List of the first women appointed to Australian judicial positions
The first court was established in 1788, the first woman to be awarded a Bachelor of Laws degree graduated in 1903, and the first woman barrister was admitted in 1905.

List of the first women appointed to Australian judicial positions

Section Title:
Table Section Text: The first court was established in 1788, the first woman to be awarded a Bachelor of Laws degree graduated in 1903, and the first woman barrister was admitted in 1905.

Jurisdiction	first woman to be appointed	Name	Date	Comments	Notes

Commonwealth	Chief Justice of Australia	Susan Kiefel	31 January 2017

Judge of the High Court	Mary Gaudron	6 February 1987

Chief Justice of the Federal Court

Judge of the Federal Court	Deirdre O'Connor	1 July 1990

Chief Justice of the Family Court	Elizabeth Evatt	11 November 1976

Judge of the Family Court	Elizabeth Evatt	11 November 1976

Chief Federal Magistrate	Diana Bryant	11 May 2000

Federal Magistrate	Norah Hartnett Christine Mead Judy Ryan	28 June 2000

NSW	Chief Justice

President of the Court of Appeal	Margaret Beazley	1 March 2013

Judge of Appeal	Margaret Beazley	29 April 1996

Judge of the Supreme Court	Jane Mathews	7 July 1987

Chief Judge of the Land & Environment Court	Mahla Pearlman	6 April 1992

Judge of the Land & Environment Court	Mahla Pearlman	6 April 1992

Judge of the Industrial Court	Leonie Glynn	14 April 1980

Chief Judge of the District Court

Judge of the District Court	Jane Mathews	1980

Victoria	Chief Justice	Marilyn Warren	25 November 2003

President of the Court of Appeal

Judge of the Court of Appeal	Susan Kenny	25 July 1997

Supreme Court	Rosemary Balmford	6 March 1996

Chief Judge of the County Court

Judge of the County Court	Lynette Schiftan	1985

Queensland	Chief Justice	Catherine Holmes	11 September 2015

President of the Court of Appeal	Margaret McMurdo	30 July 1998

Judge of the Supreme Court	Margaret White	2 April 1992

Chief Judge of the District Court	Patsy Wolfe	1999

Judge of the District Court	Margaret McMurdo	29 January 1991

South Australia	Chief Justice

Judge of the Supreme Court	Roma Mitchell	23 September 1965

Chief Judge of the District Court

Judge of the District Court	Kemeri Murray	1973

Chief Magistrate	Elizabeth Bolton	February 2007

Tasmania	Chief Justice

Supreme Court	Shan Tennent	15 March 2005

Western Australia	Chief Justice

President Court of Appeal	Carmel McLure	November 2009

Judge of the Supreme Court	Christine Wheeler	30 October 1996

Family Court

Chief Judge of the District Court	Antoinette Kennedy	1 January 2004

Judge of the District Court	Antoinette Kennedy	15 March 1985

ACT	Chief Justice	Helen Murrell	28 October 2013

Additional judge of the Supreme Court	Margaret Beazley	22 June 1994

Resident judge of the Supreme Court	Hilary Penfold	1 February 2008

Chief Magistrate	Lorraine Walker	13 October 2011

Magistrate	Karen Fryar	6 September 1993

NT	Chief Justice

Supreme Court	Sally Thomas	30 July 1992

Norfolk Island	Chief Justice

Supreme Court	Susan Kiefel	16 December 2004

Sentence(s)

Appointed on 30 July 1998, Margaret McMurdo was the first female president of an appellate court in Australia.

final_sentence: Appointed on 30 July 1998, Margaret McMurdo was the first female president of an appellate court in Australia.