Copyright © 1996 by Brian Hoover ( brian AT hoover DOT net) - All Rights Reserved

Governors-General of Australia

Governors-General are the senior representative of the monarch in Australia and other Commonwealth countries. The early Governors-General were chosen by the crown on the advice of the British Parliament. Since 1926 the have been selected on the recommendations of each of the national governments.

• 1901-1903 Earl of Hopetoun (John Adrian Louis Hope)
• 1902-1903 Lord Tennyson (Hallam Tennyson) (Acting)
• 1903-1904 Lord Tennyson (Hallam Tennyson) (Acting)
• 1904-1908 Lord Northcote (Henry Stafford Northcote)
• 1908-1911 Earl of Dudley (William Humble Ward)
• 1911-1914 Lord Denman (Thomas Denman)
• 1914-1920 The Rt Hon. Sir Ronald Craufurd Munro-Ferguson
• 1920-1925 Lord Forster (Henry William Forster)
• 1925-1930 Lord Stonehaven (Sir John Lawrence Bard)
• 1930-1931 Lord Somers (Arthur Herbert Tennyson Somers Cocks)
• 1931-1936 The Rt. Hon. Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs
• 1936-1945 Lord Gowrie (Brigadier-General Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-Ruthven)
• 1945-1947 His Royal Highness Prince Henry William Frederick Albert, Duke of Gloucester, Earl of Ulster and Baron Culloden
• 1947-1953 Sir William John McKell
• 1953-1960 Field Marshal Sir William Joseph Slim
• 1960-1961 Viscount Dunrossil (William Shepherd Morrison)
• 1961-1965 Viscount De L'Isle (William Phillip Sidney)
• 1965-1969 Lord Casey (Richard Gardiner Casey)
• 1969-1974 The Rt Hon. Sir Paul Meernaa Caedwalla Hasluck
• 1974-1977 The Rt Hon Sir John Robert Kerr
• 1977-1982 The Rt Hon. Sir Zelman Cowen
• 1982- The Rt Hon. Sir Ninian Martin Stephen

Prime Ministers of Australia

Federation was the union of the six separate colonies of Australia into one nation. The Commonwealth of Australia, created by that Federation, came into being on January 1 1901. On this date the first Australian Parliament was opened by the Duke of York (who later became King George V) in Melbourne's Exhibition Buildings.

Prime Ministers are the head of Government in Australian Parliament. They preside over a cabinet and are the chief spokesman for government policies in Parliament and in the media.

• 1901-1903 Barton, Sir Edmund
• 1093-1904 Deakin, Alfred
• 1904-1904 Watson, John Christian
• 1904-1905 Reid, G. H.
• 1905-1908 Deakin, Alfred
• 1908-1909 Fisher, Andrew
• 1909-1910 Deakin, Alfred
• 1910-1913 Fisher, Andrew
• 1913-1914 Cook, Joseph
• 1914-1915 Fisher, Andrew
• 1915-1923 Hughes, William Morris
• 1923-1929 Bruce, Stanley Melbourne
• 1929-1932 Scullin, J. H.
• 1932-1939 Lyons, J. A.
• 1939-1939 Page, Sir Earl
• 1939-1941 Menzies, Robert Gordon
• 1941-1941 Fadden, Arthur
• 1941-1945 Curtin, John J.
• 1945-1945 Forde, Francis M.
• 1945-1949 Chifley, Joseph B.
• 1949-1966 Menzies, Sir Robert Gordon
• 1966-1967 Holt, Harold E.
• 1967-1968 McEwan, John
• 1968-1971 Gorton, John G.
• 1971-1972 McMahon, William
• 1972-1975 Whitlam, E. Gough
• 1975-1983 Fraser, J. Malcolm
• 1983-1991 Hawke, Robert
• 1991-1996 Keating, Paul
• 1996- Howard, John

Aboriginals:

• Bennelong (?-1813) First Aboriginal to live amongst the settlers at Port Jackson. Also, along with Yemmerrawannie, one of the first Aboriginals to travel to England, introduced to King George III.
• Blair, Harold (1924-) World renowned opera singer.
• Bonner, Neville Thomas (1918-) First Aboriginal to be elected to Australian Parliament.
• Namatjira, Albert (1902-1959) Water colour landscape artist.
• Nichols, Sir Douglas Ralph (1906-?): First Aboriginal to be knighted, for his work towards the advancement of Aboriginals.
• Truganini (1803-1876) Last Tasmanian Aboriginal.
• Waller, Kath: Poet, essayist, conservationist, rights campaigner.

