Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith
Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith was born in Brisbane on the 9th of February 1897. He graduated from Sydney Technical College as an Electrical Engineer at age 16. He enrolled in the Australian Military Forces in 1915 firstly serving in the Middle East then in 1917, in France as a fighter pilot where he was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in action. In 1929 Kingsford-Smith completed a round-the-world flight, and in 1934, he made the first west to east crossing of the Pacific.

Sir Charles lost his life at sea when flying the Lady Southern Cross from England to Australia. He took off from Allahabad on the way to Singapore on the 6th of November 1935, and disappeared over the Indian Ocean the next day.





Lawrence Hargrave
Lawrence Hargrave was born in Greenwich England on the 29thof January 1850. He came to Australia in 1872 and in 1878 he was appointed an assistant astronomical observer at Sydney Observatory. In 1884 and 1892 he experimented with monoplane models, and in 1889 he constructed a rotary airplane engine, driven by compressed air. In 1892 Hargrave discovered that a curved wing surface appeared to give a greater lift than a flat supporting surface.

He died on the 14th of July at Darlinghurst from peritonitis following an operation for appendicitis and was buried in Waverley cemetery.

Mary Reibey
Mary Reibey was born on the 12th of May 1777 in Bury, Lancashire, England. She was convicted of horse stealing at Stafford on 21 July 1790 and sentenced to be transported for seven years. When arrested she was dressed as a boy and went under the name of James Burrow, but at her trial her identity was disclosed. The episode resulted in her conviction as a felon at the age of 13 and transportation to New South Wales. She arrived in Sydney in the Royal Admiral in October 1792. Mary Reibey, persevering and enterprising in everything she undertook, became legendary in the colony as the successful businesswoman. She took an interest in the church, education and works of charity.

She died at Newtown on the 30th of May 1855





Reverend John Flynn
Reverend John Flynn was born on the 25th of November 1880 at Moliagul, Victoria. Despite many setbacks and considerable opposition, Flynn's vision became a reality. On 17 May 1928, Dr K St Vincent Welch with pilot Arthur Affleck at the controls of Victory, a De Havilland 50 aircraft leased from QANTAS, flew from Cloncurry to Julia Creek to answer the first call received by the AIM Aerial Medical Service. When in 1929, the first pedal wireless built by Alfred Traeger was installed in Queensland, Flynn's quest for the more adequate protection of isolated communities was fulfilled. The name was changed in 1942 to Flying Doctor Service of Australia, and the designation 'Royal' was added in 1955.

He died of cancer in Sydney on the 5th of May 1951.