Miss Australia - Cerebral Palsy Alliance

Miss Australia 

a short history 

Excerpts from 

‘Nothing Is Impossible’ 

written by Neil McLeod 

with additional material 

from various sources 

Striving to achieve… 

Doing our best… 

This is what Australians take pride in when they 

see outstanding people represent their country. 

Whatever the event, it serves as a focal point in the 

tapestry of time, whereas the pride which we feel 

is the fibre that creates the fabric of the Australian 

persona. One event that became a traditional part 

of this Australian picture was the Miss Australia 

Quest / Awards. But how many Australians know 

when and where it began and what it achieved? 

Many critics gave the Quest a lifetime of no 

more than two years, but their predictions were 

proven incorrect. Miss Australia was successfully 

conducted for 45 years as a major fundraising 

medium for The Spastic Centres of Australia. Over 

its duration entrants, their families, committees, 

sponsors and the general public of Australia raised 

in excess of $87 million. 

Compiled 2010

2 

“In 1952, it became imperative that we should get together on 

a national basis to provide an association which we hoped the 

government authorities in Canberra would listen. 

In June, we held a meeting in Sydney founding a national society 

for the welfare of people with cerebral palsy (CP) – The Australian 

Cerebral Palsy Association (ACPA). It did an immense amount 

of work, with a Medical Educational Symposium at three-yearly 

intervals. A national body was imperative if we were to make a 

financial success of the Miss Australia Quest, as we had been 

invited to do by Mr Bernard Dowd, who was prepared to fund 

expenses within a reasonable sum. 

In 1955, Mrs McLeod was named the President of the ACPA and 

has been connected with the detailed organisation of the Miss 

Australia Quest in the ensuing thirty years. Later, in 1954, the 

ACPA had established a national fund raising organisation for 

the Miss Australia Quest. We succeeded in raising that, from 

small beginnings into a million dollar project in the 1980s. It was 

founded on the idealism of 5000 entrants in Australia each year. 

It was marked by the desire of the young girls to give something 

worthwhile to our CP children. With this end in view, they were 

prepared to give up their social life for a year, and to give their 

families and friends something worthwhile to do towards the care 

and education of a child with CP. Most girls realise that there was 

value in what they were doing. If they were lucky enough to get 

a prize at the end, there were no recriminations from the others. 

From The Spastic Centre’s point of view, it put us in touch with the 

community generally, and made people more aware of children 

with CP than they were previously.” 

Neil McLeod


3 

Miss Australia 1908 - 1954 

The first Australian beauty contest in 1908 was sparked off by an American 

newspaper claim that Miss Margaret Frey, winner of one of the first US beauty 

contests, must be “the most beautiful woman in the world”. 

Australians refused to concede this and set about finding a girl to answer such 

a challenge on behalf of local womanhood. The result was Miss Alice Buckridge 

who wore boots, scorned make-up and weighed 70 kilos. 

Australia’s second beauty contest was staged in 1911 at the Sydney Stadium, 

however the winner Miss Millicent Mahy never got around to collecting her 

prize - a Venus statue valued at £100. 

Beauty contests were few and far between in those days and the next national 

competition did not take place until 1928 when Miss Beryl Mills became Miss 

Australia. 

It was the first to be officially named the Miss Australia Contest. 

Many organisations have intermittently promoted a Miss Australia Quest. 

Some reasonably successful fundraising ventures under the Miss Australia 

Quest banner were conducted, particularly during and immediately following 

the Second World War. 

The Miss Australia Quest again captured the public interest in 1926, when it 

was introduced by Joynton Smith, owner of the Daily Guardian and Smith’s 

Weekly as a means of boosting newspaper circulation. In those early times, 

selection started primarily as a beauty contest and contestants were chosen 

from photographs. The final judging was held in Sydney. 

