National titleholders | National Museum of Australia

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Miss Australia titleholders from 1908 to 2000

The Miss Australia Quest was arguably the longest running, most popular and most successful charitable event in Australia’s history. View photographs from the quest to see how this iconic event helped to shape the notion of an ideal Australian woman.

Alice Buckridge, Miss Australia 1908 - click to view larger image — Alice Buckridge, Miss Australia 1908

Beryl Mills, Miss Australia 1926 - click to view larger image — Beryl Mills, Miss Australia 1926

Phyllis Von Alwyn - click to view larger image — Phyllis Von Alwyn, Miss Australia 1927

Judy Gainford - click to view larger image — Judy Gainford, Miss Australia 1947

Margaret Hughes, Miss Australia 1949 - click to view larger image — Margaret Hughes, Miss Australia 1949

Maxine Morgan, Miss Australia 1953 - click to view larger image — Maxine Morgan, Miss Australia 1953

Shirley Bliss, Miss Australia 1954 - click to view larger image — Shirley Bliss, Miss Australia 1954

Maureen Kistle, Miss Australia 1955 - click to view larger image — Maureen Kistle, Miss Australia 1955

June Finlayson, Miss Australia 1956 - click to view larger image — June Finlayson, Miss Australia 1956

Miss Australia 1957, Helen Wood holding the Miss Australia trophy wearing the crown, robe and white gloves - click to view larger image — Helen Wood, Miss Australia 1957

Miss Australia 1958, Pamela McKay holding a bouquet of flowers, wearing the crown and robe and white gloves - click to view larger image — Pamela McKay, Miss Australia 1958

Miss Australia 1959, Joan Stanbury holding the Miss Australia trophy and a bouquet of flowers, wearing the crown, robe and long white gloves - click to view larger image — Joan Stanbury, Miss Australia 1959

Miss Australia 1960, Rosemary Fenton holding the Miss Australia trophy on her lap, wearing the crown, robe and long white gloves - click to view larger image — Rosemary Fenton, Miss Australia 1960

Miss Australia 1961, Tania Verstak holding the Miss Australia trophy, wearing the crown, robe and white gloves - click to view larger image — Tania Verstak, Miss Australia 1961

Miss Australia 1962, Tricia Reschke holding a sceptre and wearing the crown, robe and long white gloves - click to view larger image — Tricia Reschke, Miss Australia 1962

Miss Australia 1964, Jan Taylor holding a sceptre, wearing the crown, robe and long white gloves - click to view larger image — Jan Taylor, Miss Australia 1964

Miss Australia 1965, Carole Jackson holding the sceptre, wearing a crown, robe and white gloves - click to view larger image — Carole Jackson, Miss Australia 1965

Miss Australia 1966, Sue Gallie holding the sceptre, wearing the crown and robe - click to view larger image — Sue Gallie, Miss Australia 1966

Miss Australia 1967, Margaret Rohan holding the sceptre, wearing the crown, robe and white gloves - click to view larger image — Margaret Rohan, Miss Australia 1967

Miss Australia 1968, Helen Newton holding the sceptre, wearing the crown, robe and long white gloves - click to view larger image — Helen Newton, Miss Australia 1968

Miss Australia 1969, Suzanne McClelland holding the sceptre wearing the crown a long, gold, frill-collared, sleeveless cape and white gloves - click to view larger image — Suzanne McClelland, Miss Australia 1969

Miss Australia 1970, Rhonda Iffland sitting in the winners throne, holding the sceptre wearing the crown a long, gold, frill-collared, sleeveless cape and long white gloves - click to view larger image — Rhonda Iffland, Miss Australia 1970

Miss Australia 1971, June Wright holding the sceptre wearing the crown a long, gold, frilled-collar, sleeveless cape and white gloves - click to view larger image — June Wright, Miss Australia 1971

Miss Australia 1972, Gay Walker holding the sceptre wearing the crown, a gold frilled-collar, sleeveless cape and white gloves - click to view larger image — Gay Walker, Miss Australia 1972

Miss Australia 1973, Michelle Downs holding the sceptre wearing the crown and a gold, frilled-collar sleeveless cape - click to view larger image — Michelle Downs, Miss Australia 1973

