Meet The 124 Women Who Helped Us Get Through 2021

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Wow! What a year we’ve had in 2021.

Despite the rollercoaster of pandemic life, women have been getting on with things … adapting to the changes and helping one another negotiate tricky terrain.

Throughout, Tonic has been there, a beacon of positivity, sharing stories of extraordinary women, as well as providing advice on health, money and style, and looking at the lighter side of life (we’re still talking about Halston and the Flesh After 50 exhibition).

It’s been a fun exercise looking back at the more than 100 women featured on the site who have made us laugh or cry or inspired us to take a new path, or simply reassess something in our life that’s needs a reboot.

In 2022, we will continue to provide a platform for more wonderful women to speak about their experiences.

So, thank you to the following women for sharing your stories. Enjoy them again, or for the first time.

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Activists

Kristy Masella, Aboriginal Employment Strategy CEO, who has has secured 16,500 career placements and 1500 traineeships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

Nicole Rycroft, started as an elite rower in Australia and is now a Canada-based activist for forest conservation.

Clare Wright, author of You Daughters of Freedom, on the history of women activists in Australia.

Michelle Redfern, founder of Advancing Women in Business and Sport, was sick of organisations paying lip service to gender equality and so started a business to show them what they can do.

Catherine Fox, author and campaigner has been working to improve diversity in businesses.

Gabrielle Chan, author and journalist, on why we all need to engage with the way our food is produced.

Mandy Richards, CEO and founder of social enterprise Global Sisters on democratising entrepreneurship.

Wendy Waller, former mayor of Liverpool, for more than 20 years has worked for her constituents in one of Sydney’s most diverse local government areas.

Gabrielle Mordy, gallerist CEO of Studio A, which supports artists with an intellectual disability.

Rochelle Courtenay, founder Share the Dignity, which distributes period products to disadvantaged women all over the country.

Tracey Spicer on her transition from broadcaster to gender equality campaigner.

Jane Bremmer and Mikaela Jade, environmentalists featured in Robyn Gulliver’s book The Advocates.

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 Art & Literature

Maree Clarke, artist, on the two questions she dreads being asked.

Lorrie Graham on the seven photos that define her career as a photographer.

Maggie Hamilton, the author, talks about her book on loneliness, When We Become Strangers.

LIane Moriarty spoke to Tonic about her new novel, Apples Never Fall.

Michelle de Kretser, on her nightmarish novel, Scary Monsters.

Lucy Ellmann writes in praise of vaginas in this extract from her book Things Are Against Us.

Nikki Gemmell, author of The Bride Stripped Bare on her non-fiction release Dissolve.

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Celebrities

Jessica Rowe celebrates getting older.

Frances O’Connor, the actor on life, death and menopause.

Chris Ryan, comedian, on the way long-term relationships change.

Susie Porter, actor, on endings.

Janet Roach, the Real Housewives of Melbourne star on overcoming anxiety.

Lisa Wilkinson, broadcaster, says she’s not done yet.

Vika and Linda Bull, the singers’ intimate letter to their mother.

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Change

Barbara Weibel on being a digital nomad.

Kate James, author of Change Your Thinking To Change Your Life.

Cree Monaghan, tree changer.

Chris Bath, newsreader, on finding her place.

Amanda Rose on doing a Golden Girls.

Fiona Smith describes her transition from journalism to professional artist.

Jacquie Byron published her first novel at the age of 52.

Alexandra Smart, co-founder of fashion label Ginger + Smart, decided to take a sabbatical.

Louisa Graham, the former CEO of the Walkley Foundation on recognising when you need a change.

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Food

Spiri Tsintziras on cooking for her mum.

Silvia Colloca’s spicy chicken.

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Friendship

Destiny Deacon and Natalie King, the artist and the curator.

Simone and Karen best pals since their teens describe how their lives have taken very different paths.

Kari Webster and Mhanda von Engelen became friends when they served in the military.

Melanie Tait and Priscilla Jackman, a playwright and a director who bonded over shared loves.

Caroline Brauer and Christie Hampton, the longtime friends are now working together.

Jayne Copelin and Tracy Field met through their work at Two Good charity.

Amber Petty on the importance of friendships.

Annabel Crabb and Leigh Sales have let the world in on their friendship.

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Health

Lucinda Nolan, CEO of the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation and Dr Maree Bilandzic, ovarian cancer researcher on the advances being made towards curing ovarian cancer.

