The focus for the WA Women’s Hall of Fame this year will very much be from City to Country as organisers seek nominations from rural, regional and metropolitan WA for the annual awards.
“The awards have just got bigger down the years,” says Women’s Hall of Fame chairperson Fiona Reid who has been involved with the organisation since it was launched in 2011 and has chaired the volunteer committee since 2018.
“Part of the joy of the awards is we get to read these incredible journeys that women across WA have taken in some really interesting fields. Some of this year’s inductees included a woman who works in the community with horses and children in the Kimberley and another who co-founded a health service which administers chemotherapy to patients at home.”
The awards were officially launched recently at Parliament House by Minister for Creative Industries, Heritage, Industrial Relations, Aged Care and Seniors and Women, Simone McGurk.
In her address, Fiona Reid said: “This year we are celebrating Western Australian women: City to Country. It seems apt that our champions are women who have worked and maintain a presence and connection in both regional and metropolitan WA, illustrating the connections we share with each other across this great State.
“All are women who have not sought applause or accolades, but who have gone about their daily lives improving life for others, their communities, their business and on the land. They stand as role models for future generations, fostering greater respect for women and reminding us that anything is possible, as we work towards gender equity for all.”
Nominations are accepted in eight categories: Community, Business, Health, Education, the Arts, Culture, Sport, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and Technical Trades.
Fiona is currently executive manager of client services at ASeTTS (Association for Service to Torture and Trauma Survivors), providing mental health support and community capacity building services to people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.
“My work in this field is rewarding but in a different way and it’s quite hard work,” she said. “It’s demanding work at times and there’s some sadness. So to do this work with the Women’s Hall of Fame is a really lovely contrast to celebrate these women. It brings me a lot of joy.”
“It’s always great that people see women in their community doing fine work and having them acknowledged.
“One of this year’s inductees, Renu Sharma, was recognised for her role in helping to position WA as a global hub for radio astronomy. While past inductee and committee member Associate Professor Dr Paola Magni is a globally recognised crime scene investigator and researcher who has established WA as a leader in forensic science.
“It’s wonderful that the WA Women’s Hall of Fame can share these stories. There are many well-known women but there are also women who, maybe, we would never hear about. I think it’s quite special to hear these stories of women right across the state working or volunteering.”
In 2012, the WA Women’s Hall of Fame recognised the need to have a category for women who had passed away, and had made a significant contribution to WA. The Roll of Honour recognising these women posthumously was on display at this year’s Royal Show.
A free photographic exhibition comprising 16 portraits and a story-board of 2025 inductees has been touring WA. It runs at St John of God Hospital, Subiaco clinic until November 23 and at Bunbury Museum and Heritage Centre from December 4 to February 1 next year.
Fiona says the process of choosing women for the Hall of Fame is an interesting one because it involves a public or a community nomination.
“There are so many wonderful women out there. I do encourage people to think about women who are doing great things and put their names forward.”
There had already been some early nominations for the 2026 WA Women’s Hall of Fame awards and Fiona hopes to receive many more.
Nominations close 5pm, December 8. For nomination forms go to www.wawomenshalloffame.com.au.
Winners will be announced on March 5, 2026.
Editor’s note – Our founding editor Judith Treby was recognised posthumously in the WA Women’s Hall of
Fame Roll of Honour for her work establishing and running Have a Go News.
