An island trail blazer

Ruby Gates is the first and only indigenous woman to serve as Phillip Island’s first lady.

Her husband Stan Gates served six terms as Phillip Island Shire president in the 1980’s, with Ruby at his side, serving her local community for many years with the great poise and dignity she was so well known for.

She also represented Stan at many civic functions, when he was unable to attend due to other commitments.

Sadly, Ruby, who was born in Orbost and educated in Korumburra, passed away in 2009.

Ruby first met her husband to be Stan, whilst she was working for the Gates family business at St Teresa’s, in Osbourne Road, Cowes.

It was a home that provided care for the aged and infirm. Prior to that, it had operated as a guesthouse, named Bonnie Doon guesthouse.

After the couple married in 1968, they decided to rebuild the St Teresa’s home and transform it into a Motel/Restaurant.

The Tropicana, as it was called, is still in operation today.

Three children, Michael (1968) Chris (1970) and Shari (1976) came along.

As well as running the Tropicana, Stan was elected to the Phillip Island Council, which was a consuming role in the community.

Ruby was at his side as a councillor’s wife, and later shire president’s spouse, fulfilling the many community duties that this position entailed.

Whilst raising a family, and carrying out local government duties, Ruby also trained at the Wonthaggi Hospital to became a Division Two nurse.

Once through, she worked for many years at Wonthaggi Hopital, and later Warley Hospital.

A keen sportswoman, she also managed to find time to play tennis with the Phillip Island Tennis Club, and she also enjoyed a round of golf.

Living opposite the course in Ellen Road helped her to find the time.

Stan was elected shire president in 1984, and as the first and only indigenous first lady for Phillip Island, Ruby shone in this role.

She attended official functions regularly as hostess for Stan, and was a friendly but dignified ambassador for the Shire of Phillip Island.

She was immaculately dressed, with a keen sense of fashion, and as her friend Sue Chadwick noted this week “always looked beautiful, and never a hair out of place.”

Although terribly busy, the family during these years managed brief holidays to Queensland, and later the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

In about 1993, Ruby moved to Melbourne, to study at Monash University’s Clayton campus, to upgrade her educational qualifications to enable her to do a course at Lismore’s Southern Cross University.

She qualified with distinction, gaining an Associate Degree of Health Science (Aboriginal Health and Community Development)

Sadly, Ruby passed away at far too young an age, back here, on the island which she loved.

She is remembered as the first person to raise the aboriginal flag on Phillip Island in an official capacity, during a special week (now known as Naidoc Week) of indigenous celebrations.

This occurred in 1994.

As we look back over 150 years of Phillip Island history, Ruby Gates is remembered with admiration and respect, as a trail blazer on Phillip Island.