Celebrating local women

Dame Nellie Melba.

In the Yarra Ranges today, we reap the benefits of the women before us – from artists and activists to sport stars, these inspiring women have made a difference to our community. The Yarra Ranges Regional Museum is celebrating some of these local champions and agents of change in an exhibition called Trailblazers: Women of the Yarra Ranges.

Trailblazers: Women of the Yarra Ranges, tells the remarkable stories of women, their achievements and their lasting impacts on the region and beyond. From Edna Walling and Dame Nellie Melba to Mandy Nicholson and Rebecca Barnard, learn how these women have shaped our culture and community in the past, present and future.

The exhibition has been locally produced and will feature the work of local writer and researcher Lindy Schneider, designer Lisa Cain and artist Cat MacInnes.

A series of programs will be released in line with the exhibition, including curator talks, seminars with artists, writers, historians, singers and songwriters. The April school holiday program will feature workshops with local makers and performers – some of whom are represented in the exhibition.

Other women to be celebrated in the exhibition include Aunty Dot Peters, Suyin Chan, Heather Ellis, Emerson Woods, Lesley Porter, Brooke Wandin and many more.

Nominate your own trailblazer online through My Local Trailblazer. Submit stories with pictures, poems, and videos of a member of the Yarra Ranges community that is a trailblazer to you. An online poll will see the winning entry receive a portrait of that person made by artist Cat MacInnes.

The exhibition will be running from Saturday 6 March until Sunday 25 July. Entry is free and no bookings are required.