Trailblazer Virginia Chadwick Immortalised by NSW Parliament's First Female Marble Bust

11 May 2022

The late Honourable Virginia Chadwick AO has today become the first female to be immortalised in the NSW Legislative Council.

The richly deserved honour comes in the form of a marble bust of the Legislative Council’s first-ever female President, having been unveiled in the Legislative Council chamber of NSW Parliament House. She becomes the first female figure to be immortalised in the chamber, and is the Parliament's first new marble bust to be sculpted in more than a century.

The NSW Premier, Dominic Perrottet said: "Virginia’s record as a member of the NSW Parliament, including being the first female Presiding Officer, together with her many other achievements, reflect her unquestioned commitment and service to the people of NSW. 

"The honour being bestowed on Virginia today is much deserved. I offer my congratulations to her family on this historic occasion." 

President of the Legislative Council Matthew Mason-Cox said: "A trailblazer of her time, Virginia achieved many important firsts during her 20-year parliamentary career and beyond – so it is incredibly fitting that a rare honour is added to the list, as her likeness joins fellow august figures from our history along the chamber walls."

Among her achievements, in 1998 Virginia became the Legislative Council's first female President – and indeed the first female Presiding Officer of the state's parliament. Prior to that, she had been the first Liberal woman to gain a ministerial appointment in a NSW Government, NSW's first female Minister for Education and the state's first female Opposition Whip. 

"During her time in NSW Parliament, Virginia smashed many glass ceilings, also having had a strong involvement in social and education reforms,” Mr Mason-Cox said.

"As Minister for Education she established the independent Board of Studies and took the state's first steps to address homophobic bullying and violence in schools, and as Minister for Family and Community Services Virginia was instrumental in the restructuring of disability services."

Following her retirement from the Legislative Council, Virginia went on to make an indelible mark in environmental conservation. Becoming the first female chairperson of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority in 1999, she received global recognition for leading efforts that saw the area of reef declared protected from 4.5 to 33 per cent. 

Virginia passed away in 2009 at 64 years of age. 

The installation of Virginia's marble likeness at Parliament was marked by an official ceremony today, attended by the former President's family, colleagues and esteemed guests – among them, her husband of more than 40 years, Bruce Chadwick. 

"Virginia was a tireless and fiercely intelligent woman, who truly believed in helping and serving the community. She wasn't afraid to tackle the big issues, and that's why she was able to leave the mark that she has," Mr Chadwick said. 

"Our family is so moved to see her commemorated in this way, and we know she would have loved the idea of watching over the Council chamber in perpetuity."

The bust was carved from a single block of white Italian 'Statuario' marble by prominent sculptor Peter Schipperheyn.

"The bust of Virginia Chadwick is the first marble bust to be crafted for the Parliament in some 107 years, and of course the first representation of a female in a room of men," Mr Schipperheyn said. "I am thrilled to have been involved. I trained in Carrara, Italy in the grand tradition of figurative sculpture in marble, and feel close to the other sculptors whose works sit in the chamber."

Visitors to NSW Parliament House can see the bust on display during a free tour of the parliamentary precinct. Official tours run Mondays and Fridays at 1:30pm (no booking required), and more frequently during school holidays. Find details via www.parliament.nsw.gov.au.