Marla, Tajshmar, Leah, Jo, Katherine and Marg shared their experiences of going through menopause.

Dr Sarah Woodhouse, author of You’re Not Broken, on improving your mental health.

Lara Briden, author of Hormone Repair Manual, on how to tame your hormones.

Kristen Allan on how she stopped drinking.

Dr Kelly Teagle on the safety concerns around menopausal hormone therapy.

Professor Cassandra Szoeke, principal investigator of the Women’s Healthy Ageing Project, a 30-year study of women’s health in Australia, on what you should be doing now to live longer.

Shelly Horton describes how she dealt with perimenopausal depression.

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 Life Experience

Yumi Stynes, the broadcaster on being a single mum.

Lyra Martinez on learning how to swim as an adult.

Sam Bloom wrote about her life following an accident that left her paraplegic.

Geraldine Brooks describes her relationship with a huntsman spider.

Lahra Carey was widowed in her 40s.

Heaven Leigh on the silver lining in facing bankruptcy.

Joss Stewart celebrates being in her 70s.

Fenella Souter writes about the joy of downsizing someone else’s life.

Eve Grzybowski shares her life lessons from 50 years doing yoga.

Lily Brett writes that you’re never too old to appreciate beauty.

Kellie King found the love of her life at 50.

Rosie Ayliffe on how she dealt with the murder of her daughter.

Henrietta Manning on repeating the mistakes your parents made.

Anne Theroux, wife of writer Paul Theroux, on the end of her marriage.

Jane Macpherson, yoga therapist, on coping with hot flushes.

Sandra Minchin-Delohery on why she got a tattoo.

Karen Livingstone on why she raises funds for cancer research.

Kate Miller lost her father to a ‘miracle cure’.

Deborah Hutton on surviving cancer. 

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Style

Charla Carter, fashion stylist and journalist.

Mika and Kitty Zusak, Aileen and Grace Marr, Luella and Tanya Linney, Annette and Maya McKenzie – mothers and daughters dress each other.

Denni Francisco, founder of Indigenous fashion label Ngali.

Beatrix Ost, New York artist, gives us a peek inside her home.

Tracey Cox on what she wore for her second wedding.

Brigitte Warne, co-founder of Silverfox model agency.

Karen Walker, New Zealand fashion designer, on what she likes to wear.

Kirstie Clements, the former fashion editor on her six best buys.

Michelle Crawford, stylist, on the five items she can’t live without.

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Vale

Carla Zampatti, our tribute to the fashion designer.

Babette Smith, the historian who uncovered the little-known histories of the women transported to Australia as convicts. She talked to Tonic about her 2021 book Defiant Voices.

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Work

Alice Gorman, the Flinders University professor who delves into the hidden history of space exploration.

Jo Stanley, the broadcaster, on the radio station just for women.

Kathy Jones has a coffee with Tonic to talk about her success in business.

Rebecca Seal, author of Solo: How to Work Alone, on a subject many of us have been grappling with: work from home.

Fiona Williamson-Aveyard, sheep farmer, on working the land.

Dianna Somerville, founder of Regional Pitchfest, on the essential skill every startup needs.

Tana Douglas, Australia’s first female roadie, talks about her life in rock’n’roll.

Lisa Chung on her move from lawyer to company director.

Megan Dalla-Camina, founder and CEO Women Rising, on leaving corporate life to found a startup in her 40s.

Kate Morris, the chief executive of Adore Beauty on building a business from scratch.

Pauline Nguyen, owner of Red Lantern restaurant and author of The Way of the Spiritual Entrepreneur on balancing the needs of your business.

Maxine Floyd, from corporate life to criminology at 50.

Roxanne Calder, founder of office-support recruitment agency EST10, on how to maximise your chances of changing career.

Gillian Corban and Amanda Blair, how cousins ended up working together.

Natalie Moore, director of Own Your Health Collective, on making your side-hustle your job.

Fiona Thorpe, founder Hail Me, gained independence by starting her own business.

Cornelia Schulze, publisher, on becoming your own boss.

Bobbi Mahlab, co-founder of Mentor Walks, on the benefits of mentoring.

Emma Isaacs, founder of Business Chicks, author of The New Hustle and how to be a great boss.

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Words_ Team Tonic
Photos_ Carlotta Moye {Kirstie Clements}, Julian Kingma {Maree Clarke}, Business Chicks {Emma Isaacs}