A new bronze statue of Edith Dircksey Cowan — Australia’s first woman parliamentarian and one of WA’s most influential social reformers — was unveiled yesterday on St Georges Terrace.
Commissioned and funded by Perth architect Sandy Anghie and her husband Michael, the sculpture has been gifted to the City of Perth and will now form part of its permanent civic art collection. The statue, crafted by Western Australian artists Joan Walsh-Smith OAM and Charles Smith OAM, is the only female figure on the terrace.
A legacy cast in bronze
The new sculpture — cast in fine art silicon bronze and standing over two metres tall — captures Cowan’s commanding presence and enduring influence. It’s the latest public artwork by Walsh-Smith and Smith, the pair behind many of the city’s most recognisable statues, including the popular Kangaroos outside Council House and Percy Button in the Hay Street Mall.
Their intention with the Edith Cowan statue was to place her “in conversation” with their earlier work honouring Balbuk (Fanny Balbuk Yooreel), the Noongar woman whose statue stands in Government House Gardens across the road. Together, the works offer what the artists describe as “a moment in time” — two extraordinary women, separated by background but united in strength, vision, and legacy.
Addressing the gender gap in public art
Sandy Anghie’s campaign for the statue began in 2021, when she highlighted on social media the lack of statues of women in Perth. As then City of Perth Deputy Lord Mayor, she also submitted a motion to Council to address the imbalance.
“When you look around our city, it’s clear more needs to be done to publicly recognise the significant achievements of Western Australian women,” Ms Anghie said. “There are so many remarkable women who have helped shape our state, and yet the vast majority of artworks commemorate only men.”
The statue of Cowan, now standing at 28 St Georges Terrace, not only addresses that gap — it becomes a symbol of what’s possible when civic recognition catches up with social progress. It’s also a deeply personal project for Anghie, who noted: “Women and girls should be able to see themselves represented in our city. This is particularly important to me, both as a woman who has worked in male-dominated professions and as a mother.”
The making of a trailblazer
Born in 1861 at Glengarry Station, Edith Cowan’s early life was marked by hardship and resilience. Orphaned at a young age, she went on to marry and raise five children, all while building one of the most remarkable public service legacies in Australian history.
In 1894, she co-founded the Karrakatta Club, Western Australia’s first women’s organisation. In 1916, she established the Soldiers Welcome Institute, a precursor to the RSL in WA. Her advocacy extended across education, health care, legal reform, and social justice, particularly for women and children.
In 1921, Cowan made history as the first woman elected to an Australian parliament, representing the seat of West Perth. During her three-year term, she introduced a Private Member’s Bill that secured the right of women, married or single, to enter the professions in WA. Institutions such as King Edward Memorial Hospital, the WA Historical Society, and the Children’s Court also owe their foundations to her work.
Despite her national significance, recognised on the Australian $50.00 note and in the naming of Edith Cowan University, there has been, until now, no physical likeness of Cowan in Perth’s streets.
A gift to the city and to future generations
The statue’s unveiling was made possible thanks to a groundswell of community support and key contributions from individuals and organisations. Letters of support came from former Premier Mark McGowan, former Governor Kim Beazley, the RSL, Graduate Women WA, and Cowan’s own family.
Technical advice for the project was provided by Architect Kym MacCormac and Suzanne John, with additional support from the Karrakatta Club, Element Advisory, and the City of Perth, which officially approved the statue in October 2022.
The base of the statue features a plaque and QR code, giving passers-by the opportunity to explore Cowan’s extraordinary life in greater depth.
“This is about more than a statue,” said Ms Anghie. “It’s about legacy, visibility, and showing generations to come that women have always been, and will continue to be, instrumental in shaping our society.”
