Picture this: How would you honour a group of trail blazing women who stepped up
in Wonthaggi’s hour of need?
in Wonthaggi’s hour of need?
SOME stories deserve to be set in stone – or bronze or steel – to inspire the next generation of fighters.
One such was the story of the trailblazing Wonthaggi Miners Women’s Auxiliary (WMWA), a pioneering force of women who stepped into the public and political arena in the town’s hour of need.
Funded by the Victorian Women’s Public Art Program, the commission will spotlight the fearless efforts of women like Agnes Chambers and Agnes Doig, who led the auxiliary over several decades and left a powerful legacy of grassroots activism.
Born out of a five-month strike against reduced pay and dangerous working conditions, the auxiliary was the first of its kind in Australia.
| “They are 100 percent behind their men,” reported the Powlett Express in 1934, “and not ashamed to admit it.” They weren’t just behind the men — they were beside them, and often out front. Within days of forming, the committee had assisted over 100 families, raising funds and distributing essential supplies. But it wasn’t just cups of tea and charity. When police tried to choke the town by cutting off aid during the strike, the women headed to Melbourne, raised money, and stitched the cash into the hems of their petticoats to smuggle it back in. |  The trail blazers March 21, 2025 - It would be easy to mistake them for a bunch of ladies who lunch, but you are looking at a group of revolutionaries. |
Hence the name of the project: Pennies in the Petties.
How would you honour a group of trail blazers who defied the authorities because they knew their cause was just?
Bass Coast Shire Council is inviting female artists to help answer that question with a major public art commission commemorating the auxiliary.
The work will be installed outside the historic Wonthaggi Union Theatre – the very spot where the auxiliary (then known as the Ladies Relief Committee) first rallied in 1934 to support striking coal miners.
The planned artwork will honour not just their support roles, but their courage, cunning and political savvy in shifting public opinion and government policy. It’s a tribute to the women who didn’t wait for permission — they organised, fundraised, and fought for justice.
Artists with experience in public art are encouraged to submit an Expression of Interest by Thursday, 24 July 2025. All it takes is a short form, a statement of interest, a CV or portfolio, and examples of relevant projects.
To read more or submit your EOI, visit basscoast.vic.gov.au/arts-opportunities.
How would you honour a group of trail blazers who defied the authorities because they knew their cause was just?
Bass Coast Shire Council is inviting female artists to help answer that question with a major public art commission commemorating the auxiliary.
The work will be installed outside the historic Wonthaggi Union Theatre – the very spot where the auxiliary (then known as the Ladies Relief Committee) first rallied in 1934 to support striking coal miners.
The planned artwork will honour not just their support roles, but their courage, cunning and political savvy in shifting public opinion and government policy. It’s a tribute to the women who didn’t wait for permission — they organised, fundraised, and fought for justice.
Artists with experience in public art are encouraged to submit an Expression of Interest by Thursday, 24 July 2025. All it takes is a short form, a statement of interest, a CV or portfolio, and examples of relevant projects.
To read more or submit your EOI, visit basscoast.vic.gov.au/arts-opportunities.