Beatrice Faust was born Beatrice Eileen Fennessey in Glen Huntly, a suburb of Melbourne, on 19 February 1939. She was educated at Mac Robertson Girls' High. She attended Melbourne University in the 1950s, where she became acquainted with Germaine Greer and they extended their feminist inclinations. She earned her bachelor's degree in English and subsequently her master's degree. The first of her two marriages was to Clive Faust during her time at university. Having become known as a public figure with the Faust surname, when they later divorced she retained the name. She was one of the first women to argue for civil liberties, abortion law reform and well-informed sex education for all. In 1966 she co-founded the Victorian Union of Civil Liberties to advocate for civil rights and, in 1972, the Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL), to agitate for legislative reform along specifically feminist lines and to give Australian women a greater voice in politics. In the latter part of her career, Bea became a lecturer in English at RMIT in Melbourne, then from 1990-2003 she was at Monash University’s campus at Churchill, Gippsland, (now Federation University) where she was an educational designer in the Centre of Learning and Teaching Support. She retired at 67. In 2001 Faust was awarded the Centenary Medal. In the same year, she was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women. In 2004 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for such efforts and more. "Today we pay tribute to one of Victoria’s great feminist leaders, Dr Beatrice Faust AO, who sadly passed away yesterday. Beatrice tirelessly advocated for women’s rights and equality in government policy and for the right to abortion, amongst many other achievements. We recognise her contribution to making Victoria a more gender equal state." Statement from Gender Equity.women of note, beatrice faust, beatrice fennessey, melbourne, macrobertson girls' high, melbourne university, germaine greer, civil liberties, abortion law, informed sex education, victorian union of civil liberties, women's electoral lobby, centenary medal, order of australia, victorian honour roll of australia, gender equity, lecturer, rmit, royal melbourne intitute of technology, monash university, churchill, gippsland

Margaret Baker enrolled as student 295 on 2 August 1875 and attended seven lectures in applied magnetism and electricity. She was one of the first women to attend classes at Ballarat School of Mines (SMB). Women had only been admitted to the school for telegraphy courses in 1874. There appeared to be some concerns that the courses in magnetism and electricity were not associated with mining. They were not mentioned in the annual reports of 1875-76 which commented that: 'The objects of The School of Mines are, to provide means of instruction in all things pertaining to mining, and to examine into the qualifications of persons engaged in mining.' By 1879 the Council proposed securing the services of competent lecturers in Geology, Mineralogy, Electricity and Magnetism,school of mines ballarat, smb, margaret baker, applied magnetism, electricity, first woman to study electricity and applied magnetism, telegraphy courses, mining courses, women of note

Joan Kirner was born on the 20th June, 1938, the only child of John Keith Hood and Beryl Edith Cole, whose belief that girls could do anything holds importance in explaining Joan's commitment to improving the status of girls and women Joan graduated from Melbourne University in 1958, and was sent to Ballarat where she taught at the Ballarat Girls' Technical College. Like all women at the time, her marriage to her husband, Ron, a teacher at the Ballarat Junior Technical School in 1960, meant that she was precluded from permanency in the service, an injustice which fueled much of her activism as an education lobbyist and later, as Minister for Education. The birth of three children, and the move back to Melbourne, marked the beginning of Joan's career as a community activist. Joan Kirner's career in politics has two distinctive phases: twelve years in the Victorian Parliament (1982-1994), the remaining decades in community politics. In the Victorian parliament, Joan held the positions of Minister for Conservation, 1985, Minister for Education, 1988, Deputy Premier, 1989, and Victoria's first woman Premier, 1990 to 1992. She retired from parliament in May, 1994. She was a Co-founder of Emily's List which supports women wishing to enter Parliament. Joan Kirner introduced the Victorian Certificate of Education. Awarded Companion of the Order of Australia in 2012 and Centenary Medal in 2001.women of note, joan kirner, joan hood, melbourne university, ballarat girls' technical school, ballarat junior technical school, education lobbyist, minister for education, community activist, victorian parliament, 1982-1994, minister for conservation, deputy premier, first woman premier, emily's list, victorian certificate of education, companion of the order of australia, centenary medal

Julia Margaret (Bella) Guerin (1858-1923), feminist, political activist and teacher, was born on 23 April 1858. Her father was a Governor of Gaols and was so at Ballarat Gaol from 1860s to 1890.- Having studied at home to pass matriculation in 1878, Bella entered Melbourne University in 1881, the same year her brother Marco began at Ballarat School of Mines to study Metallurgy and Assaying. Bella became the first woman to graduate from an Australian University when she gained her B.A. from the University of Melbourne in December 1883, becoming M.A. upon application in 1885. She taught first at Loreto Convent, Ballarat, urging higher education scholarships for Catholic girls to produce 'a band of noble thoughtful women as a powerful influence for good'; then as Lady Principal of Ballarat School of Mines University classes from 1887-1890, resigning upon marriage. Returning to teaching from financial necessity she began to frequent suffragist circles from the mid 1890s. She also became very involved within the Labor Party. She wrote speeches for Vida Golstein, a campaigner for women's rights, the right to vote and stand for elections. In recognition of her time at Ballarat School of Mines, a Hall of Residence at Federation University, Mount Helen Campus has been named after her, Bella Guerin Hall of Residence. Tunnelling tradition dictates a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) cannot start work until it has been given a female name, a sign of good luck for the project ahead. This dates back to the 1500s when miners and military engineers working with explosives for underground excavation, prayed to Saint Barbara for protection.The TBMs working on the two West Gate extensions are named after two very prominent women working for the rights for women. They are named Bella (Bella Guerin) and Vida (Vida Goldstein)women of note, feminist, political activist, teacher, melbourne university, first female university graduate, loreto convent ballarat, lady principal of ballarat school of mines, 1887-1890, labor party, hall of residence, bella guerin hall of residence, federation university, mount helen campus, julia margaret guerin, bella guerin, governor of gaols, ballarat gaol, father, marco guerin, brother, ballarat school of mines, metallurgy, assaying, women's rights, vote for women, vida goldstein, west gate tunnels, tunnel boring machines, tbms, bella, vida