Elizabeth Moulton Eggleston (6 November 1934 – 24 March 1976^[1]) was an Australian activist, author, lawyer and champion for Indigenous Australians.^[2][3] She was described as a "gentle and unassuming" woman.^{[4][editorializing]}

Eggleston was born in Armadale, Melbourne to Sir Richard Moulton Eggleston, a barrister and later judge who became chancellor of Monash University^[1] and Isabel Marjorie, a mathematics teacher.^[4]

Eggleston died in East Melbourne where her Indigenous Australian friends sang at her memorial service.^[1] She is buried in Brighton Cemetery.^[5]

Eggleston attended the Presbyterian Ladies' College and Tintern Church of England Girls' Grammar School.^[4]

In 1956, Eggleston graduated with an LL.B degree from the University of Melbourne with second-class honors (division B).^[2] In 1958 she graduated with an LL.M. degree from the University of California at Berkeley, and in 1964 she finished an arts degree at the University of Melbourne.^[2] In 1964 she became the first doctoral candidate in the faculty of law at Monash University, from which she obtained her Ph.D. in 1970; she wrote her thesis on Aborigines and the administration of justice.^[2]

During her studies, Eggleston was an active member of the Australian Student Christian Movement, Students' Representative Council, legal-aid volunteer and worked for the legal journal, Res Judicatae.^[1]

In 1969, Eggleston became a lecturer in the faculty of law at Monash University, and after two years she was promoted to senior lecturer.^[2] After 1971 she also served as part-time director of Monash's Centre for Research into Aboriginal Affairs.^[2] During her time as director, she established a course titled, Black Australian Studies and provided resources to Aboriginal groups.^[4]

In 1972, she became a founder of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service.^[2] In founding the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, Eggleston conducted discussions with Aborigines in Pentridge prison and advised Aboriginal communities.^[4] She also pursued discrimination and made submissions to government inquiries.^[4] Eggleston was actively involved in trying to address Aboriginal land rights and cultural heritage.^[4]

In 1972-1973, she had study leave in North America where she did research into Indian communities.^[2] Her visit to the Navajo Indian country inspired her to write her thesis on Aboriginals and the administration of justice.^[4] This led to her conducting research in Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia.^[4]

The Elizabeth Eggleston Memorial Collection is located in the Koorie Research Unit of the Monash Indigenous Studies Centre.^[6] The collection was named after Eggleston due to her role as a former director of the then Centre for Research into Aboriginal Studies and her renown as the premiere expert of Aborigines and the law.^[6]

Eggleston donated her collection of books, papers and various materials to the Centre.^[6] The collection currently holds over 5000 materials relating to Aboriginal affairs.^[6] The library is currently accessible at the Monash Clayton campus, Menzies Building 11.^[6]

In 1973, she co-authored Cases and Materials on Industrial Law in Australia.^[2]

Two months before she died, her book Fear, Favour or Affection was published, in 1976; it was based on her doctoral thesis.^[2] Reviewers praised it for bringing to light systemic discrimination against Aborigines in the administering of criminal justice.^[2]

• Aborigines and the Law: Essays in Memory of Elizabeth Eggleston by Peter Hanks (author and editor), and Bryan Keon-Cohen (editor), published in 1984 by Allen & Unwin.