10 Facts About Mum Shirl

Coleen Shirley Perry Smith AM MBE, better known as Mum Shirl, was a prominent Wiradjuri woman, social worker and humanitarian activist committed to justice and welfare of Aboriginal Australians.

Mum Shirl was a founding member of the Aboriginal Legal Service, the Aboriginal Medical Service, the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, the Aboriginal Children's Services, and the Aboriginal Housing Company in Redfern, a suburb of Sydney.

Mum Shirl was born as Coleen Shirley Perry Smith on the Erambie Mission, in Wiradjuri country near Cowra, New South Wales, in 1924 to Joseph and Isabell Perry Smith.

Mum Shirl did not attend a regular school because of her epilepsy and was taught by her grandfather and learned 16 different Aboriginal Languages.

Mum Shirl began to visit Aboriginal people in jail after one of her brothers was incarcerated and discovered that her visits benefited other prisoners.

Mum Shirl's nickname came from her habit of replying, "I'm his mum" whenever officials queried her relationship with the prisoners - the name by which she became widely known.

Mum Shirl spent considerable time and money finding homes for children whose parents could not look after them and helping displaced children to find their parents again.

Mum Shirl was an integral and committed part of the Catholic Church of St Vincent's Redfern with the prominent priest Father Ted Kennedy.

Mum Shirl was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1977 and the Order of Australia.

Mum Shirl was badly injured in a car crash after which she had a heart attack and was in the hospital for seven months.