Gollan is one of nine athletes to feature in a Women in Sport photographic display on the walls of Maitland Library, coinciding with Australia hosting the tournament.

Gollan hopes the World Cup and the success of the Matildas can ignite further discussion on gender equality in women's sport.

"I still think we have a long way to go, the same way that we've got a long way to go in basically every aspect of our social world to get gender equality," she said.

The Merewether High School teacher and former Olympian grew up in Maitland. She survived for 10 years on part-time work and an AIS stipend to chase her cycling dream.

"It's a big sacrifice that you make as an athlete too but it's also a really selfish personal sacrifice as well," she said.

"As I get older I get kind of more philosophical about it - I don't ever want to be woe is me but there is a big gap between the men and the women and particularly in sports like cycling.

"They are making headway but there is still a long way to go."

Gollan said she was able to earn a modest income from cycling but said training full time for an Olympic sport can be financially crippling.

"I've got this great story of a kid asking me (after) finding out that I went to the Olympics and then putting up his hand and saying - well miss, what are you doing here?" she said.

"That once you've been to the Olympics and you've been on TV that obviously your life is set.

"You've got some miraculous pot of gold somewhere that's going to sustain you for the rest of your life."

The display has been curated by Maitland City Council as part of their Walls That Talk program and features champion athletes who have strong ties to Maitland.

Alongside Gollan, there's running trailblazer Melinda Thompson, touch footballer Gai Taylor, Wallaroos representative Mollie Gray, Matilda Alison Forman, swimmer Kelly Driffield and Paralympic gold medalist Maddie Elliot.

They are featured with current athletes Brodie Benson, a Paralympian in Goalball who is preparing for the upcoming World Games in Birmingham and racing driver Caitlan Wood, who became the first Australian woman to not only race but win her class at the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany.

"We are excited to share the sporting successes of these Maitland women to the community," Kara Stonestreet from Maitland City Council said.

"Increasing visibility of women athletes is one way we can celebrate, empower, and champion our female athletes."

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