List of the first women appointed to Australian judicial positions


The first court was established in 1788, the first woman to be awarded a Bachelor of Laws degree graduated in 1903, and the first woman barrister was admitted in 1905. It was not until 1965 that the first woman was appointed to an Australian judicial position. These pioneering Australians have been described as members of the FW2 club or First Woman to club. The list includes positions to which no woman has been appointed as of 2018. It does not include abolished courts to which no woman was appointed, such as the Commonwealth Industrial Court.
For a list of the first women lawyers see list of first women lawyers
Jurisdictionfirst woman to be appointedNameDateCommentsNotes
CommonwealthChief Justice of Australia31 1 2017
CommonwealthJustice of the High Court6 2 1987
CommonwealthChief Justice of the Federal Court
CommonwealthJudge of the Federal CourtDeirdre O'Connor1 7 1990
CommonwealthChief Justice of the Family Court11.11.1976
CommonwealthJudge of the Family Court11.11.1976
CommonwealthChief Federal Magistrate 11 5 2000
CommonwealthFederal Magistrate
28 6 2000
NSWChief Justice
NSWPresident of the Court of Appeal1 3 2013
NSWJudge of Appeal29 4 1996
NSWJudge of the Supreme Court7 7 1987
NSWChief Judge of the Land & Environment Court6 4 1992
NSWJudge of the Land & Environment Court6 4 1992
NSWJudge of the Industrial Court14 4 1980
NSWChief Judge of the District Court
NSWJudge of the District Court
VictoriaChief Justice25.11.2003
VictoriaPresident of the Court of Appeal
VictoriaJudge of the Court of Appeal25 7 1997
VictoriaSupreme Court6 3 1996
VictoriaChief Judge of the County Court
VictoriaJudge of the County Court
QueenslandChief Justice11 9 2015
QueenslandPresident of the Court of Appeal30 7 1998
QueenslandJudge of the Supreme Court2 4 1992
QueenslandChief Judge of the District Court
QueenslandJudge of the District Court29 1 1991
South AustraliaChief Justice
South AustraliaJudge of the Supreme Court23 9 1965
South AustraliaChief Judge of the District Court
South AustraliaJudge of the District Court
South AustraliaChief Magistrate
TasmaniaChief Justice
TasmaniaSupreme Court15 3 2005
Western AustraliaChief Justice
Western AustraliaPresident Court of Appeal
Western AustraliaJudge of the Supreme Court30.10.1996
Western AustraliaChief Judge of the Family Court07.01.2019
Western AustraliaFamily Court5 1 1976
Western AustraliaChief Judge of the District Court1 1 2004
Western AustraliaJudge of the District Court15 3 1985
ACTChief Justice28.10.2013
ACTAdditional judge of the Supreme Court22 6 1994
ACTResident judge of the Supreme Court1 2 2008
ACTChief MagistrateLorraine Walker13.10.2011
ACTMagistrateKaren Fryar6 9 1993
NTChief Justice
NTSupreme Court30 7 1992
Norfolk IslandChief Justice
Norfolk IslandSupreme Court16.12.2004