# List of the first women appointed to Australian judicial positions

This is a list of the first women judge(s) in Australia. 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. It was not until 1965 that the first woman (Roma Mitchell) was appointed to an Australian judicial position. These pioneering Australians have been described as members of the FW2 club or First Woman to club. The list includes positions to which no woman has been appointed as of March 2022. It does not include abolished courts to which no woman was appointed, such as the Commonwealth Industrial Court.
For a list of the first women lawyers see list of first women lawyers (Australia)
| Jurisdiction | first woman to be appointed | Name | Date |
| Commonwealth | Chief Justice of Australia | Susan Kiefel | 31 January 2017 |
| Commonwealth | Justice of the High Court | Mary Gaudron | 6 February 1987 |
| Commonwealth | Chief Justice of the Federal Court | Debra Mortimer | 7 April 2023 |
| Commonwealth | Judge of the Federal Court | Deirdre O'Connor | 1 July 1990 |
| Commonwealth | President of the Australian Administrative Appeals Tribunal | Deirdre O'Connor | 1 July 1990 |
| Commonwealth | Presidents of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission | Deirdre O'Connor | 1 March 1994 |
| Commonwealth | Chief Justice of the Family Court | Elizabeth Evatt | 11 November 1976 |
| Commonwealth | Judge of the Family Court | Elizabeth Evatt | 11 November 1976 |
| Commonwealth | Chief Federal Magistrate | Diana Bryant | 11 May 2000 |
| Commonwealth | Federal Magistrate | Norah Hartnett Christine Mead Judy Ryan | 28 June 2000 |
| NSW | Chief Justice | | |
| NSW | President of the Court of Appeal | Margaret Beazley | 1 March 2013 |
| NSW | Judge of Appeal | Margaret Beazley | 29 April 1996 |
| NSW | Judge of the Supreme Court | Jane Mathews | 7 July 1987 |
| NSW | Chief Judge of the Land & Environment Court | Mahla Pearlman | 6 April 1992 |
| NSW | Judge of the Land & Environment Court | Mahla Pearlman | 6 April 1992 |
| NSW | Judge of the Industrial Court | Leonie Glynn | 14 April 1980 |
| NSW | Chief Judge of the District Court | Sarah Huggett | 29 April 2024 |
| NSW | Judge of the District Court | Jane Mathews | 1980 |
| Victoria | Chief Justice | Marilyn Warren | 25 November 2003 |
| Victoria | President of the Court of Appeal | Karin Emerton | 21 June 2022 |
| Victoria | Judge of the Court of Appeal | Susan Kenny | 25 July 1997 |
| Victoria | Supreme Court | Rosemary Balmford | 6 March 1996 |
| Victoria | Chief Judge of the County Court | | |
| Victoria | Judge of the County Court | Lynette Schiftan | 1985 |
| Queensland | Chief Justice | Catherine Holmes | 11 September 2015 |
| Queensland | President of the Court of Appeal | Margaret McMurdo | 30 July 1998 |
| Queensland | Judge of the Supreme Court | Margaret White | 2 April 1992 |
| Queensland | Chief Judge of the District Court | Patsy Wolfe | 1999 |
| Queensland | Judge of the District Court | Margaret McMurdo | 29 January 1991 |
| South Australia | Chief Justice | | |
| South Australia | Judge of the Supreme Court | Roma Mitchell | 23 September 1965 |
| South Australia | Chief Judge of the District Court | | |
| South Australia | Judge of the District Court | Kemeri Murray | 1973 |
| South Australia | Chief Magistrate | Elizabeth Bolton | February 2007 |
| Tasmania | Chief Justice | | |
| Tasmania | Supreme Court | Shan Tennent | 15 March 2005 |
| Western Australia | Chief Justice | | |
| Western Australia | President Court of Appeal | Carmel McLure | November 2009 |
| Western Australia | Judge of the Supreme Court | Christine Wheeler | 30 October 1996 |
| Western Australia | Chief Judge of the Family Court | Gail Sutherland | 7 January 2019 |
| Western Australia | Family Court | Elizabeth Evatt | 5 January 1976 |
| Western Australia | Chief Judge of the District Court | Antoinette Kennedy | 1 January 2004 |
| Western Australia | Judge of the District Court | Antoinette Kennedy | 15 March 1985 |
| ACT | Chief Justice | Helen Murrell | 28 October 2013 |
| ACT | Additional judge of the Supreme Court | Margaret Beazley | 22 June 1994 |
| ACT | Resident judge of the Supreme Court | Hilary Penfold | 1 February 2008 |
| ACT | Chief Magistrate | Lorraine Walker | 13 October 2011 |
| ACT | Magistrate | Karen Fryar | 6 September 1993 |
| NT | Chief Justice | | |
| NT | Supreme Court | Sally Thomas | 30 July 1992 |
| Norfolk Island | Chief Justice | | |
| Norfolk Island | Supreme Court | Susan Kiefel | 16 December 2004 |