International Women's Day: Elizabeth Austin

 

YPRL is celebrating International Women’s Day all week and today’s spotlight is on Elizabeth Austin.

Elizabeth Austin was a Victorian pioneer and philanthropist during the late nineteenth century, driven to improve the lives of older and poorer women.

Elizabeth and her husband Thomas built Winchelsea’s imposing Barwon Park mansion in 1871.  Thomas died there that same year and in her following year’s Elizabeth Austin made significant contributions to the Victorian community.

Locally, Elizabeth founded the Austin Hospital for incurables – now part of Austin Health – at Heidelberg in 1882.  She persuaded the Victorian government to donate land and she donated £6,000 for building works. 

She had a particular passion to improve the lives of older and poorer women at a time when there were no welfare provisions being provided by government.

The Austin is now a major health institution, world renowned for its research and specialist work. The Austin Hospital continues to serve the community and opened the Olivia Newton John wellness centre in 2013.

Elizabeth Austin died aged 89 years old in 1910 leaving a family of five sons and six daughters.

In 2012 she was added to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.

Visit our curated list on the catalogue for recommended reading from our collection.

First published: Yarra Plenty Regional Library, 8 March 2021

Image: British Library digitised image from page 103 of "Victoria and its Metropolis, past and present [Vol. 1 by A. Sutherland; vol. 2 by various authors. Illustrated.]" via Flickr