By Dongyun Kwon
A Healesville woman, who devoted her life to First Nations people and culture, was selected as one of six Victorian women to be represented in a public artwork.
Between November and December last year, the Victorian Government conducted a vote to decide which women’s stories should become the subject of six new public artworks in Victoria.
The late Aunty Dorothy ‘Dot’ Peters AM, a widely loved and respected Yarra Yarra woman who spent most of her childhood in the Healesville region, has been listed to be one of the six after the vote participated by more than 10,000 Victorians.
The public artwork for Aunty Dot will be built in Knox City.
Aunty Dot’s son Dr Andrew Peters said it’s certainly a wonderful honour to have her selected.
“There have been so many wonderful Aboriginal women who have shaped our world in many positive ways, so it’s certainly a massive honour for her to be recognised,” he said.
“Mum did some work with Knox years ago and with some community groups down here.
“I live (in Knox) now, so it’s a great opportunity for my boys, Mum’s grandsons, to be able to see it up close.”
Aunty Dot and Healesville RSL worked together to take a service to officially recognise First Nations peoples’ contributions to the armed forces, which has turned into an annual event held at the Shrine of Remembrance, attracting the spotlight nationally.
Aunty Dot was also passionate about ensuring First Nations cultural practices and knowledge were protected, celebrated and passed down through generations.
“Much of what Mum learnt was probably considered women’s business such as her basket coiling,” Dr Peters said.
“While I was very aware of her knowledge, I didn’t learn any specific practices like this from her.”
The Yarra Yarra woman was also an Aboriginal educator at Healesville Primary School and wrote a dreaming story about how Badger Creek got its smooth rocks and clear water.
“She started (the role at Healesville Primary School) in 1980 when I was in Grade 6 there, and it certainly was ahead of its time in terms of Aboriginal education,” Dr Peters said.
“(The dreaming story) was called Bunjil of Badger Creek. It was based on stories her grandmother used to tell her.”
A Knox City Council spokesperson said the proposed site for the project will be chosen as part of the cultural engagement process with Aunty Dot’s family, Wurundjeri elders, aunties and local First Nations organisations.
“Aunty Dot was a much-loved elder in Melbourne’s east who was actively involved in local community organisations such as Oonah Health and Community Services Aboriginal Corporation and Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place,” they said.
“Some of the Peters family lives in Knox, including Aunty Dot’s son, Dr Andrew Peters, who was among several First Nations locals who worked with the council to develop our Reconciliation Action Plan.”
The Victorian Government has been investing $1.2 million to deliver six new pieces of art across the state, adding to the six delivered last year, through its Women’s Public Art Program.
Less than two per cent of statues across Victoria are of women and many of these are women with their husbands, partners or other men.
Women minister Natalie Hutchins said women’s achievements have always been there but they’ve just never been seen.
“We’re changing this in Victoria, recognising another six trailblazing Victorian women through our nation-leading Women’s Public Art program,” she said.
For more information on the 2025 Victorian Women’s Public Art Program, visit vic.gov.au/victorian-womens-public-art-program
