A statue of trailblazer Edith Cowan now stands on St George’s Terrace. Brief speaks to Sandy Anghie, the woman behind the project, about how this momentous occasion came about – and why it took so long.
Brief: What inspired you to champion the idea of a statue of Edith Cowan?
Sandy: It was through my role as Deputy Lord Mayor of the City of Perth that I started studying the life of Edith Cowan. In March 2021, the clock on the Edith Cowan Memorial was broken, and I was asked to speak about this on ABC radio on behalf of the City of Perth. I had always been aware of Edith Cowan – a university named after her and featured on our $50 note – but before this time I didn’t know her story in detail. I was intrigued to find out more, and wondered why a clock, why not a statue?
My campaign for the statue began later in 2021 when I documented on social media the absence of statues of women in our city, particularly on St Georges Terrace, where more than a dozen men are honoured. In August 2021, I put a “Notice of Motion” to the City of Perth Council seeking to address the issue. Unfortunately, that Motion was not successful, with the majority of Council voting against it (5-4).
Six months later, in March 2022, with the intention of starting a fundraising campaign for a statue of a woman on St Georges Terrace, I contacted Lesley Williams, then President of the Karrakatta Club. Lesley made me aware of an existing proposal for a statue of Edith Cowan by the Studio of Smith Sculptors. It was serendipitous. It was at that point that I committed to commissioning and funding the statue of Edith Cowan myself.
With overwhelming support from the community, and letters of support from former Premier Mark McGowan, former Governor Beazley, RSL, Edith Cowan University and Graduate Women WA, the statue received approval from the City of Perth in October 2022.
The gender disparity in statues is not something unique to Perth. It’s the same across Australia and around the world. In London, for example, only 4 per cent of statues depict women, while animals make up 8 per cent of the city’s statues.
Brief: Why do you think it’s taken so long for Edith Cowan to be honoured with a public statue?
Sandy: I honestly don’t know.
Brief: What message do you hope this statue sends to young women and girls today?
Edith joins the statues of Balbuk Yooreel (Fanny Balbuk) and Bessie Mabel Rischbieth, who stand proudly in the gardens of Government House and Elizabeth Quay respectively, as one of the few public statues of women in our city. It’s another step forward in reducing the gender disparity in the representation of significant people in the history of our city.
On St Georges Terrace, the statue of Edith Cowan is the only woman, now standing among more than a dozen statues commemorating men.
Women and girls should be able to see themselves represented in our city. This is particularly important to me as a woman who has worked in what have been male-dominated professions (first as a lawyer in the 1990s and now as an architect) – and also as a mother.
I hope the statue of Edith Cowan on St Georges Terrace, celebrating her life and achievements, inspires others with her incredible life story.
I am very proud to have commissioned this statue of the remarkable Edith. I thank the incredibly talented Joan Walsh-Smith OAM and Charles Smith OAM for imagining and creating this powerful representation of Edith Cowan.
Brief: How did you decide on the location for the statue?
Sandy: The location of the statue is artist led. It was the intention of the artists, Joan Walsh-Smith OAM and Charles Smith OAM, that the statue of Edith is “in conversation” with their statue of Balbuk located across the road in Government House Gardens, representing “a moment in time”. The statue of the remarkable Balbuk (Fanny Balbuk Yooreel) was commissioned by former Western Australian Governor Honourable Kim Beazley AC and dedicated in 2022.
In the words of the artists:
“This artwork is a unique project, based on the concept of creating a sculptural ‘tableau’, combining two very significant women, in an ‘imagined’ but unique ‘moment in time’. They are captured in a hypothetical instant of exchange, which, while not obvious to them at that moment (circa 1894), when we can assume that they crossed paths in Perth, inspires us to create a symbolic gesture that holds major significance, ‘down the track’ to the present day.
Although people must still fight for their rights, the actions of Balbuk and Edith have changed the lives of so many people. They paved the way for the resolution of crucial issues that opened the path to freedom and reconciliation today.”
The specific siting of the Edith Cowan statue relates to her connection to the RSL and the Karrakatta Club, both organisations now resident at ANZAC House, 28 St Georges Terrace.
Brief: What challenges did you face in bringing this project to life — political, logistical or financial?
Sandy: I was fortunate, there were no significant challenges. While my original motion to the City of Perth Council for a statue was not successful in August 2021, when I brought the idea back to Council in October 2022 – funded personally – it passed unanimously.
Brief: How do you see Edith Cowan’s legacy reflected in modern Western Australia?
Sandy: Edith Cowan led the way for so many women. In 1921, she was the first woman to be elected to an Australian parliament. She narrowly defeated the sitting member in West Perth on the strength of the work she had done to improve the life of women, children and the under-privileged. Her election made headlines around the country.
One of Edith Cowan’s achievements during her three-year term in the Western Australian Parliament was the introduction of a Private Member’s Bill which cemented the right of women, married or single, to enter the professions.
Her influence on the wellbeing of Western Australians continues to be felt across many sectors of the state today.
King Edward Memorial Hospital credits Edith Cowan with its creation. The Children’s Court and the National Council of Women also exist because of her.
Brief: Were there any surprising things you learned about Edith Cowan while working on this project?
Sandy: I think the most surprising fact is her courage in overcoming an incredibly tragic start to life.
Edith Dircksey Brown was born at Glengarry Station in 1861. When she was seven, her mother died in childbirth. When she was a teenager, her father was hanged for the murder of his second wife. Despite this, or maybe because of this, she become an absolute force to be reckoned with – her influence on the wellbeing of Western Australians continues to be felt across many sectors of the state today.
Brief: Who supported you along the way to make this happen, and what does that say about community attitudes?
Sandy: So many people supported this project.
The story really starts with the artists Joan Walsh-Smith OAM and Charles Smith OAM who were inspired to independently research and imagine a creative response to Edith Cowan’s compelling story. They have captured her spirit and determination beautifully in the statue.
My husband, Michael, and daughter May-Lee (six years old), both embraced the idea and are so proud to have commissioned this statue of the remarkable Edith Cowan.
With 2021 marking 100 years since Edith Cowan was elected to Parliament, there was a groundswell of community support for a statue, and in the survey conducted for the application to Council the public response was 99 per cent in favour of the project.
Instrumental in gaining Council approval were the formal letters of support written for me by former Premier the Honourable Mark McGowan AC, former Western Australian Governor Honourable Kim Beazley AC, the RSL, Edith Cowan University, and others.
Element Advisory provided their time pro bono to prepare the application to Council. ANZAC House architect Kym MacCormac provided his time pro bono to advise on installation matters, and Karrakatta Club member Suzanne John sponsored site works. There were others who provided technical advice pro bono, and many more who cheered the project on.
Brief: What’s next – do you think we need more public monuments to pioneering women?
Sandy: Absolutely. Edith Cowan’s courage and determination is evident in every one of her very long list of achievements. With the growing call from the community, I felt it was time to take action, to not only celebrate Edith Cowan with an enduring visual reminder, but to start addressing the gender imbalance in our city’s statues.
When you look around our city, it’s clear more needs to be done to publicly recognise the significant achievements of Western Australian women.
There are so many remarkable women who have helped shape our great state and yet the vast majority of artworks commemorate only men.
It’s impossible to start listing all of the pioneer women who could be recognised.
In 2023, City of Melbourne set up a formal process to recognise women with statues, calling for public nominations which are then reviewed by a committee. Personally, I think this is a good approach – it’s what I had hoped for back in August 2021 when I put my original Motion to the City of Perth Council.
