About Us  |  Volunteers  |  State History Conference  |   SA History  |  Duryea Panorama  |  SA History Week  | 
History Matters Magazine  |  Photographic Collection

> Adelaide A Brief History
> Significant Events
> South Australian Facts
> South Australian Firsts
> South Australian Memorials
v South Australian Prominent People
   > A to Z list
   > Category List
   > Region List
> South Australian Regions
> South Australian Sports Bibliography

 

David Unaipon

Preacher, Inventor, Musician & Writer

No publication of this image in any form permitted without
permission: contact the Mortlock Library of South Australiana
Image Number B7326

David Unaipon was born on 28 September 1872 at Raukkan (Point McLeay) Mission in the Tailem Bend area, South Australia. He attended the mission school from the age of seven. In 1885 Unaipon moved to Adelaide to live with the family of C.B. Young who encouraged his interest in literature, philosophy, science and playing music. Returning to Raukkan five years later, Unaipon became apprenticed as bootmaker; he was also appointed the mission organist.

Unaipon continued to read books and journals sent to the mission, especially the scientific works, and began to study mechanics and to conduct experiments in perpetual motion, ballistics, and polarised light. Many of his ideas were years ahead of his time, and he was dubbed "Australia's Leonardo". By 1909 he had developed and patented a modified handpiece for shearing; between 1909 and 1944 Unaipon made patent applications for nine other inventions, including a centrifugal motor and a mechanical propulsion device.

In 1913 Unaipon became a subscription collector for the Aborigines' Friends' Association, a position that required travel throughout Victoria and South Australia. He combined this work with public lectures on Aboriginal legends, customs and current social conditions, urging equal rights for all Australians. His activities influenced government Aboriginal policy; he became well-known throughout Australia, and was accepted as his people's spokesman. In 1953 he was awarded a Coronation medal.

During the 1920s Unaipon compiled his version of Aboriginal legends, the first of which were published by the Aborigines' Friends' Association 1927-1929. His poetry, and other legends were published later, as well as his autobiography "My life story" in 1951.

The last years of his life were spent at Raukkan Mission, where he worked on his inventions, convinced he was close to discovering the secret of perpetual motion.

A national David Unaipon award for Aboriginal writers was instituted in 1988, and his image is on one side of the $50 note issued in 1995.

Unaipon married Catherine Carter on 4 January 1902; they had one son.

David Unaipon died on 7 February 1967.



Image and content courtesy of
the State Library of South Australia