Miss Australia 1926 Beryl Mills - The Western Mail 

First Beauty Contest

First Beauty Contest 

4 

Miss Australia 1908 Alice Buckridge 


Miss Australia 1927 Phyllis Von Alwyn (insert) Feathered cape and sash 

Miss Australia 1926 Beryl Mills 

Miss Australia 1942 Mary White


5 

Miss Australia 1949 Margaret Hughes 

Miss Australia 1946 Rhondda Kelly 

Miss Australia 1947 Judith Gainford 

Miss Australia 1953 Maxine Morgan 

First Beauty Contest

The Fifties 

Many faces of Miss Australia 

The Fifties 

The contest lapsed until 1953, when it was revived ed bby 

y Be Bern r ar ard d 

J. Dowd, Managing Director of Dowd Associates, mar a ke kete ters rs in n 

Australia of the American Hickory garments, to pro romo mote te tthe 

heir ir 

products. Basically, the selections involved only ne news wspa paper 

advertisements seeking photographs of young girls from om which 

a panel of judges, appointed by Hickory in each st state, would 

privately select a winner. Then each state winner r would d then 

travel to Melbourne where a judging panel, again appointed 

by Hickory, selected Miss Australia. 

In 1954, during a lunchtim i e conversa sati tion on, Mr Colin Clay, the 

Queensland Spastic Wel elfa f re r Leagu gue e Ex Exec ecutive Director, asked 

Mr G. Moore, e the Que u ensl sland Di Dire rect ctor o of Hickory, if the 

Quest could be b use sed as a mea e ns of f fu fundra rais ising g for ‘spastic 

children’ ’ (children with cer ereb ebral palsy) y). This was prompte 

t d 

by the tremendous public interest t ge gene nera r ted by the he judging 

of Miss Qu Q eensland. This is conversat atio ion to t ok place the day 

before the proposed selection of Miss s Qu Queens nsla land nd. Ev E er eryo yone ne 

wholeheartedly gav a e th their co co-operation and nd tthe 

fifirst 

t £2 £200 was as 

raised through the h Miss Au Aust s ra r lia Quest. t 

Thus, instead of being used solely as a comm mmer e ci cial al promo m tion, 

the Miss Austr t alia Que uest was turned into to a worth thy benefit fit to 

the community. y 

Miss Jill Ja Jack ckson was chosen as Miss Queensland and 

represente t d the state at the national judging in Melbourne 

the following week. Miss Shirley Bliss from New South Wales 

became Miss Australia 1954. 

6 


No Charity 

Queen 

Miss Australia 1954 

Shirley Bliss 

Miss Australia Charity Queen 

None 

No Charity 

Queen 


June Finlayson 


None 

Ann 

Limbert 


Maureen Kistle 


Ann Lambert 

Beverley 

Dickenson 


Helen Wood 


Beverley Dickenson


7 

Wendy 

Shipway 


Pamela MacKay 


Wendy Shipway 

No Charity 

Queen 


Joan Stanbbury 


None 


Maureen Kistle holding trophy 

The Fifties

The Sixties 

The Australia Quest, while it was sponsored by Mr r Be Bern r ar ard d 

Dowd and Hickory, was conducted in each stat ate e by TThe 

he 

Spastic Centres and the funds those centres raised ed ppro 

rovi vide ded d 

care and welfare for children with cerebral palsy in that t st stat ate. 

The co-operation of that fundraising effort was un unde der the 

auspices of the Australian Cerebral Palsy Associat ation – the 

Federation of Australian Spastic Centres. In 1963, Mr Dowd 

gave to the Australian Cerebral Palsy Association the full rights 

of ownership of the Miss Australia Quest. 

In each state, the Austr t al alia i n Cerebral al PPal 

alsy sy AAssociation 

owned 

the Miss Australia Que uest s as a busi sine ness ss enterprise 

and had 

the various titles – Mis iss s Quee eensland, Mi Miss New South Wales, 

etc. – registered in its name. Also re regi gistered ed wwer 

ere the Charity 

Queens/F /Fundrai a sers titles as a sociated wwith 

each Region an a d 

State. 

