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

Photocopy of article in Australian Garden History, Vol. 9, No. 2, 1998, by Rowan Wilkenrowan wilken

Article on women's horticultural colleges in the U.K.Article from Country Life on women's horticultural colleges in the U.K. women, country life, frances wolseley, school for lady gardeners, england horticulture education, women in horticulture, womens horticulture schools, women in horticulture uk

This book on the history of the first 100 years of the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne has been published in 1976 and written by C.E. Sayers. He was a professional historian who was commissioned to produce this history. (He was also the historian commissioned by the Warrnambool City Council in 1969 to write a history of Warrnambool , ‘By These We Flourish’). Apart from its detailing of the history of an important institution in Victoria, this book is of particular interest to the Warrnambool and District Historical Society because William Dixon Saltau (1894-1970), born in Warrnambool, was the Medical Superintendent of the Women’s Hospital from 1924 to 1951. Dr Saltau was the son of Marcus Saltau (M.L.A.) and his wife Jean and the grandson of Henry Saltau who came to Australia in 1860 and who founded in the 1870s the Warrnambool firm of Saltau and Son, general carriers, coal, wood and produce merchants and forwarding agents. Dr Saltau’s father Marcus was Mayor of Warrnambool and a generous benefactor of the Warrnambool Hospital (Marcus Saltau House and Jean Buick Saltau Maternity Ward). Dr Saltau was educated at Warrnambool Academy (Richard Lawson, Headmaster), Scotch College, Melbourne and Melbourne University. He specialized in obstetrics and gynaecology and practised in England, Adelaide and Melbourne. This book is of interest because it describes the history of the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne and because a Warrnambool identity, Dr William Dixon Saltau, was the Medical Superintendent of this hospital for 25 years. His name is listed in this book. This is a soft-cover book of 170 pages printed in 1976 and giving the history of the first 100 years of the Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne. It has a white cover of thick paper with the emblem of the hospital on the front in blue, red, black and white. There is also a dust cover with the same material on it. The book has 26 Chapters and ten Appendices, an Index, a Foreword and an Introduction. It has a black and white sketch of the entrance to the first hospital and portraits of the two medical founders of the hospital. The pages have been bound using glue.Front Cover: ‘The Women’s – A Century of Service’ Spine: ‘The Women’s by C. E. Sayers’ royal women’s hospital, melbourne, saltau family, warrnambool, dr william dixon saltau