Molly Mallett was a Palawa Elder who spent most of her life helping her community. She was a descendant of Manalargena, leader of the Cape Portland Indigenous people.
Mallett's childhood was spent at Porky Boat Harbour. She was educated up to the age of 14 at the Cape Barren Island School. When her family moved to Lady Barron on Flinders Island, she worked at a fish factory. Mallett's family stayed in Lady Barron for a year, before moving to Launceston. It was here she started working at the Coats Paton Woollen Mills.
In 1942, Mallett married and started a family. She had three sons, but extended her mothering to provide a home for wards of the State. Her caring nature did not stop there; Mallett sheltered children from her community and provided support to Indigenous people from Cape Barren Island who relocated to mainland Tasmania.
Mallett was heavily involved in education. She was a founding member and Chairperson of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Education Council. For six years Mallett participated on the National Aboriginal Education Council. In 1983, she established the Tasmanian Aboriginal Child Care Association, and coordinated its child care centre (when needed Mallett put her work pay back into the child care centre to help cover the running costs). She also spent two years on the RSL women's committee in her area.
In 1988, Mallett returned for a visit to Cape Barren Island for the first time since she was a teenager. Ten years later, she returned again to be Elder-in-residence. In 2000, the University of Tasmania presented her with an Honorary Doctorate of Letters. Then in 2002, Mallett's work within the Indigenous community was recognised, and she was made a Member of the Order of Australia. (Source: Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women website)
