break one minute for the 100 m.

Answer: Shirley Strickland

Born in 1925, Shirley Strickland MBE, nee de la Hunty, won seven Olympic medals, three of them gold, in the London, Helsinki and Melbourne Olympic Games. Shirley later became an athletics coach, scientist and public speaker.

Answer: Edith Cowan

There is a university in Western Australia named after Edith Cowan who was born in Geraldton, Western Australia and was the first woman member of an Australian parliament. She was elected in 1921 to the seat of West Perth, over the ensuing years she introduced laws that allowed women to become lawyers!

Answer: Stella Miles

Stella Miles, aka, Miles Franklin, emigrated to the US in 1906. Her most famous novel, 'My Brilliant Career' was penned in Australia and first published in Scotland in 1901. The 'Miles Franklin Award' is given annually in Australia for excellence in literature.

Answer: Elizabeth Kenny

Born in 1886, 'Sister' Kenny began practising as a nurse in 1912 and joined the Army in 1915. She used muscle therapy to successfully treat poliomyelitis and established clinics in Australia and overseas between 1933 and 1940. Her autobiography, 'And They Shall Walk' was published in 1943.

Answer: Dorothea MacKellar

Isobel Marion 'Dorothea' MacKellar was born in Sydney, New South Wales in 1885 and died in 1968. Her family owned land around Gunnedah which, it is said, was where she was inspired to write 'My Country', which was first published in the London 'Spectator' in September, 1908.

Answer: Shirley Smith

'Mum' Shirl, was born in Cowra, New South Wales in 1921. She was an epileptic and could not go to school so was 'educated' at home by her grandfather. Even though she could not read or write she could speak 16 different Aboriginal languages. She began the Aboriginal Medical Service and the Aboriginal Legal Service and was awarded both the Order of Australia and the Order of the British Empire.

She died in 1988.

Answer: Lois O'Donoghue

'Lowjita' O'Donoghue was born in South Australia in 1932, grew up in a children's home and trained as a nurse. In 1967 she joined the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and by 1975 she was the Director of the South Australian region. She later went on to head the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.

Answer: Betty Cuthbert

'The Golden Girl', Betty Cuthbert, was born in 1938 (a twin) and grew up in Sydney. She won three gold medals at the Melbourne Olympics and one in 1964 at the Tokyo Olympics after which she retired. Diagnosed in 1981 with Multiple Sclerosis she has spent much of her time raising much needed funds for research into this debilitating disease.

Answer: Roma Mitchell

Born in 1913 in Adelaide, Roma Mitchell was appointed in 1965 as the first female Supreme Court Judge. In 1981 she helped start the Australian Human Rights Commission and became 'Dame' Roma Mitchell in 1982. In 1991 she was appointed as Governor of South Australia - the first female Australian governor.