Gabrielle Evans and Graham Kirby married in 1963, and moved to Darwin in 1964. Gabrielle worked as a primary school teacher and a guidance officer in bush schools as well as Darwin. In 1972 she was a founding member of the Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL) and contributed to many of their activities, such as education for girls and children's services. With Chris Silvester in 1976, Gabrielle was co-convenor of Darwin Community Creches Inc. which established quality cooperative, community-based child care in Darwin. Gabrielle also worked as a psychologist at the Harry Giese Early Intervention Centre and part-time lecturer at the Darwin Institute of Technology where she taught courses in teacher education and childcare.
Gabrielle and Graham had one daughter and three sons.,