When Mrs Georgiana Alma Venville was elected to the City of Stirling as a Councillor for the Maylands ward on 26 May 1973, she became the first female councillor  elected to that city. She served as Councillor for the City of Sitrling’s Maylands Ward for a total of 18 years, retiring in 1991.

On 26 May 1975, she and Councillor Evelyn Parker of the Subiaco City Council became the first females to be elected mayors of any local authority in Western Australia.

Alma Venville was Mayor of the City of Stirling from 1975–76 and Deputy Mayor in 1977.

She was also Secretary of the Maylands Ratepayers and Progress Association for 19 years (1970–89).

In the 1980s, campaigning by Councillor Alma Venville and Maylands residents ensured the
preservation of the Maylands Brickworks.

In 1993, she wrote and self-published a book titled The musings of Madame Mayor.

She also:

  • served as a Justice of the Peace for 28 years,
  • was a Councillor an life Member of the Royal W.A. Institute for the Blind, and
  • was a member of the Maylands Historical Society
  • created paintings of many of Maylands distinctive building (some of these paintings are now on display in the Old Police Station,  Guildford Road, Maylands) .

Alma Venville was honoured for her services to the community by:

  • having the Alma Venville Centre (demolished in 20o9 and superseded by The RISE in 2011) named after her,
  • on the 25 November 1989, becoming the first woman awarded the title of Honorary Freeman of the City of Stirling,
  • on 26 January 1990, being granted the Order of Australia Medal for service to the community and local government,
  • in 2003, being awarded a Centenary of Federation Medal for her work as Mayor and as a community volunteer, and
  • having the Alma Venville Sports Arena at The RISE named after her.
For more information

Our association holds:

  • two archive boxes of Alma Venville’s papers, and
  • many paintings by Alma Venville.

See also:

Scroll to Top