Fierce Girls

When Kath Ruska's dad told her white people would never recognise Aboriginal culture, she hoped he was wrong. She became a famous poet, using her pen as a weapon to fight for Indigenous rights. Her words took her all the way to Parliament House, where she demanded the Prime Minister do more to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. But she still had an English name, so she changed it to Aboriginal language -Oodgeroo, meaning paper bark, and Noonuccal, the name of her tribe. Oodgeroo moved back to her island home — Minjerribah — and figured out the best way to make sure her culture was always remembered: she taught it to children, black and white. Narrated by Gamilaroi and Dunghutti writer and podcast maker, Marlee Silva. Extra narration by Peggy Webber.

Whack! Ash Barty was four years old when she hit a powerful shot at the head of her tennis coach. He said she wasn’t old enough to play but he saw how determined she was. Since then, she’s whacked millions of tennis balls and travelled away from home for months at a time to practice and play. Until, finally, she became the number one female tennis player in the whole world.Written and narrated by 11-year-old Ciara Whitehouse.

When a woman has a baby, sometimes things can go wrong. When you are in a poor country, those things often don't get fixed. Dr Catherine Hamlin saw these women needed help and decided to do something about it. She devoted her life to working in the poorest villages in Ethiopia saving thousands of women's lives. She did it all with kindness and determination.Written and narrated by eight-year-old Eliza Naftzger.

You know those girls who are great at sport? That was Nova. She practised hockey endlessly in her backyard until one day she became the first Indigenous woman to win an Olympic gold medal but she wasn't finished. She went on to win a gold medal in sprinting, and then took her courage and energy into politics, becoming Australia's first Indigenous woman to be elected to Federal Parliament.Written and narrated by 10-year-old Sibella Collins.

Dorothea loved to write. So much, that she would write stories and poems in her own secret code. She had a passion for the beauty of the Australian landscape, and her poetry was so good that people all over the world read it. Dorothea wrote one of Australia's most famous poems — My Country. Written and narrated by nine-year-old Amalia MacKellar.

Have you ever stood on a 10m diving board and peered down? It's a long way. Rhiannan Iffland, world champion cliff diver, leaps off at least double that! That's taller than a telephone pole and as big as a Brachiosaurus. But it's not easy. She had to conquer her fears to become the best. Written and narrated by 10-year-old Evie Bond.

Asthma stopped Adelaide Miethke from playing outside with other kids. She felt alone and trapped. So when she grew up and became a teacher, she had an idea. Adelaide realised that outback kids were isolated just like she was. She invented the School of the Air to teach kids from the bush using a two-way radio! Then she fought boldly for female teachers to get the same pay as male teachers. Written and narrated by nine-year-old Ellua Boyd.

We asked you to send us stories of your Fierce Girls, and a mountain of magnificent stories hit our inbox! So this International Day of the Girl Child, October 11, you’ll hear six inspiring stories written by Fierce listeners just like you.

Would you like to be part of Fierce Girls? Well...get writing!We're running a competition for our Fierce listeners and we're on the hunt for amazing stories about Australian Fierce Girls!

Bindi was only eight-years-old when she said goodbye to her hero, her dad — Steve Irwin. She did it in front of millions of people all over the world who were watching his funeral. Even though it was the saddest time of her life, Bindi decided that she would carry on her dad’s dream. To "save one, save the species" and help all the animals of the world. Narrated by Australia’s first female Governor-General, Dame Quentin Bryce.