Brisbane was a rapidly growing town when these women settled there in the early 1860s, but it lacked most of the services and amenities that they were used to. Despite this,  their focus was not to improve their own lives, but those of the women and children who were sick, homeless and had no income, or lacked educational opportunities. Many woemen were exploited by men who preyed on the vulnerable, in a settlement where few people had the protection of family connections. Ellen Whitty’s letters, Eliza O’Connell’s diaries and Lady Bowen’s speeches preserve something of the voices and personalities of these women, as do other people’s memories. Together with other women, they faced indifference, ignorance and self-promotion from many of those in authority but they used their skills and connections, often working together to gradually make Brisbane a better place to live.