To make a tax deductible donation to the community fundraising campaign to create a meaningful public artwork of Alice Anderson in Kew, visit the fundraising page. 

When 22-year-old Alice Anderson set up her all-female mechanics business in Kew in 1919 she was blazing a trail through a man’s world. The first Australian woman to run a garage, she offered repairs, vehicle sales and driving lessons, and employed only women as mechanics and chauffeurs.

The Alice Anderson Memorial Project

A group of dedicated locals have formed the Alice Anderson Memorial Project Association (AAMPA). They are now fundraising to build a life-sized bronze statue of Alice in Petrie Square in Kew, near her original garage. 

We’re working with the AAMPA by providing the site for the statue, along with $60,000 for landscaping and $40,000 towards the statue artwork.
We acknowledge and thank the AAMPA for their work championing the project and raising community awareness of Alice Anderson as an important local figure. We also thank the Anderson family representatives for their support and endorsement.

Alice Anderson’s connection to Boroondara

Alice has a strong connection to Boroondara. She lived here, worked here and is buried here. 
This proposed public artwork offers an opportunity to honour Alice’s legacy in the community she helped shape. It will also help to inspire future generations through public recognition of Alice’s pioneering achievements.

Join the community fundraising

We support community efforts to achieve the $120,000 fundraising goal to create this meaningful public artwork in Boroondara. The target completion date for the statue is mid-2027.

To make a tax deductible donation to the community fundraising campaign, visit Artist Project: Alice Anderson Public Art Project in Kew.

To find out more, visit the Alice Anderson Memorial Project.

Events

Join us for a series of exciting events that celebrate her legacy and lasting impact. Explore upcoming events on our Alice Anderson events page.

About Alice Anderson's life

Alice Elizabeth Foley Anderson (1897–1926) was a pioneering Australian mechanic, entrepreneur and adventurer who broke barriers for women in the early 20th century. Raised on the outskirts of Melbourne, Alice obtained her driver’s licence at age 18 and began conducting countryside tours in a Hupmobile luxury tourer, showcasing her independence and mechanical skills.

In 1919, at just 22 years old and without financial backing from her family or a spouse, Alice established Alice Anderson’s Motor Service. It was Australia’s first motor garage operated entirely by women.

Located at 88 Cotham Road Kew, now part of Trinity Grammar School, the garage became a hub of innovation and empowerment. Her team, affectionately known as the ‘Garage Girls’, performed a wide range of services including tyre changes, engine repairs, car washing, driving instruction and guided tours. The garage also offered mechanical classes tailored to women drivers, promoting technical education and self-sufficiency.

Shortly after returning from a historic journey to Alice Springs, Alice tragically died at age 29 from an accidental gunshot wound sustained in the back of her garage. Her funeral was held at Boroondara Cemetery. Her ‘Garage Girls’ served as pallbearers in uniform as a tribute to her legacy.

Alice’s ongoing legacy

Alice Anderson and her contributions have continued to be recognised in recent years: 

• 2019: Loretta Smith published a biography of Alice, titled A Spanner in the Works: The Extraordinary Story of Alice Anderson and Australia’s First All-Girl Garage.
• 2020: Alice was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women, in the Trailblazer category.
• 2023: Alice’s story inspired the theatrical production ‘Garage Girls’, a collaboration between The Shift Theatre and Three Birds Theatre.
• 2025: City of Boroondara endorses support for the Alice Anderson Memorial Project.
• 2025: AAMPA begin a community fundraising campaign to build a life-sized statue of Alice at Petrie Square.

Artwork location

The proposed location for the statue is Petrie Square, Kew. 

Status 

The library is closed until early 2027 while the upgrade takes place. You can visit our temporary library at Kew Court House.

About the project

We’re making much-needed upgrades to Kew Library. It will reopen in early 2027 once the upgrades are complete. 

To modernise the space and improve the experience for library visitors, we will be:

• replacing the roof and sewer
• upgrading to electric heating and cooling
• upgrading Radio Frequency Identification equipment, to enable bulk book returns
• upgrading the electrical switchboard
• upgrading lighting
• replacing the library shelving and carpet
• improving access to power points and Wi-Fi.

The Victorian Government’s Living Libraries Infrastructure Program has awarded a $550,000 grant for this upgrade.

Timeline

Public toilets

The public toilet inside the library will close during this time. The closest public toilets are:

• Kew Junction Cotham Road public toilet – 9 Cotham Road, Kew
• Walpole Street baby change and public toilet – 2A Walpole Street, Kew.

You can view these locations on our public toilet map.

Access to Alexandra Gardens

Alexandra Gardens will remain open during construction. The works will not affect the gardens, and fencing will be installed to protect nearby trees.

Access to Civic Drive

There will be no access to Civic Drive from Cotham Road. Access to Civic Drive from Charles Street will stay open.

Construction hours

Construction hours are Monday to Friday, 7 am to 5 pm. Occasionally there may be work on Saturdays between 9 am and 5 pm. We will keep weekend work to a minimum.

We expect minimal disruption to neighbouring properties throughout construction.

Temporary library at Kew Court House

To make sure you can keep using your local library, we’re opening a temporary site at Kew Court House.

The temporary library lets you continue to use library services during the upgrade. You can:

• browse a limited collection
• borrow items
• return items during, and after hours
• collect reservations
• take part in community programs.

We’re opening the temporary library before Kew Library closes, so services continue without interruption.

Visit the temporary library

Location: Kew Court House, 188 High Street, Kew.

Opening hours:

• Monday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm.
• Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm.

You can collect reservations starting from Monday 2 March at Kew Court House.

Kew Court House is a 7-minute walk from Kew Library.

Getting to Kew Court House

Parking is available:

• on High Street
• on Cotham Road
• next to the playground at Fenton Reserve.

The Route 48 tram stops outside Kew Court House on High Street. The Route 109 tram stops around the corner on Cotham Road.

Refreshing our book collection

When we reopen in 2027, you’ll find an up-to-date collection that reflects what our community enjoys most, with spaces created for programming, study and remote working.

More information

• To receive updates about this project and future consultation about the master plan, visit our Kew Library upgrade page and select the ‘+ Follow’ button.
• Contact us using our Ask a librarian form.
• You can visit our other libraries at Ashburton, Balwyn, Camberwell, Greythorn or Hawthorn and can continue to access a huge range of free online resources. Find more details at our Libraries page.