1960s

Key dates

July 1961: New Wing was opened. At the beginning of 1961, the College had 73 residents. Following the opening of New Wing, the College saw an additional 25 residents join the College.

Saturday 16 March 1963: Official opening of the Freda Bage Common Room.

Explore This Decade

1960 Senior Common Room
1960Senior Common Room
The Senior Common Room was primarily for post-graduates to enjoy their relaxation time. In 1965, the main foyer became a temporary common room.
1960 Invitation to UQ Jubilee Celebration Luncheon
1960Invitation to UQ Jubilee Celebration Luncheon
Pictured is an invitation for a University of Queensland Jubilee Celebration Luncheon (1960), which was held at the Women’s College.
1963 Freda Bage Common Room
1963Freda Bage Common Room
The Freda Bage Common Room was opened in 1963. Pictured are Freda Bage, Student Club President Vanda Mann and Principal Molly Budtz-Olsen at the opening of the room.
1963 Reflection about Molly Budtz-Olsen
1963Reflection about Molly Budtz-Olsen
The following reflection is about College Principal Molly Budtz-Olsen (1963 – 1974) by alumna Ann Warrell Robilliard.

Molly Budtz-Olsen, born in Durban, South Africa, was the Principal of The Women’s College between 1963 and 1974, and a committed member of the University Senate for an even longer period (1968 to 1983). She had graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma in Education from the Huguenot University College of the University of South Africa.

Molly and her husband left South Africa mainly as a protest against the prevailing policy of apartheid.

Following Molly’s death in 2004, the Chislehurst Society began to canvas suggestions for ways in which the College might commemorate her 20-year contribution to the education of young women and to the University. Her love of gardens and the arts led to many suggestions, but finally, it was Molly’s life-long commitment to the education of women which prevailed.
1963 Women's Rowing Team
1963Women's Rowing Team
Submitted by Beverley Higgins (alumna 1962 – 1964)

This image is of the 1963 Women’s College Rowing Team. Beverley Higgins was one of the members of this team and submitted this image, saying the rowing uniform at the time consisted of white shorts and maroon shirts with the College emblem.
1963 Valedictory Dinner program
1963Valedictory Dinner program
Valedictory Dinner at The Women’s College is a long-standing tradition where we celebrate the achievements of students at the end of the academic year and recognise students who are leaving The Women's College. The following image is of the 1963 Valedictory Dinner program.
1966 Women's in the news
1966Women's in the news
Submitted by Cecilie Lander (née Curtis; alumna 1966 – 1968)

“November is more than half over and many hundreds of University students are breathing very sincere sighs of relief.” This is the first sentence in a newspaper article about eight Women’s College students (and one teacher trainee) who embarked on an eight-week working holiday to Tasmania. The story was published in The Courier-Mail in November 1966.

This entry was submitted by one of the students who features in the story. Cecilie Lander (née Curtis; alumna 1966 – 1968) was a First-Year science student when the article was published. She and her fellow Woozas were planning to spend six weeks picking strawberries on a farm in New Norfolk (just outside Hobart) and would then go on a two-week hiking tour of Tasmania.

The article went on to say that going to Tasmania during the vacation period had almost become a tradition for first- and second-year Women’s students.

In addition to sending this article to Women’s in June 2023, Cecilie said that the trip was a life-changing moment. Gillian Ritchie (née McLean; alumna 1965 – 1967) encouraged Cecilie to study medicine during the strawberry picking trip.
1967 First issue of Eeyore
1967First issue of Eeyore
Eeyore is the magazine of The Women’s College Student Club, and it was first published in 1967. The magazine was named after the stone sculpture that was presented to the College in 1942 (see 1942: Eeyore).

Judith Frohlich (alumna 1965 – 1967) was the first editor of Eeyore, and wrote: “This being the first edition of ‘Eeyore’, it is necessary to make some sort of a statement (for posterity) about this choice of name. Eeyore, as you no doubt know, lives in our garden. Nobody really knows what his main purpose in life is, since he spends most of the year hidden among the foliage ruminating to himself and looking very wise.” (Page 4, 1967 edition)

The cover was illustrated by Gaye Glanville, who was a First-Year Resident in 1967.
1968 New Wing
1968New Wing
One of the rooms in the New Wing building, which was built in the 1960s.

