The ZONTA Club of Stanthorpe has announced the nominees for their “Remarkable Women of The Granite Belt” project.
The purpose of the project is to preserve the history and acknowledge the contribution of women in the formation of our community, in a permanent memorial, as part of Stanthorpe 150 years celebration.
The representation of both individuals and groups of women from a diverse range of backgrounds, spanning many decades throughout the history of Stanthorpe, will provide points of reference, promote inclusiveness and a sense of place to residents, and add to the overall visitor experience within our region.
ZONTA Stanthorpe acknowledges all the women who have, as members of our community, part of a family, committed to a group or a project in our town and surrounds.
Every committee and working group for any event was helped by their labours and when the men were away fighting wars these everyday women kept Stanthorpe growing and functioning. The groups are replicated across the whole of the Granite Belt and the result is our thriving community today.
ZONTA Stanthorpe intends for a permanent memorial, consisting of plinths with plaques acknowledging the Remarkable Women to be erected in their Zonta Rose Garden within the Quart Pot Creek Parklands, with the project designed so that additional posts and plaques can be added in the future.
The women chosen were nominated by community members and have shown commitment to Stanthorpe and the surrounding district, demonstrated through their chosen career or extensive involvement with community organisations spanning many decades of Stanthorpe’s history between 1872 to 2021.
The nominees are:
1. Mrs O’Mahoney – 1839-1920 – First Post Mistress
2. Mrs Margaret Allison – 1843-1926 – Businesswoman, Kyoomba Sanatorium
3. Kate Johnson – 1845-1928 – Midwifery
4. Mrs Isabella Pettiford 1864-1947 – Midwifery
5. Mary Jane Gleeson – 1869-1963 – Businesswoman Community Service
6. Mrs Clara Anne Elwell 1869 – 1948 -Nursing Red Cross Community Service
7. Mrs Rose Denyer – 1871-1969 – Boarding House Operator CWA Music Community
8. Mary Evangeline Scully – 1902 – Education, Manager of the Border Post 1940
9. Mrs Helena Grace White MBE-1870-1953- Service to RSL Red Cross Community
10. Sisters of Mercy -9th Feb 1875 -Education, Catholic Church, Community
11. Edith Elizabeth Harslett – 1888-1945–Agriculture, CWA, Community
12. Jean Chauvel – 1910-2004 – Established Girl Guides and first Kindergarten
13. Constance (Connie) Florence Esplin -1913 -2000 – Businesswoman, Community
14. Lorna Mary McMahon – 1921-2003 – Nursing, Agriculture, Community
15. Weipa Scott 1922-2012 – Service to Community and Church
16. Morwenna (Jean) Harslett 1925-2015 -Historian, Photographer, Agriculture, Entomologist, Author, Service to the community
17. Millie Marsden – 1928 -2021 CWA Girl Guides Service to the community
18. Joan Smith – 1929 -2014, Music, Arts, Education
19. Linda Torrisi Vinciguerra -1929 -2017 – Agriculture, Business, Community Service,
20. Women’s Land Army – 1942-1945– Service to Community Agriculture
21. The Sheahan Sisters – Businesswomen
22. Mally McMurtrie – Businesswoman, Councillor/Deputy Mayor, Service to Community
23. Enid Hamilton- Journalist, Historian, Service to Community
24. MUMMS- Mothers United for Maternity Services Stanthorpe group – Melinda Toms, Sarah Reeves, Anita Campbell, Rebecca Telfer and Michelle Conkas. Obtained funding for refurbished birthing suites at Stanthorpe Hospital, which opened in 2014
25. Kirstin Widderick – Veterinarian, Training and Mentoring female veterinarians
26. Cathy Halliday – Service to Community
The official launch and announcement of the “Remarkable Women of the Granite Belt” and SRAG Remarkable Women Artists Exhibition will be held at 6 pm on Friday 8 July at Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery.
Nibbles will be provided with drinks available for purchase.
RSVP by Friday 1 July to rsvp@srag.org.au
