HERSTORY on RTRFM wraps season one

In September of 2021, the team at RTRFM embarked on a journey to learn more about some of WA’s remarkable women in a new show and podcast called HERSTORY.

A collaboration with the WA Women’s Hall of Fame, the show is about celebrated pioneering women in Western Australia and sharing their stories and trials they faced long the way.

But creating a new show isn’t possible with just one person, a small production team was formed to create 12 episodes (plus 2 bonus ones!) for all of WA to listen to.

Breakfast presenter Taylah Strano, Talks Producer Danae Gibson and volunteer presenters and producers Courtney Withers, Sophie Minissale and Fiona Bartholomaeus, joined together to create these episodes with the help of Gina Church from the WA Women’s Hall of Fame.

The project was a challenge for the team. An enjoyable challenge, as producer Courtney Withers explains. “The WA Women’s Hall of Fame includes some seriously impressive women that have gone above and beyond in their individual fields and is truly an important institution that recognises and celebrates their many achievements. Producing this podcast and researching the lives of these incredible women has been such an enjoyable process, and certainly a rewarding one, hearing anecdotes and facts come to life in this form after reading about their lives on paper.”

Over the course of several months Taylah Strano sat down with 14 different women to discuss their careers, life, family and what it’s like paving the way for other women.

Kicking off our series was Jan Cooper, AFLW trailblazer, sharing her story of advocacy for women’s excellence in sport.

Dr Carina Hoang spoke about her passion for advocating refugee rights after being a teenage refugee herself, leaving Vietnam.

Agriculture pioneer Marg Agnew spoke about farming challenges in WA and her commitment to sustainability of the land.

Kedy Kristal has spent most of her adult life advocating for social justice, working in the area of family and domestic violence for over 30 years.

Musician and academic Emeritus Professor Margaret Seares spoke about her career advocating for arts in education and her link to RTRFM.

The RTRFM team enjoyed a steep learning curve. “Going into this project, I already knew about the WA Women’s Hall of Fame and how they recognise the important work women across WA have done, but I never knew the extent of how much these ladies changed WA. All of these ladies have broken barriers, fought for their rights and the rights of others, and led the way for future generations. Persevering through many different hardships it’s incredible to hear where passion and dedication can get you.

“It was such an honour to be a part of this series and learn about their history and hardships and being able to research these ladies to bring their story onto a platform for everyone to hear,” said producer Fiona Bartholomaeus.

We heard stories from journalists Estelle Blackburn, author and journalist, who made history after challenging the legal system which led to the exoneration of two men and Libby Stone,  who shared her passion for acting and radio, as well as what it was like being the only woman at a local radio station and for women in the workforce during the 1970s.

Dr Tracey Westerman, a proud Nyamal woman has worked hard for more than two decades to reduce the burden of mental health and suicide in Aboriginal communities and has had a hand in training psychologists across Australia and the world.

The Reverend Pam Halbert, OAM was one of WA’s first female Anglican deacons and priests, helping others and providing a voice to those in need.

Paralympian Louise Sauvage, spoke about her history as a sporting champion, what motivated her to become an athlete and what it’s like shaping the next generation of wheelchair racers.

Margaret Medcalf, OAM worked at the Australian Embassy in The Hague, was the WA State Archivist, established the Oral History Project, and dedicated many years to the importance of recording history.

Western Australia’s first female Premier, Dr. Carmen Lawrence, who has held many titles, from politician to academic to environmental activist and President of the Conservation Council of W.A.

Drisana Levitzke-Gray, the youngest woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Born as the fifth-generation in her family to be deaf, Drisana has spent her life celebrating and advocating for the rights of deaf people across the globe.

Dr Betsy Buchanan, who spent her entire career working to improve the lives of First Nations people. Betsy started the State’s first community-run legal service in the 1970s, there are now 30 across the W.A.

Since the creation of the WA Women’s Hall of Fame, 220 Western Australian women have been publicly acknowledged for their social, economic, cultural and political achievements and impacts.

Whilst there are already more than 200 women acknowledged, there is always room for more women from the past and present to be honoured for their work and impact in WA.

It’s incredibly important for everyone across the state and country to understand how integral these women were to shaping WA. They have led incredible lives, demolished barriers for themselves and for those who come after them, and have built the idea that anything is possible for young girls and women who follow in their footsteps.

RTRFM General Manager Simon Miraudo expressed the feelings of the station. “It was a pleasure to hear these incredible stories each week, and an even greater honour to see, behind the scenes, the effort that went into producing this series. I’m so proud of the HERSTORY team for their dedication to the preservation of WA’s living history, and I sincerely hope this is just the start of an ongoing RTRFM podcast that champions our state’s incredible women. I certainly know it’s just the start of the team’s own stories, and can’t wait to see what else they’ll contribute to Western Australia’s cultural landscape. It will no doubt necessitate a podcast of their own down the track.”

Thank you to everyone who has listened and shared these amazing stories of WA’s trailblazing women. We hope you’ve been inspired by what these women have achieved and how they persevered through their hardships. As producer Sophie Minissale says, the project will leave its mark in many ways.

“When we look at history through the eyes of the individual, we learn a larger story but in a nuanced, unique way. Recording the stories of these women means more than recording achievements and awards, it is recording history. A reflection of who we once were and where we are going, told by those who lived it. Assisting on this podcast has been an invaluable experience, both personally and professionally. I have significantly developed my producing skills and will certainly take this experience into my ongoing professional endeavours. Additionally, hearing and curating these stories has served as a point of personal pride, knowing that I have played a small part in preserving these intimate histories.”