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Arts and Culture
For History Week 2024 we're celebrating some of the women who have created history in Waverley. The following women have had a tremendous impact in the field of arts and culture.
Alice Jane Muskett
Alice Jane Muskett was an artist, author, and a significant cultural figure in Sydney. A pioneering student of Julian Ashton, she exhibited internationally and contributed to Sydney's art scene. Her feminist novel "Among the Reeds," published under the pseudonym "Jane Laker," reflects her personal experiences and views on women's rights. Despite financial challenges during the Depression, she remained active in supporting the arts. Alice passed away in 1936, and her ashes were interred in Waverley Cemetery.
Bea Miles
Bondi Mermaids
In 1960, Bondi Beach witnessed the installation of the iconic Bondi Mermaid statues on the Big Rock at Ben Buckler. Sculpted by Lyall Randolph and modeled on two local women, Jan Carmody and Lynette Whillier, these mermaids quickly became beloved landmarks. The mermaids were installed at the sculptors own expense, with Randolph arguing that because they were placed off shore, they were not subject to Waverley Council regulations. However, shortly after their debut, pranksters chiseled Mermaid Jan from the rock. She was later mysteriously recovered and repaired through public support. Tragedy struck in 1974 when Lynette was swept away by heavy seas, and Jan lost an arm and tail. Eventually forgotten in a council depot, Jan was rediscovered in the late 1980s, preserved, and now rests at Waverley Library, a testament to Bondi's enduring charm.
Dame Joan Sutherland
Dame Joan Sutherland was one of the world's most celebrated operatic sopranos, whose powerful and lyrical voice coined her the moniker "La Stupenda". Born in Sydney in 1926, Sutherland lived in Woollahra and attended St Catherine's School in Waverley. Her career flourished after moving to London in 1951 where she began studying at The Royal College of Music. Over the course of her 40 year career, Sutherland performed in 48 operas and recorded 60 albums. Sutherland left an undeniable legacy, heralded and awarded many honours including being declared the "voice of the century" by Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
Jenny Kee
Bondi local Jenny Kee has been bringing the fabulous to Australian fashion, design, and art since 1973. Born in Bondi in 1947, she and her brother attended Bondi Public School and came of age in the day-glo colours of the 1960s. An internationally acclaimed artist and designer, exhibitions and retrospectives of her work have been held at galleries in London, Tokyo and Sydney.
Beril Jents
Beril Jents was a fashion designer recognised as "Australia's first queen of haute-couture" by the media. During her career from the 1930s-1980s, she counted among her clients local and international socialites, actors, and creatives including Elizabeth Taylor and Eartha Kitt. Jents opened her first studio in Charing Cross, at the age of 16. Following a move to Bondi Junction, she spend the next ten years producing made-to-measure garments until she formally registered the business in 1944 and moved to Kings Cross. After a hugely successful career, Jents retired in 1986 and in 1993 released her memoir "Little Ol' Beryl from Bondi".