Description

In 2025, Bass Coast Shire Council was awarded one of six new public artwork commissions funded through the Victorian Women's Public Art Program. As part of the Victorian Government’s gender equality strategy, the Victorian Women’s Public Art Program aims to elevate women’s achievements and contributions to public life, which have been historically overlooked.

Council’s successful proposal is to commission a new public artwork to celebrate community actions by the Wonthaggi Women’s Auxiliary during a five-month long miners’ strike which brought Wonthaggi to a standstill in 1934. The artwork is located at The Union Theatre, Wonthaggi.

The Wonthaggi Miners' Women’s Auxiliary was founded in 1934, during the Wonthaggi Coal Strike which lasted for five months. Miners’ wives established the auxiliary – the first of its kind in Australia. The Wonthaggi Miner’s Women’s Auxiliary had a profound role in keeping the community active and thriving during this time of crisis for the town. Their advocacy and agitation for social justice, and work to educate other women on political and industrial issues, contributed to a resilient regional centre and influenced the character of Wonthaggi for generations to come.

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About the Artist | Kay Abude

Kay Abude’s practice investigates the value of labour, resilience, and collective action – themes that are deeply aligned with the activities of the Wonthaggi Miners’ Women’s Auxiliary.

For this project, Kay connected deeply with local people as “the story of the Wonthaggi Miners Women's Auxiliary belongs to them”.

Community members participated in a series of workshops to share their knowledge, memories and perspectives. The creative process involved research with the Wonthaggi & District Historical Society, screen printing archival imagery onto textiles and paper, using inks made of black coal from the State Mine, collage and sewing techniques to create compositions that Kay worked into the final design.

Together, Kay and the community have developed a contemporary artwork that celebrates the historical and ongoing significance of women’s collective action in Wonthaggi.

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Radical Women was made by Kay Abude in collaboration with: Wendy Anderson, Jayne Benson, Lyndal Chambers, Doris Chambers, Susan Clark, Karli Duckett, Danica Miller, Barbara Moje, Fay Quilford, Stewart Russell, Corinn Strating, Nicola Strating, Brook Tayla, Amrita Taylor.

Photos: 'Radical Women' Public Art Launch, Piers Buxton (2026)