The ‘50s and ‘60s were the h gglory 

day ays s of the he QQue 

u st. Mi Miss ss 

Australias were welcom o ed in n thei eir ho h me tow 

owns ns by cr c ow owds ds 

numbering thou o sands, floa oats, bands and d marching gir i ls. 

They stopped traffic in the stree eets of capital l ci citi ties as s th they glide ded 

past in open car a s. They traversed the gl glob obe e as aamb 

mbassa sado dors 

promoting Aust s ra rali l a’s export products and d Th The e Sp S astic c Cent ntre. 

8 


The Sixties 

Jacqueline 

Mason 


Rosemary Fenton 


Jacqueline Mason 

Angela 

Pulsoni 


Tricia Reschke 


Angela Pulsoni 

Margaret 

Smythe 


Tania Verstak 


Margaret Smythe 

Year of 

Title changed to that 

of following year.


9 

Heather 

Hamilton 


Jan Taylor 


Heather Hamilton 


Carole Jackson 


Rosemaary Ryan 

1960s Logo 

The Sixties

The Sixties 

10 

The Miss Australia Crown 


In May 1965, The Miss Australia Crown was presente ted d to the he MMis 

iss Au Aust stra rali lia a 

1965, Carole Jackson, at the Tokyo Trade Fair. 

The Miss Australia Crown is a priceless wort rth h of aart 

rt. . It contains 

approximately 800 genuinely cultured and perfect ctly ly mat atched Australian n 

and Japanese pearls. 

The design features the Australian wattle flower and leaf. The flower itsel elf 

is made of pearls, while the leaf and all other metal parts of the crown are re 

carved from solid sterling silver plate. Each h le l af has been engrav aved by y 

hand. 

Surmounting the crow own n is a large Austr tral alia ian pe p arl. Another slightly y sm smaller 

pearl is nestled direc ectl tly y below w it. Bord rder erin ing g the crown at regular int n er ervals ls 

are four more larg rge e Australian pearls inte terspers r ed with smaller Japanese 

pearls. There are also four r pe pearl-topped ed hat pins to assist in sec e uring g the 

crown to head of the weare r r. 

It was designed by Melbo bourne ne artis ist Mr Ernes est Bo Boot oth, h, aand 

nd ccre 

reat ated in Japan n 

by Emperor Hirohit ito’s s je j we well l er and some 

of Japan’s greatest craftsme men, n, 

one of whom in i 1911, created ed the 

h Japanes e e Imperi rial a Crown. 

The Miss Australia Crown was then 

donated d to the he Miss Au A stralia Quest in 

May 1965 by Mr and Mrs James Greenfie field ld, , the pr propriet etor o s of Toyomoto 

Australia Pty y Ltd. d. 

The e crown n sa s t on a square blue velvet cushio ion n edged with 350 perfectly 

matched pearls. The cushion was encased in a magnificent white satin 

lined case. 

Top Carole Jackson, Miss Australia 1965, 

receiving the Miss Australia crown from 

Miss Japan at the Tokyo Trade Fair. 

Bottom: Miss Australia Crown


11 


Sue Gallie 


Carolyn Hannaford 


Margaret Rohan 


Lynette McCann 

The Miss Australia Charity Queen Crown 

The Sixties 

Th The e Mi Miss ss Aus ustr tralia Charity y Queen Crown was designed and presented by 

Mr Cha harl r es GGre 

r enfield off 

Toyomoto Australia. Greenfield also presented 

and d was s in invo volved with thee 

design of the Miss Australia Crown. 

A Melbourne je jewe weller, Mr r Noubar, made The Crown in Australia. 

It took many months to ccomplete 

the basic form of the crown including 

th the e detailed eengraving 

off 

the leaves, all of which was completed by hand. 

Th The pearls ls aare 

re all handset 

and matched into clusters on the solid sterling 

silver crown wn. 

The feature pearl is an Australian pearl found in Kure Bay, Western 

Au Aust stra r lia. a This s pearl was specially selected for the crown and is held in 

plac ace by a dia iamond set pplatinum 

cap made for the crown. 

