The Hester Hornbrook and Her Ladies Podcast

history, society, culture · EN

Hester Hornbrook and Her Ladies is a compelling 3-episode podcast series exploring Dr Roslyn Otzen's groundbreaking historical book about Melbourne's most important forgotten hero. Through meticulous research, Dr Otzen uncovers how Hester Hornbrook—a frail, elderly widow on a tiny army pension—and her network of remarkable women created Melbourne's first social support systems and established nine schools during the chaotic 1850s-1870s gold rush, when government provided nothing and 300,000 people descended on an unprepared settlement. The first two episodes reveal this extraordinary untold story of female leadership, radical activism, and educational pioneering in Melbourne's formative years. The final episode fast-forwards 200 years to explore how this legacy lives on through the modern Hester Hornbrook Academy, now supporting 800+ disadvantaged students across Victoria with revolutionary approaches to education. Hosted by Dr. Greg Trainor, chair of Hester Hornbrook Academy, this ser