Mathews was a concert pianist, piano teacher and braille transcriber. She had a diploma of music. From 1964 to 1968 she undertook field research for the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies (now the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies), recording languages and music. Her research was concentrated in the area between Sydney and the Victorian border, mostly among the indigenous people of the South Coast. In 1968 Mathews went further afield to north-western New South Wales which led to a four year collaboration with Jimmie Barker, a local Indigenous person.