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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

First Ladies

Significant Australian Women 1913–2013

First Ladies profiles women who have achieved noteworthy firsts over the past 100 years.

More information on First Ladies

Selected images

Jessie Street
Jessie Street, 1929 Reginald Jerrold-Nathan. © Estate of Reginald Jerrold-Nathan
Great Suffragette demonstration in London
Great Suffragette demonstration in London, 1911 Rose Stereograph Company
Self portrait
Self portrait, 1934 Nora Heysen AM. © Lou Klepac
June Dally-Watkins
June Dally-Watkins, 1949 (printed 2008) Max Dupain OBE
Dame Jean Macnamara
Dame Jean Macnamara, c. 1930 Donovan
Margaret Anderson
Margaret Anderson, 1942 Napier Waller CMG OBE. © Estate of Napier Waller
Senator Nancy Buttfield
Senator Nancy Buttfield, 1958 Sir Ivor Hele. © Estate of Ivor Hele
Margaret Court and Evonne Goolagong
Margaret Court and Evonne Goolagong, c. 1971 Ern McQuillan OAM. © Michael McQuillan's Classic Photographs
Portrait of Marjorie Cotton
Portrait of Marjorie Cotton, 1969 Jean Isherwood OAM
Evonne Goolagong
Evonne Goolagong, 1973 Ern McQuillan OAM. © Michael McQuillan's Classic Photographs
Ita Buttrose
Ita Buttrose, 1981 John Williams. © Estate of John Williams
Marcia Langton
Marcia Langton, 1982 Juno Gemes. © Juno Gemes/Copyright Agency, 2024
Cathy Freeman
Cathy Freeman, 1994 Montalbetti + Campbell. © Montalbetti & Campbell
Dame Roma Mitchell
Dame Roma Mitchell, 1998 Jessica Hromas. © Jessica Hromas
Imelda Roche
Imelda Roche, 2003 Paul Newton. © Paul Newton
Quentin Bryce
Quentin Bryce, 2002 (printed 2011) Lorrie Graham. © Lorrie Graham
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman, 2002 (printed 2004) Karin Catt. © Karin Catt
Rose Scott
Rose Scott, 1913 Annie May Moore
Gladys Moncrieff
Gladys Moncrieff, 1920s Ruskin
Mrs Bonney flying from Australia to South Africa via Siam. Singapore 1937 (full length portrait)
Mrs Bonney flying from Australia to South Africa via Siam. Singapore 1937 (full length portrait) an unknown artist
Nancy Bird Walton
Nancy Bird Walton, c. 1973 Judy Cassab AO CBE. © Judy Cassab/Copyright Agency, 2024
Jill Ker Conway
Jill Ker Conway, 1987 Sarah Belchetz-Swenson. © Estate of Sarah Belchetz-Swenson
Elizabeth Blackburn
Elizabeth Blackburn, 2011 Hugh Hamilton. © Hugh Hamilton/Copyright Agency, 2024
© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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