The crown wa was presentedd 

each year to the girl who raised the most money 

in Aus ustr tral alia ia ffor 

children and 

adults with cerebral palsy. 

Miss Australia Charity Queen Crown

The Sixties 

12 


Helen Newtom 


Margaret Thiess 

Merrilyn 

Peck 


Suzanne McClelland 


Merriltn Peck 


Sponsor Coca Cola, Miss Australia 

1966 Sue Gallie and workmen onsite 

at the Sydney Opera House


13 


Rhonda Iffland 


Anna Lezzi 

Corrinne 

Collins 


June Wright 


Corrinne Collins 

The Seventies 

1970s Logo 

The Seventies

The Seventies 

14 


Gay Walker 


Jillian Beswick 


Kerry Doyle 


Sarah Gray 



Michelle Downs 


Deborah Roubin 

Maria 

Ferrigno 


Sharon Betty 


Maria Ferrigno 

Marianne 

Postle 


Randy Baker 


Marianne Postle 

Angela 

Cecchini 


Francene Maras 


Angela Cecchini


15 


Gloria Krope 


Marianne Crotty 

Lynda 

Rowe 


Anne Sneddon 


Lynda Rowe 

Miss Australia Cookbook - Sewell, Elizabeth, Cookery Editor, 1971. 

Recipes contributed by fourteen Miss Australia Quest entrants, 

covering English country cooking, health food dishes, Russian cooking, 

American cooking, cocktail parties, outdoor entertaining etc. 

The Seventies

The Eighties 

16 

Roma 

Peace 


Eleanor Morton 


Roma Pesce 


Lisa Cornelius 


Judith Gallagher 


The Eighties 

1980s Logo 

Angelica 

La Bozzetta 


Leanne Dick 


Angelica La Bozzetta 


Jenny Coupland 


Jullianne McLoughlin

17 


Mary-Ann Koznjak 


Sherryl Fyfe 


Judith Green 


Jeanelle Dendle 


Maria Ridley 


Lynette Gibson 


Caroline Lumley 


Julie Matschoss 


Tracy Pearson 


Anita Davis 


Lea Dickson 


Anita Stower

18 

Sheona 

Downs 


Rebecca Noble 


Sheona Downs 

Karen 

Milner 


Helena Wayth 


Karen Milner 

The Nineties 

Changing Times 

In 1199 

992, 2, tthe 

he MMis 

iss s Au Aust stra rali l a Qu Ques est t was changed d to the Miss Australia 

Aw Awar ards ds tto 

o re refle flect ct mmore 

closely l y th the e at atti titu t des, achiev vements and aspirations 

of you oung ng AAustralian 

womanh nhoo ood an a d attracted d renewed appreciation 

fo for r th their skills, talents s an and contribution on to o community 

life. The trappings 

tr trad aditionally associat ated ed with beauty con ontests such as the sceptre, 

sashes and crowns were relegated to the archiives. 

in 1993 – 

Joanne Dick was th the e fir first st Miss 

Aust stralia to t be awarded a a title 

and not crowned. 

The Australian Cerebral Palsy Association re ecognised that 

a major barrier to the rights of people with dissabilities 

lies in 

community attitudes. 

Every effort was as mmad 

ade e to t creat a e public awareness, 

acceptance 

and understand nding of peo eople e with cerebral palsy as contributing 

members of the community. 

Li Like eac ach h and every y Miss Australia 

en entrant, people wi with disabilitie ies s ar are e people with hopes, dreams 

an and aspiration ons. s The he Quest st ddid 

id not ot represent an inddividual 

image, 

bu b t ra rath ther er it symboliz ized ed a ccom 

ombi bine ned d concept of 

participation, 

st s ri rivi v ng, helping and d ac achi hiev evem emen ent. This s is wha h t ea ach entrant did 

wh when she entered MMis 

iss s Au Aust s rali l a. a 

Me M n en e te t red in the he MMis 

iss s Au A stralia Awards. In 1993, Damien 

Ta Taylor, , a Gold Coast hot otel el ppor 

orte t r be b came the first 

man to win 

the Wi Wintersun Quest, a tradi diti tional stepping stone to the national 

award. In n 1997 97, , Vi V ctorian Brad a Rogers had a separa ate title created 

for him m (“Na Nati tion onal a Fundraiser”) when he scooped d the award for 

fundraising. 