Aviators:

• Ansett, Sir Reginald Myles (1909-): One of the founders of commercial airlines in Australia.
• Bird, Nancy (1915-) Australian pilot won many local and international air races. Founder and first president of the Australian Women Pilots' Association.
• Brearley, Sir Norman (1890-) Pioneer of commercial aviation in Australia, founded 'West Australian Airways Ltd'.
• Duigan, John (1882-1951) Made the first engine-powered flight in the first Australian-built plane in 1910.
• Flynn, John (1880-1951) Founded the Flying Doctor Service in 1928.
• Fysh, Sir Wilmot Hudson (1895-1974) Pioneer of Australian aviation, cofounder of Qantas.
• Hargrave, Lawrence (1850-1915) Pioneer of aviation in Australia, used kites and powered models to study the principles of motion and flight.
• Hart, William (1885-1943) Pioneer of aviation in Australia, in 1911 became the first Australian to qualify as a pilot.
• Hawker, Harry George (1889-1921) Australian aviator, founded the H. G. Hawker Engineering Group in England. Set aviation records for speed, altitude and endurance.
• Hinkler, Herbert John Louis (1892-1933) First man to fly solo from Britain to Australia.
• Houdini, Harry (1874-1926) American escapologist, made the first powered flight in Australia in 1910.
• Johnson, Amy (1903-1941) In 1930, became first woman to fly solo from London to Australia. Nicknamed the 'Queen of the Air'.
• Kingsford Smith, Sir Charles Edward (1897-1935) Pioneered long distance aviation. Established intercontinental air routes linking Australia with Europe and the USA.
• Ulm, Charles Thomas Phillipe Smith, Sir Keith MacPherson and Sir Ross MacPherson: The Smith brothers became, in 1919, the first men to fly from Britain to Australia. Knighted for their achievement.
• Wackett, Sir Lawrence James: Aircraft designer

Soldiers:

• Bennett, Henry Gordon (1887-1962) Australian citizen-soldier served in both world wars and became lieutenant-general. Known as the 'Leader of the Diggers'.
• Birdwood, William Riddell (1865-1951) British officer who commanded the ANZAC forces at Gallipoli.
• Blamey, Sir Thomas Albert (1884-1951) One of Australia's most successful military leaders, in 1950 became the first Australian to be promoted to field-marshal.
• Caldwell, Clive (1910-) Leading RAAF pilot of World War II. Duntroon - Name generally used for the Royal Military College, founded in 1911.
• Hotham, Sir Charles (1806-1855) British naval officier, later governor of Victoria.
• Monash, Sir John (1865-1931, Australian commander of the AIF at Gallipoli in WW1)
• Morant, Henry Harbord "Breaker" (1865-1902): Bushman and balladist, was court-marshalled and executed by the British Army under extraordinary circumstances during the Boer War in South Africa.
• Paterson, William (1755-1810): Soldier and botanist, commander of the New South Wales Corps.

Explorers:

• Angas, George Fife (1789-1879) Pioneer of the BAROSSA VALLEY, now a large wine producing area in South Australia.
• Banks, Sir Joseph (1743-1820): English botanist, sailed with Lieutenant James Cook on board the Endevour in 1768.
• Bass, George (1771-1803?): Explorer and navigator, explored Botany Bay and the Georges River, circumnavigated Van Diemans Land.
• Baudin, Nicolas (1754-1803) French naval officer who charted the west coasts of Australia and Tasmania.
• Blaxland, Gregory (1778-1853) Settler and explorer who, with William Wentworth and William Lawson, made the first crossing of the Blue Mountains.
• Buckley, William (1780-1856) English soldier, transported to Australia as a convict. Escaped Port Phillip and lived with Aboriginals for 32 years, later becoming interpreter between the Aboriginals and settlers.
• Burke and Wills: William John Wills (1834-1861) and Robert O'Hara Burke (1821-1861) First men to cross Australia from north to south.
• Caley, George (1770-1829) One of the first botanists and explorers in Australia.
• Carstenz, Jan (?-1632) Dutch navigator who charted the west coast of Cape York Peninsula.
• Chisholm, Caroline (1808-1877) Relief worker for early settlers.
• Cook, James (1728-1779) Navigator, one of the most adventurous seamen of all time. First commander known to have seen the east coast of Australia.