Ten inspiring stories from Queensland women

March Forward is the theme for Queensland Women’s Week 2025 (2–9 March), a time to reflect on the struggles, resilience, and determination of past generations of women in the ongoing journey toward gender equality.

Over the years, State Library of Queensland has captured the voices of Queensland women through a rich collection of digital stories and oral histories, each sharing their own unique story.

Here are a few highlights from our collection.

Carol Lloyd

Brisbane-born singer-songwriter Carol Lloyd enjoyed a substantial career in the music industry, first as lead singer of the rock band Railroad Gin, and later as founder of the Carol Lloyd Band.

She went on to become an award-winning songwriter and built a diverse career across the creative arts, working as a creative producer, marketing manager, and managing director in music, film, television, radio, and event production.

In this digital story from 2017, Carol reflects on her early life, singing with her mother, and later breaking into the male-dominated world of rock music. Sadly, Carol passed away later that same year at the age of 68 after a long illness.

You can listen to the full oral history via our One Search catalogue.

Sallyanne Atkinson AO

Sallyanne Atkinson AO served as the Lord Mayor of Brisbane from 1985 to 1991 and remains the only woman to have held this position. In this digital story, recorded in 2018, Sallyanne reflects on her life and career in local government. You can watch the full 76 minute oral history on Vimeo. 

State Library is also very fortunate to hold the Sallyanne Atkinson Collection, which mainly covers her time as Lord Mayor of Brisbane. The collection includes photograph albums, speech transcripts, reports, plaques, certificates, scrapbooks, posters, and more.

Cherbourg’s former marching girls

On 16 June 2018, former marching girls from Cherbourg reunited to reflect on their memories and experiences from their days competing and performing. For many young women in Cherbourg, joining the Cherbourg Marching Girls Association and the Murgon Marching Girls Association was especially appealing at a time when opportunities for girls and women to participate in organised sport were scarce. It also provided opportunities to leave the settlement, which were rare and tightly controlled by the Superintendent under iterations of the Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act 1897, otherwise known as ‘The Act’.

You can find more collection items related to the Cherbourg's Marching Girls on our One Search catalogue.

*Please note - This digital story contains images and references to people who have passed away.

Paula Stafford OAM

Australian fashion designer and businesswoman Paula Stafford OAM was nationally and internationally recognised for her work. In 1952 she designed her own version of the bikini, which became a sensation. Paula was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in 2013.

In this digital story from 2013, Paula discusses the bikini and how it helped launch her Surfers Paradise business. Paula passed away in 2022 at the age of 102.

Watch the full 77-minute oral history with Paula on Vimeo.

State Library of Queensland also holds several collections related to the life and career of Paula Stafford.

• Paula Stafford Clippings and Photographs 1931 - 2005
• Paula Stafford Clippings ca. 1950-1990
• Paula Stafford Papers 1967-1968

Fiona Foley

Fiona Foley is a Badtjala artist and academic, whose work is widely collected by Australian galleries and museums.

In this 2013 digital story, recorded as part of the James C. Sourris AM Collection of Artist Interviews, Fiona discusses her life as an artist and the influences on her practice, including her sense of justice, her desire to tell hidden histories, family memories, and her love for Aboriginal culture.

You can watch the full 45 minute oral history on Vimeo. 

Fiona was also State Library of Queensland's 2020 Monica Clare Research Fellow, for her projects, Bogimbah Creek Mission: The First Aboriginal Experiment' and The Magna Carta Tree. You can read more about these projects on our blog.

Queensland Country Women's Association (QCWA)

The Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA) was formed in 1922 and has since served the interests of women and children in rural areas. In this digital story and oral history from 2013, Norma Lovelace OAM and Jennie Hill discuss the history and development of the Queensland Country Women's Association, including its establishment; support in rural and mining towns; the Association's support of refugees, troops, victims of flood and drought; its relevance today and resurgence of membership; its partnerships and work with the Benevolent Society and RSL.

The full 104 minute interview is available on Vimeo.

The QCWA was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in 2013. 

State Library of Queensland holds a number of collections associated with the Queensland Country Women's Association, including minute books for various branches, photographs and oral histories.

Kate Mary Smith

Following the death of her husband in 1886, Kate Mary Smith took over the family business that bore her name, K.M. Smith, which continues to operate today.

Family descendants Allan, Denise, and Liam Smith share stories about Kate Mary’s early years in 19th-century Dublin and her time at Somerset in north Queensland. They also explain how she and her husband established their funeral business, and how Kate Mary successfully managed and grew the company after her husband’s passing.

This digital story was created in recognition of Kate Mary Smith, a 2010 inductee into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame. 

McRose Elu

This 2022 digital story features McRose Elu, a Torres Strait Islander Elder, Queensland State Recipient of Senior Australian of the Year and a climate change advocate. In the oral history interview, she discusses the history of Saibai Island in the Torres Strait; the importance of preserving Kalaw Kawaw Ya, her native language and her studies at The University of Queensland. She also discusses climate change, a personal issue for her because of the dangers it poses to the low-lying islands in the Torres Strait.

This interview was recorded as part of the First Nations Elders Oral History Project.

You can watch the full 83 minute interview with McRose Elu on Vimeo.

Pamela Mei-Leng See

Pamela See, an Australian-Chinese artist has contributed to several exhibitions in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. In this short digital story, Pamela discusses her family background and the philosophy and methodology behind her artwork. 

This video was recorded in 2016, for the Tradition Now exhibition, where twelve diverse individuals shared their stories through objects, photographs, artwork and memories.

Margaret Olley AC

Celebrated Australian artist Margaret Olley reflects on her life and artistic career in this 2010 recording, part of the Johnstone Gallery digital stories and oral histories collection. She also shares insights into her relationship with Brian and Marjorie Johnstone, and the important role the Johnstone Gallery played in Brisbane’s artistic community.

Margaret passed away the following year, in 2011, at the age of 88.

You can watch the full 89 minute interview on Vimeo.

Explore more...

• Hair Salons to Hospitals – Histories of Queensland Businesswomen -  blog post by Dr Joanne Dolley, 2025 Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame Fellow
• An international jazz star is born: the glittering career of Wilma Reading -  blog post by Janine Lucas, State Library of Queensland
• Dangerous Women podcast series
• International Women's Day Flickr album - a curated collection of photograph from our collection
• Ten 'firsts' for Queensland women - blog post by Myles Sinnamon, State Library of Queensland