They invited a number of women from the community, including former recipients of Australia Day Awards, and organised three of them into a panel to discuss pertinent issues.

Calling the event a 'pilot', said Deputy General Manager Michelle McFayden, hopefully meant people would be less inclined to be critical if it didn't go perfectly to plan.

Cr Jennie Fenton, Parks and Gardens staffer Mo Tunley and 2019 Citizen of the Year Michelle Stockton fielded questions about what the day meant to them, women they've found inspiring and what they'd like to change in society.

Mo said she'd like to see more women doing outdoor work if that's where their interest and skills lie, rather than it being so male dominated; Michelle spoke about better childcare and more paid paternity leave; while Jennie, chafing at being restricted to just one thing, went wide and said she'd like society as a whole to be less competitive and more cooperative.

The 25 or so women present at the event were also asked to write down what they could personally do in the next year to work towards gender equality (so that it doesn't take another 100 years to achieve), and to share the idea on a pledge wall.