Images and Video
Badass Women of Melbourne: The Women Who Shaped the City
Highlights
- Explore the hidden stories of Melbourne's women at iconic sites like the Royal Exhibition Building and State Library.
- Walk through vibrant laneways and discover how women transformed culture and sparked movements throughout the city.
- Meet inspiring artists and everyday rebels who shaped Melbourne's history and continue to influence its future.
- Feel empowered and ready to make your mark as you carry these untold stories with you after the tour.
This is the story of Melbourne – told by the women who shaped it.
Hidden amongst the Royal Exhibition Building, Trades Hall, the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre, the State Library, the Princess Theatre and Parliament House are the stories of women who shaped Melbourne.
Walk through the heart of the city where women built hospitals, launched movements, soundtracked the streets, and transformed culture – often without recognition. From the steps of Parliament to tucked-away laneways, you’ll meet artists, agitators, entrepreneurs and everyday rebels who dared to speak up and shape the city around them.
Come ready to see Melbourne differently – and to carry these stories with you long after the walk ends. This tour will leave you feeling inspired, grounded, and ready to shape history yourself.
Tour details
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Available from 14 August 2025 to 31 December 2026
Features
Service facilities
Service Tags
Actively welcomes people with access needs.
General access
- Offers multiple options for booking – web, email, phone is available.
- Offers a range of contact methods for receiving complaints.
- Companion Cards are accepted.
- Employs people with disabilities.
- Staff are trained in disability awareness.
- Accessibility information and photos, including of a bathroom, room and/or floor plan on their website (can be emailed on request).
- Asks all visitors if there are any specific needs to be met.
- Website meets <a href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/" target="_blank">WCAG 2.0</a> accessibility standards
- Advise tour guides of the access needs of guests at the time of booking (includes pick up and drop off requirements)
- Assistance with booking arrangements (includes providing clear itineraries with written instructions on what to do at various destinations)
Vision
Caters for people who are blind or have vision loss.
- Information in audio format (includes an audio described map of their venue, audio descs of performances and/ or displays) is available.
- Digital communication materials (hard copy information also online) is available.
Hearing
Caters for people who are deaf or have hearing loss.
Physical – Mobility
Caters for people with sufficient mobility to climb a few steps but who would benefit from fixtures to aid balance. (This includes people using walking frames and mobility aids)
Physical – Wheelchair
Caters for people who use a wheelchair.
Allergies and intolerances
Caters for people with allergies and intolerances.
- Modify their cooking and cleaning practices to cater for people with food allergies or chemical intolerances (could include menus with meals free from: nuts, dairy, seafood, eggs, gluten etc).
- Staff are trained to respond to allergic reactions.
- Complies with The Food Authority requirements for allergy management in food preparation.
- Equipment to respond to anaphylactic shock such as epi–pens and defibrillator.
- Toiletries which are chemical and fragrance free (if requested).
- Linen that is chemical and fragrance free (if requested).
- Uses organic (chemical and fragrance free) cleaning products.
- Uses organic (chemical and fragrance free) deodorisers in public areas and rooms.
Operation information
She Shapes History – Melbourne
Walk into Australia’s hidden history.
At She Shapes History, they believe the past isn’t confined to textbooks – it lives in the streets beneath everyone’s feet. Their guided walking tours in Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne uncover the extraordinary stories of the women who shaped Australia’s political, social, and cultural life.
For too long, women’s contributions have been sidelined or forgotten. They’re here to change that. Their tours bring history to life through the lens of the fearless, formidable, and often overlooked women who challenged the status quo and reshaped the nation.
From suffragettes and social reformers to artists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, She Shapes History offers a fresh feminist take on Australia’s past — one that’s as empowering as it is enlightening.
Whether you’re wandering Canberra’s corridors of power, tracing feminist landmarks in Sydney, or navigating Melbourne’s cultural laneways, our experiences go far beyond the usual history tour. They’re immersive, inclusive, and unforgettable.
Join them as they rewrite the story of Australia — one woman, one story, one step at a time.
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