Miss Australia 1974, Randy Baker holding the sceptre wearing the crown a long gold frilled-collar sleeveless cape - click to view larger image — Randy Baker, Miss Australia 1974

Miss Australia 1975, Kerry Doyle holding the sceptre wearing the crown and a long beaded cape - click to view larger image — Kerry Doyle, Miss Australia 1975

Miss Australia 1976, Sharon Betty holding the sceptre wearing the crown and a long beaded cape - click to view larger image — Sharon Betty, Miss Australia 1976

Miss Australia 1977, Francene Maras holding the sceptre, wearing the crown and a long flowered cape - click to view larger image — Francene Maras, Miss Australia 1977

Miss Australia 1978, Gloria Krope holding the sceptre wearing the crown and a jewelled cape - click to view larger image — Gloria Krope, Miss Australia 1978

Miss Australia 1979, Anne Sneddon holding the sceptre, wearing the crown and a long glittering cape - click to view larger image — Anne Sneddon, Miss Australia 1979

Miss Australia 1980, Eleanor Morton holding the sceptre, wearing the crown and a long velvet cape - click to view larger image — Eleanor Morton, Miss Australia 1980

Miss Australia 1981, Leanne Dick holding the sceptre, wearing the crown, and a cape with a beaded collar - click to view larger image — Leanne Dick, Miss Australia 1981

Miss Australia 1982, Jennifer Coupland - click to view larger image — Jennifer Coupland, Miss Australia 1982

Miss Australia 1983, Lisa Cornelius holding the sceptre, wearing the crown, and a cape with a beaded collar - click to view larger image — Lisa Cornelius, Miss Australia 1983

Miss Australia 1984, Mary-Ann Koznjak holding the sceptre, wearing the crown and the Miss Australia sash - click to view larger image — Mary-Ann Koznjak, Miss Australia 1984

Miss Australia 1985, Maria Ridley holding a sceptre, and wearing the crown and Miss Australia sash - click to view larger image — Maria Ridley, Miss Australia 1985

Miss Australia 1986, Tracey Pearson wearing the Miss Australia crown - click to view larger image — Tracey Pearson, Miss Australia 1986

Miss Australia 1987, Judith Green wearing the Miss Australia crown - click to view larger image — Judith Green, Miss Australia 1987

Miss Australia 1988, Caroline Lumley wearing the Miss Australia crown and sash - click to view larger image — Caroline Lumley, Miss Australia 1988

Miss Australia 1989, Lea Dickson holding the sceptre and wearing the Miss Australia crown and sash - click to view larger image — Lea Dickson, Miss Australia 1989

Miss Australia 1990, Rebecca Noble wearing the Miss Australia crown and sash - click to view larger image — Rebecca Noble, Miss Australia 1990

Miss Australia 1991, Helena Wayth holding the sceptre and wearing the Miss Australia crown and sash - click to view larger image — Helena Wayth, Miss Australia 1991

Miss Australia 1992, Suzanne Lee - click to view larger image — Suzanne Lee, Miss Australia 1992

Miss Australia 1993, Joanne Dick with the Miss Australia glass award - click to view larger image — Joanne Dick, Miss Australia 1993

Miss Australia 1994, Jayne Bargwanna holding the Miss Australia award - click to view larger image — Jayne Bargwanna, Miss Australia 1994

Miss Australia 1995, Margaret Tierney wearing a gold strapless outfit - click to view larger image — Margaret Tierney, Miss Australia 1995

Miss Australia 1996, Suzan Haward - click to view larger image — Suzan Haward, Miss Australia 1996

Miss Australia 1997, Tracy Secombe wearing a red strapless dress, holding a bouquet of flowers - click to view larger image — Tracy Secombe, Miss Australia 1997

Miss Australia 1998, Suellen Fuller - click to view larger image — Suellen Fuller, Miss Australia 1998

Miss Australia 1999, Kathryn Hay in the centre with Senator Margaret Reid on the left and Prime Minister John Howard at Parliament House, Canberra - click to view larger image — Kathryn Hay, Miss Australia 1999

Miss Australia 2000, Sheree Primmer with a bouquet of flowers and the Miss Australia award - click to view larger image — Sheree Primmer, Miss Australia 2000

National titleholders

First women in parliament

Equal pay for women

Piinpi: Contemporary Indigenous Fashion

Sex Discrimination Act

First AFL women’s game

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