Suzanne Bellamy and the Australian women’s liberation movement
National Library of Australia
Catherine Dwyer presents her recent Fellowship into the life of women's liberationist, artist and scholar Suzanne Bellamy.
Suzanne Bellamy (1948 – 2022) was an Australian feminist, artist, writer and teacher whose work advanced women's rights and inspired social change. Before her death, Suzanne expressed the wish that:
'…the filmmaker/historian Catherine Dwyer undertake a creative, possibly multi-media project using my archives…to continue my work in documenting the story of our women's movement.' -Suzanne Bellamy
This research continues that vision and reflects Suzanne's commitment to documenting the women's movement. Reflecting on the importance of this work, Catherine states:
'As we grapple with the unfinished business of those turbulent years, this project will help to understand the cultural moment we are in today and show how everyday people do in fact change the world.' -Catherine Dwyer
Catherine Dwyer is a 2026 National Library Fellow, supported by the Stokes Family.
Catherine Dwyer is a filmmaker and researcher. She is best known for writing and directing the widely acclaimed documentary Brazen Hussies (2020), an entertaining and detailed investigation of the Australian women's liberation movement in the 1970s.
Catherine is also an archive producer and has recently worked on Trailblazers (2024), Her Name is Nanny Nellie (SBS/NITV, 2024), Queerstralia (ABC, 2023), Who The Bloody Hell Are We? (SBS, 2023), and The People's Republic of Mallacoota (ABC, 2022).
