Book launched to celebrate 100 years of Guiding

Governor-General Quentin Bryce today joined  Tanya Plibersek and past and present Guides from across the country at Admiralty House in Sydney to launch Leadership for Life, a book which profiles 100 Australian women in celebration of 100 years of Guiding.

Women featured in the book range from Australian humorist and writer Wendy Harmer, to Margaret Fulton (OAM) the internationally acclaimed, award-winning author of best-selling cookbooks.

Produced with funding assistance from the Australian Government through the Office for Women, the book contains the stories of 100 former or current Guides who have been role models for other women and girls either within Guiding, their local communities, or the broader Australian community through service and leadership.

Ms Plibersek said the book was an inspiration to all women who aspired to take up leadership roles.

“For 100 years the Guiding movement in Australia has supported girls and young women to grow into confident and inspirational women,” Ms Plibersek said.

“The book is a celebration of the Guiding movement’s rich history in Australia, containing stories of well known and not so well known women from a range of professions and age groups – all of whom have inspired others.

“Their stories reflect the strength, self-confidence, skills, and passions that Guiding has provided them.”

Girl Guides Australia Chief Commissioner, Lynne Price said: “Leadership for Life is a testament to the strength, resilience and determination of 100 inspiring Australian women from a range of diverse backgrounds and walks of life.

“Some of the women featured are deceased, while others are still active Guiding volunteers and paid professionals in law, medicine, the community and public sectors and the performing arts.

“Collectively, their stories reflect the strength, self-confidence, skills, and passions that Guiding has provided them.

“From the well known to the not so well known, all of the women featured in this coffee-table style book are unsung heroes. As you read through their stories, there is a rich sense of history and a strong sense of evolution.

“Giving girls and young women new experiences, new challenges and new ways to grow has been our focus for 100 years and we will continue to transform girls’ lives for the next 100 years.”

The Australian Government has provided almost $600,000 to help Girl Guides Australia celebrate the Guiding movement’s centenary.