1990s Logo


19 


Suzanne Lee 


Maria Barone 


Margaret Tierney 

Miss Australia Fundraiser 

Anne-Maria Romeo 


Joanne Dick 


Kathleen Sergi 


Suzanne Haward 


Lisa Mittiga 

The Nineties 


Jayne Bargwanna 


Kristylee Curran 


Tracy Secombe 

Miss Australia Fundraiser & National Fundraiser 

Filomena Labbozetta and Brad Rogers

20 


Suellen Fuller 


Bita Nejad 


Sheree Primmer 


Catherine Doggett 


Kathryn Hay 


Amber Potter 

End of a Era 

In October 1998, the Miss Australia Company 

annnounced 

that in February 2000 it would cease to 

ope erate this great Australia icon. There were magic 

mooments, 

even episodes that created national 

conntroversy. 

This was the longest running quest in 

Australia, 

and can take pride in knowing that the 

Misss 

Australia Quest/Awards has forged a place for 

itseelf 

in the living history of Australia. 

In 2000, the final Miss Australia, Miss Sheree 

Primmmer, 

was selected and announced for the 

Australian 

Cerebral Palsy Association. The final 

juddging 

was held in Sydney. 

Maany 

critics gave the Quest a lifetime of no more 

thaan 

two years, but their predictions were proven 

incorrect. 

Miss Australia was successfully conducted 

for 45 years as a major fundraising medium for 

Thee 

Spastic Centres of Australia. Over its duration 

enttrants, 

their families, committees, sponsors and 

thee 

general public of Australia raised in excess of 

$877 

million. 

Pleaase 

note: From 2001, Australia has been represented in 

inteernational 

contests by Miss Universe Australia. This title 

has sometimes been erroneously labeled Miss Australia by 

the media – and this has caused some confusion.


21 

Miss Australia 1984, Mary-Ann Koznjak with Judith Geppert 

at the Miss Australia Reunion Lunch 2005, Canberra 

Memories 

“In n 19 1953 53, , I be b ga g n my ass ssoc ociation withh 

The Spastic Centre as a two-year-old child. 

Li Like ke mmos 

ost t litt ttle le ggir 

irls ls I wwou 

ould watch Miss M Australia being sashed and crowned on 

Na Nati tion onal al TTV. 

V. Wishi hing ng and nd hoping thaat 

one day it would my turn! 

In 11987, 

I began wwor 

orki king ng for 

the Misss 

Australia Company. In the NSW and ACT 

branch. Over ttho 

hose se 17 7 ye years s I design ned tickets, posters, state and national final 

programs ms, newsletters et etc. c for the 

enntrants 

and sponsors. 

The many entrants I have mmet 

duringg 

this time, I have kept in touch with a few of 

them. 

I have ve aals 

lso be been fortu tuna nate eno nough to o have sat on the NSW State Final selection 

panel fiv fi e times - an experie ience I willl 

never forget. 

Since its closure in 2000 I have ma aintained my interest in the Miss Australia 

Quest.” 

In 1990, I got my wish!, h 

Canberra b 

Memories 

Judith Geppert


23 

1. Helen Wood, with Australian Prime 

Minister, Harold Holt 1957. 

2. Suzanne McClelland, with Australian 

Prime Minister, John Gordon 1969. 

3. Jayne Bargwanna, with Australian 

Prime Minister, Paul Keating 1994. 

4. Tricia Reschke, with Paul Burke at 

the Mosman Spastic Centre 1962. 

5. Kathryn Hay, with Australian Prime 

Minister, John Howard 1999. 

1 2 

1 2 3 

4 

4 

5 

Memories

Miss Australia - Cerebral Palsy Alliance

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