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1960Senior Common Room

The Senior Common Room was primarily for post-graduates to enjoy their relaxation time. In 1965, the main foyer became a temporary common room.

1960Invitation to UQ Jubilee Celebration Luncheon

Pictured is an invitation for a University of Queensland Jubilee Celebration Luncheon (1960), which was held at the Women’s College.

1963Freda Bage Common Room

The Freda Bage Common Room was opened in 1963. Pictured are Freda Bage, Student Club President Vanda Mann and Principal Molly Budtz-Olsen at the opening of the room.

1963Reflection about Molly Budtz-Olsen

The following reflection is about College Principal Molly Budtz-Olsen (1963 – 1974) by alumna Ann Warrell Robilliard.

Molly Budtz-Olsen, born in Durban, South Africa, was the Principal of The Women’s College between 1963 and 1974, and a committed member of the University Senate for an even longer period (1968 to 1983). She had graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma in Education from the Huguenot University College of the University of South Africa.

Molly and her husband left South Africa mainly as a protest against the prevailing policy of apartheid.

Following Molly’s death in 2004, the Chislehurst Society began to canvas suggestions for ways in which the College might commemorate her 20-year contribution to the education of young women and to the University. Her love of gardens and the arts led to many suggestions, but finally, it was Molly’s life-long commitment to the education of women which prevailed.

1963Women's Rowing Team

Submitted by Beverley Higgins (alumna 1962 – 1964)

This image is of the 1963 Women’s College Rowing Team. Beverley Higgins was one of the members of this team and submitted this image, saying the rowing uniform at the time consisted of white shorts and maroon shirts with the College emblem.

1963Valedictory Dinner program

Valedictory Dinner at The Women’s College is a long-standing tradition where we celebrate the achievements of students at the end of the academic year and recognise students who are leaving The Women's College. The following image is of the 1963 Valedictory Dinner program.

1966Women's in the news

Submitted by Cecilie Lander (née Curtis; alumna 1966 – 1968)

“November is more than half over and many hundreds of University students are breathing very sincere sighs of relief.” This is the first sentence in a newspaper article about eight Women’s College students (and one teacher trainee) who embarked on an eight-week working holiday to Tasmania. The story was published in The Courier-Mail in November 1966.

This entry was submitted by one of the students who features in the story. Cecilie Lander (née Curtis; alumna 1966 – 1968) was a First-Year science student when the article was published. She and her fellow Woozas were planning to spend six weeks picking strawberries on a farm in New Norfolk (just outside Hobart) and would then go on a two-week hiking tour of Tasmania.

The article went on to say that going to Tasmania during the vacation period had almost become a tradition for first- and second-year Women’s students.

In addition to sending this article to Women’s in June 2023, Cecilie said that the trip was a life-changing moment. Gillian Ritchie (née McLean; alumna 1965 – 1967) encouraged Cecilie to study medicine during the strawberry picking trip.

1967First issue of Eeyore

Eeyore is the magazine of The Women’s College Student Club, and it was first published in 1967. The magazine was named after the stone sculpture that was presented to the College in 1942 (see 1942: Eeyore).

Judith Frohlich (alumna 1965 – 1967) was the first editor of Eeyore, and wrote: “This being the first edition of ‘Eeyore’, it is necessary to make some sort of a statement (for posterity) about this choice of name. Eeyore, as you no doubt know, lives in our garden. Nobody really knows what his main purpose in life is, since he spends most of the year hidden among the foliage ruminating to himself and looking very wise.” (Page 4, 1967 edition)

The cover was illustrated by Gaye Glanville, who was a First-Year Resident in 1967.

1968New Wing

One of the rooms in the New Wing building, which was built in the 1960s.