Key dates in the History of Women at Melbourne

Enid Derham enrols into the University in 1900. Throughout the next three years Derham will become an active participant and committee member of the Princess Ida Club.

Female medical students form their own society exclusive to women.

Enid Derham graduates with a Bachelor of Arts.

Enid Derham graduates with a Master of Arts. She leaves the University and establishes a career as a lecturer and poet.

Anna Brennan graduates from the University of Melbourne with a law degree. She practises as a solicitor for the next 50 years. While at the University she became a member of the Princess Ida Club, where she took on the role as office bearer between the years 1907-1909 and remained a member until 1913.

Enid Derham forms the Catalysts’ Society – modelled on the Lyceum Club in London - alongside eighteen other women. The society was created for female intellectuals.

The Princess Ida Club relocates to the natural history museum.

Julia Margaret (Bella) Guerin assumes the role of vice-president within the Women’s Political Association.[1] She becomes an active member of the labour party and passionately advocates for women’s rights until her death in 1923.

Enid Derham publishes a book of poetry The Mountain Road and Other Verses, which receives literary praise.

Women are now able to take part within the University government. This is a significant achievement for equalising gender rights.

Alice Hoy graduates with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Alice Hoy graduates with a Diploma in Education.

The Princess Ida Club merges with the University Women’s Representation Committee.

Alice Hoy graduates with a Master of Arts.

Dr. Georgina Sweet becomes the first associate-professor at the University and establishes the Victorian Women Graduates’ Association.

Master School established for high achieving performance graduates.

Alice Hoy graduates with Bachelor of Law degree.

Ellison Harvie wins the Atelier award and President’s Prize for student achievement.

Dr. Georgina Sweet is the first female to join the University council.

Nancy Millis graduates with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science.

Nancy Millis graduates with a Master of Agricultural Science.

Ellison Harvie becomes the first female architect to be made partner of an architecture firm, Stephenson and Turner.

Nancy Millis is made Demonstrator in the microbiology department at the University of Melbourne.

Nancy Millis becomes a lecturer at the University.

Margaret Williams-Weir is the first recorded Indigenous Australian to graduate from the University of Melbourne.

Alice Hoy was awarded honorary fellow of the Australian College of Education.

Alice Hoy was awarded the Mackie medal by the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science.

The University of Melbourne awarded Elizabeth Murdoch an honorary Doctor of Laws for her outstanding philanthropic contributions.

Alice Hoy is awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws in English from the University of Monash.

Nancy Millis becomes the fourth woman to be promoted to Professorship at the University.

Nancy Millis is appointed Emeritus Professor.

Joan Kirner, University of Melbourne graduate, becomes the first female Premier in Victoria.

Patricia Piccinini graduates with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from the Victorian College of the Arts.

Nancy Millis is awarded an Honorary Doctorate on behalf of the University.

University graduate Susan Crennan ­­becomes the first woman appointed to chair of the Victorian Bar Council.

Professor Marcia Langton is appointed Foundation Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne.

In recognition of Margaret Williams-Weir’s contributions to society, the University of Melbourne names an annual Vice-Chancellor Fellowship after her.

Professor Fabienne Mackay is appointed head of the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Melbourne.

The University awards artist Patricia Piccinini an honorary Doctorate of Visual and Performing Arts. She is also appointed Enterprise Professor of the VCA.

Professor Langton is honoured as a University of Melbourne Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor.

Nyadol Nyuon is awarded the Future Justice Price for her contributions towards the advancement of future justice.

Artist and VCA graduate Louise Hearman wins the Archibald Prize with her portrait of Barry Humphries.

Professor Langton is appointed the first Associate Provost at the University of Melbourne.

Carra Simpson is awarded the Australian Psychological Society Prize for her honour thesis undertaken at the University.

Nyadol Nyuon receives the ‘Racism. It Stops With Me’ award from the Australian Human Rights Commission.

University of Melbourne records that more than 50% of the student body is made up of women.

University lecturer Ngaree Blow joins the board of the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association.

Old Quad reopens as a key ceremonial and cultural space after significant heritage restoration. Inaugural exhibition, Ancestral Memory, is curated by Mutti Mutti/Wemba Wemba/Yorta Yorta/Boon Wurrung artist Maree Clarke.

Professor Langton is awarded Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia.