- Published:
- Saturday 8 March 2025
Advocates, artists and agitators will be celebrated in six new public artworks across the state as part of the Victorian Women’s Public Art Program.
Minister for Women Natalie Hutchins today celebrated International Women’s Day by announcing the six new projects at Lilardia Park in Footscray, thanking more than 10,000 Victorians who voted on which trailblazing women they’d like to see immortalised through public art.
Less than two per cent of statues across Victoria are of women – and many of these are women with their husbands, partners or other men. There are more statues of animals than of women in Victoria.
The Labor Government’s Women’s Public Art Program is moving the dial, investing $1.2 million to deliver six new pieces of art across the state, adding to the six delivered last year.
The 2025 Victorian Women’s Public Art Program will recognise six inspirational stories including Aunty Margaret (Lilardia) Tucker MBE for her work as an Aboriginal activist, working to found the Australian Aborigines League and becoming the first woman to sit on the Victorian Aboriginal Welfare Board in 1964.
Other stories selected in the 2025 Victorian Women’s Public Art Program include:
Montsalvat Artist Community – Eltham
Louisa Briggs – St Kilda Foreshore
Barbara Rae – Bendigo
Aunty Dorothy Peters AM – Knox
Wonthaggi Miners’ Women’s Auxiliary – Wonthaggi
The Labor Government leads the nation in our work for gender equality. Victoria’s gender equality strategy Our equal state aims to halve the gender pay gap in the Victorian public sector and ensure 70 per cent of new place names, roads and landmarks in Victoria will commemorate women.
We were the first government in Australia to make pads and tampons available for free in public schools in 2020. Our nation-leading free pads and tampons program is now rolling out across Victoria, saving women thousands of dollars – because pads and tampons aren’t a luxury, they’re a necessity.
Recognising women’s achievements and contributions in public spaces is an important part of our work towards a more equal Victoria. For more information on the 2025 Victorian Women’s Public Art Program visit vic.gov.au/victorian-womens-public-art-program.
Quote attributable to Minister for Women Natalie Hutchins
“Women’s achievements have always been there, they’ve just never been seen – we’re changing this in Victoria, recognising another six trailblazing Victorian women through our nation-leading Women’s Public Art program.”
Quote attributable to Member for Footscray Katie Hall
“I’m excited to see this iconic artwork come to life in the middle of Footscray celebrating Aunty Margaret Tucker, who was a fierce advocate for Aboriginal women right across Victoria.”