Betty Churcher left school after grade 10, because her father did not think she needed a higher education. Between 1972 and 1975, Churcher was art critic for The Australian newspaper. She was the Dean of School of Art and Design and taught Art History at the progressive Phillip Institute of Technology (now RMIT University) between 1982 and 1990, and director of the Art Gallery of Western Australia from 1987 to 1990. She left after disagreements with Robert Holmes O Court about the gallery's acquisition of a Pierre Bonnard painting. She was then appointed director of the Australian National Gallery. She hosted several television shows in the 1990s and authored several books, including The Art of War about war artists and Notebooks.