When Madeline Stuart was 17, her mum took her to a fashion parade where most of the models seemed to fit a tall, thin, predictable box.

Maddy was born with Down Syndrome, a condition that means she has an extra chromosome. And while she didn't look like the models she saw in magazines, fashionistas thought Maddy was beautiful.

They invited her onto the catwalks of New York, London, Paris — every corner of the globe.

Maddy always knew she could conquer the world — and now she's showing everyone else that they can too.

Narrated by actress and writer, Kate Mulvany.

Extra narration by Peggy Webber.

Madeline Stuart — the girl who conquered the modelling world

From skaters to singers, mountaineers to Mars mission-leaders. From the deep blue sea to the dark, black skies. Australia is full of girls who dare to do things differently. Adventurous girls. Girls with guts and spirit. Girls who stand-up and say, "watch out world, here I come!". Do you know what they are? They're FIERCE. These are their stories. Join the amazing Amy Shark, Julie Bishop, Yael Stone and more as they tell the inspiring tales of some of Australia's most extraordinary women.

Kids & Family

Stories for Kids

Chloe had always felt like a bit of an alien. She just didn't really get most other kids, and they didn't get her either. When she learned she was autistic, she started writing about the world through her eyes, and she found lots of fans who had similar brains. But when she took on a role never seen before on a teen TV show, she helped autistic people feel seen for who they really are.

Written and narrated by 14-year-old Eva Tigten-Knott.

Chloe Hayden – the girl who put autism in the spotlight

What would you do if your town was flooded? Newspaper boss Naomi Moran didn't just chase the story, she made headlines herself! She rallied together a workforce to keep her community sheltered and fed after some major floods. But this was nothing new for Naomi, she's been giving back her whole life.

Written and narrated by 10-year-old Anouk Hockings.

Naomi Moran – the girl who came through for her community in a crisis

Jade Hameister's thirst for adventure in the toughest environments was unquenchable — while other girls were playing with dolls, Jade was scaling mountains!

When she was 14, she dreamt of completing a Polar Hat Trick – a title won by skiing to the North Pole, South Pole, and across Greenland. No one her age had done it before, but Jade was not deterred. Even if she couldn't yet ski, she would find a way to make history.

Written and narrated by 12-year-old Amelia Phillips

Jade Hameister – the girl who skied to the top and bottom of the world

When her grandmother lost her life to diabetes, Allirra was determined not to let the same thing happen to her. She picked up her running shoes and hit the pavement. While she started running to get healthy, she quickly set her sights on the ultimate challenge — becoming the first Indigenous woman to finish all six of the World Marathon Majors.

Narrated by 14-year-old Maddie Dixon.

Allirra Jennings – the girl who ran in every major marathon

When Donna started working as a police officer, her station didn't even have women's toilets. Now, she runs the whole force!

How did one of the very few women in Tasmania Police end up leading the most gender-equal police force in Australia? Donna showed grit, compassion and strength in the face of the state's toughest tragedy, the Port Arthur Massacre.

Narrated by 10-year-old Olivia Lai.

Madeline Stuart — the girl who conquered the modelling world

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