Melbourne's Badass Women History Walking Tour

Step off the beaten track and uncover the hidden stories of women who shaped Melbourne on this unique walking tour.



2 hours

Experience size 1 to 4 (public dates), 12 to 24

  $20 - $60 ($20 for Child; $60 for Adult) (Afterpay & PayPal Pay in 4 available)

This isn’t your average Melbourne walking tour.
Join your passionate and knowledgeable local guides on an inspiring tour of Melbourne's secret women’s history. Walk with us through the heart of the city from the last remaining tower of a hospital founded, staffed, and run entirely by women, through Chinatown and past Parliament before finishing at Melbourne’s Town Hall.
We’ll uncover the hidden history behind some of Melbourne’s most iconic landmarks, including the Princess Theatre, The Hotel Windsor and the Capitol, as well as some hidden gems including Casseldon Place, where the last cottage built in 1877 still remains, and the site of one of Melbourne’s most iconic queer cafes in the 1950s. This diverse, interesting and unique tour will leave you feeling empowered, entertained and inspired to learn more.
Australia’s most viral tour has been featured in the ABC, The Age, Sydney Morning Herald Traveller Awards 2025 and is perfect for first time visitors, seasoned Melbournians and interstate travellers alike. We welcome all guests aged 13+ on this tour. The walk covers about 3km at a relaxed pace, and there are a few places to pause and sit down along the way.
Together we'll uncover some incredible stories of history-shaping women and you might even make a few new friends along the way!
  • This walking tour is not wheelchair accessible and is best suited to mobile travellers
  • The tour runs for two hours
  • Suitable for first-time and regular visitors to Melbourne
  • Learn about the women that history books overlook
  • Stroller / pram accessible
  • Well-behaved dogs allowed and must be kept on a leash the whole time
  • Public transportation nearby
What you'll get
  • Passionate & Professional Local Guide
  • Hand-drawn souvenir postcard by a local artist
  • A group photo with your guide
  • A follow-up list of resources and further reading on the stories shared
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Knowledge required
This tour is suitable for those who know nothing about Australian history and Melbourne and for those who feel they already know all there is to know!
What to bring
Please wear comfortable walking shoes and clothing, and bring a water bottle, sunscreen and a hat! This tour runs rain or shine, so if it looks like it will rain, we recommend bringing an umbrella.
Location

Queen Victoria Women's Centre, Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC

Melbourne's Badass Women History Walking Tour location
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Your host

She Shapes History
She Shapes History

4.9 (52)
female Women-owned

We're on a mission to make Australian women's history accessible, entertaining, and engaging through walking tours, social media and one-off events.
She Shapes History started with a simple question – "Where are the women in the history of Australia?"
Bushrangers, convicts, diggers, blokes and battlers are often seen as the main characters of Australian history. In the story of our nation, women have frequently been cast as minor characters. Countless stories have been lost, left unrecorded, undervalued, and untold. As a society, it's so easy to forget that women were behind many of the moments that shaped Australia.
We believe that by recovering the remarkable stories of the women who shaped history, we can challenge our perception of women today. Closing the respect gap in Australian politics and culture today requires that we recognise and re-imagine what Australian women, particularly First Nations women, queer women, women of colour and women with disabilities, have achieved in the past.
While there are many ways to learn more about our history, there is nothing quite like a walking tour. Walking tours offer a unique opportunity to share history in an inclusive, accessible and non-judgmental context.
We use walking tours to highlight the diverse and often forgotten women behind the moments that shaped Australia. We want all Australians, no matter their race, gender or sexuality, to be able to see themselves in Canberra's landscape, in Australian history, and the story of our nation.
So, where are the women in the story of Australia? Well, as you'll discover on our tours, everywhere.

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