• Entry type: Person
  • Entry ID: AWE1391

Cammack, Eileen

(1914 – 2000)
  • Nationality Australian
  • Born 3 May, 1914, Sydney New South Wales Australia
  • Died 8 May, 2000, Penrith New South Wales Australia
  • Occupation Government medical officer, Pathologist

Summary

Eileen Cammack was an outstanding citizen, active in local government, health and community organisations. She was a Liberal Party candidate in the Penrith elections of 1973 and 1976, and was appointed Alderman to the Penrith City Council in 1972 (to 1991) and Mayor from 1975 to 1978.

Details

Eileen Cammack was born in Sydney, the daughter of Reginald and Mary Scott-Young. She was educated at Monte Sant’Angelo College, North Sydney and the University of Sydney, from which she graduated in Science (BSc, 1936) and in Medicine (BS, MB,1940). She was a resident medical officer and senior resident medical officer at St George Hospital 1940-41, and was a Captain, in the Australian Army Medical Corps (AIF) 1941-46. She married Dr, William Cammack in 1944 and they had two sons and a daughter.

Eileen Cammack established the first pathology service in Penrith and the first pathology laboratory at Nepean District Hospital in 1948. She was honorary pathologist at Nepean Hospital from 1948 and was Government Medical officer for the Nepean District from 1961. She was elected to the Penrith City Council in 1972 and became the first woman Mayor of Penrith for three terms, 1975-78.

She was the patron of many local organisations, including the Nepean Historical Society, the Girl Guides Association, and the St Marys and Penrith Associations. She was commodore of the Nepean Canoe Club, foundation president of the Business and Professional Women’s Club, Penrith and president (1981) and life member of the Penrith and District Chamber of Commerce.
She was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Silver Medal in 1977, made an OBE. 1978 and made a Paul Harris Fellow (Rotary’s highest award) in 1980. The Eileen Cammack Sports Fields, Penrith, are named in her honour.

Read

Published resources

  • Site Exhibition
  • Book
    • Women in Australian Parliaments and Local Governments, Past and Present : A Survey, Smith, A. Viola, 1975
    • Women in Australian Parliament and Local Government: An updated history 1975-1992, Decker, Dianne, 1992
  • Edited Book
    • Who's Who of Australian Women, Lofthouse, Andrea, 1982
  • Resource

Related entries


  • Related Concepts
    • Women in Politics: Liberal Party of Australia