Millie Drew is one of the local guides for She Shapes History walking tours in Wollongong. Photo: She Shapes History.
If you love a good walk, a fun fact and a cheeky feminist take, you’re in luck.
Women’s history walking tours, She Shapes History, have landed in Wollongong.
The Wicked Women of Wollongong tour shares the stories of women who shaped our region and the nation.
The region has a proud and outspoken feminist history, from the Women of Steel to Women Illawarra, but there are still plenty of secrets to uncover.
She Shapes History founder and CEO Sita Sargeant said her favourite hidden gem was the story of Pearl Gibbs.
Pearl was an Aboriginal activist who, in 1941, made the first radio broadcast by an Aboriginal woman, on Wollongong station 2WL.
It’s stories like hers that inspired Sita to bring She Shapes History to Wollongong.
“Wollongong is a city with so much incredible women’s history,” Sita said.
“It’s easy for parts of it not to get a look in.
“The community is strong, passionate and proud of where they’re from, so it made sense for us.”
Tours were launched in November and run most Saturdays and some Sundays, as well as being available for private tours through the week.
They begin at Flagstaff Lighthouse with a peek at the Nuns Pool – the cornerstone of the Illawarra region’s first tourism marketing campaign.
It covers a total of 16 stops, highlighting 16 individual women who left incredible legacies from civil rights to industry.
Sita said each tour had an individual flavour thanks to the variety of women on the guide team who range in age from 25 to 74.
The tours draw men and women from their 20s to their 80s.
Sita said walking tours were a fantastic way to connect with community, as well as history.
“When I started She Shapes History everyone was starting social pages and YouTube channels,” she said.
“I wanted to have actual conversations with people, even if it meant I reached a smaller number.
“There have been studies that show when we’re walking we’re a bit more open to new ideas and new people.
“It creates a truly intergenerational space where people can connect over the idea that women’s stories matter and women should be respected.
“About 15 per cent of our customers are men and they often enjoy it the most because they’re so surprised by the way women have been treated and what they’ve achieved despite that.”
If you love history but are less enthused about physical activity, Sita said the tour was very accessible.
It’s a gentle 2.5 km walk that takes place over two hours, with plenty of opportunities to sit down along the way, although there are some spots with uneven surfaces.
To book a tour, head to the She Shapes History website.
