In 1898, Ethel Mary Vaughan Cowan became the first female doctor at Melbourne’s children’s hospital, blazing a trail for many who came after her.
In 2024, she was honoured through the naming of Cowan Lane in Carlton, a short walk from the site of the hospital. Cowan’s legacy was just one of those recognised in 31 new place names that commemorated women in Victoria last year, with 23 place names commemorating men.