Award winning novelist

Dorothy Johnston is an award-winning novelist, poet, short story writer, and author of reviews and literary essays who was born in Geelong, Victoria, in 1948. She was winner of the Miles Franklin Award 1986 and 1997. After living in Canberra for thirty years, she has returned to the Bellarine Peninsula, and her new novel (forthcoming Bewrite books) is a sea-change mystery set in Queenscliff titled, 'Through a Camel's Eye'.

Link to her website here:

• http://www.dorothyjohnston.com.au/

Sally Learey: Geelong children's book author

Sally Learey (Waurn Ponds) is a children’s book author and ex-primary teacher who began writing children’s books after she learnt that her son, daughter and husband had coeliac disease. She has written two books on food allergies for children. Her first book was title ‘Food for Me is Gluten Free’ (2007) (ISBN: 9780646466651). She has written four location books featuring Lorne, Ballarat, Melbourne and Geelong. Her location book with a distinctively Geelong flavour 'Corio Bay Kingdom' is set in Geelong, The Surf Coast and The Bellarine Peninsula. It includes specific foci on Eastern Beach, The Carousel, The Bollards, Fairy Park, The Barwon River, The Queenscliff Ferry, Torquay surf culture, the beaches at Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads, The You Yangs and Skilled Stadium.

Her most recent book is about personal learning and growth and its titled: “Overcoming Problems: Effective Steps and Strategies to Create your Blockbuster Life". 

Sally Learey, 2012.

• For more information about Sally and her personal growth seminars and books please visit her website: http://www.sallylearey.com
• Information about her books can be found at: http://www.sallysbooks.com/page6.htm

Christian Waller and stained glass

Christian Waller a famous woman artist designed one of the stained glass windows inside Christchurch and in 1942 painted a large mural on the west wall of the church. There is only one other recorded mural by Christian in existence. Christian was also renowned for her illustration work and was the Australian to illustrate Alice in Wonderland. Her work is seen of immense national significance. She pioneered the use of stained glass in Australia, was one of the first Australian female stained glass artists, a book illustrator and supported her husband on her art for a period of time when he returned injured from the first World War. Other windows designs are at Queens College, the University of Melbourne, St. James Cathedral, Melbourne.  


She made a total of sixty-five individual stained glass panels - which in terms of quantity, artistry and quality, place her as one of the leading Australian stained glass makers of the twentieth century. 


Link here to an image of her stained glass window in Geelong:

• http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/indy/geelong/216/story/129469.html

Images of her work can be found at:

• http://www.stpaulscanterbury.org.au/heritage.htm

For more information please follow these links:

• Art Gallery of Ballarat: http://www.artgalleryofballarat.com.au/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/christian-waller-from-klytie-pate.aspx
• Design and Art Australia online: http://www.daao.org.au/bio/christian-waller/
• Australian Dictionary of Biography: http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/waller-christian-marjory-emily-carlyle-11944

Geelong Firsts in Education

Geelong Church of England Girls' Grammar School, The Hermitage (Helen Garner’s school) was the first Australian girl’s school to have a uniform & to have compulsory team sports.  (Cnr of Hermitage Road & Skene St, Geelong).

More information about The Hermitage: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hermitage_(Australia)

Geelong Firsts: Hilda Tansey

Hilda Tansey 1901 – 1975. 

Australia’s First Woman Conductor of a Brass Band.

Follow the links below for more information about Hilda. 

This site is written by one of Hilda's nieces and includes lots of photos:

• http://users.tpg.com.au/users/btur/tansey/hilda.htm

This link is from the Australian Women's History site:

• http://www.womenshistory.com.au/image.asp?iID=199

Geelong Firsts

Fanny Brownbill (1890 – 1948). 

Politician & Member for Geelong (1938 – 1948). 

She was the first female local labour Member for Victoria.

Link for more information to The Australian Women's Register

http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE1158b.htm

Geelong Firsts: First Female Mayor of Geelong

Barbara Abley was Geelong's first and to date only Mayor of Geelong. She held this position for two years. Barbara has been the ward councillor for the Brownbill ward which was named after Fanny Brownbill, another Geelong First - the first female Labor member of Parliament (1938 - 1948).

She has several awards for community service to date:

• a Paul Harris Fellow
• investiture as a Dame of Grace Order of St John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller; 
• Lions International Medal of Merit
• Geelong 2003 Zonta Woman of the Year.

Learn more about Barbara Abley here