Abstract
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Mary Chong and Gwen Fong were among the first female university graduates in Australia of Chinese heritage. They both went on to path-breaking careers, demonstrating a strong commitment to public and political life. Mary Chong, after graduating from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts in 1929, was employed by the Chinese Consul General in Sydney. Soon after she went to China, working first for the Republic of China government and later in journalism, returning to Australia in later years. Gwen Fong, who graduated with a degree in Medicine from the University of Melbourne in 1947, remained in Melbourne working as a doctor. While pursuing her medical studies and career, Gwen was politically active in the Communist Party of Australia, as a leader of the university branch and as an organiser of educational events. Education within the Australian university system allowed these pioneering women to take up fulfilling careers in Australia and in China. Their writings, which include protests against a range of Australian government policies, enrich the archive of women’s political history.