David Unaipon (1872 – 1967) preacher, author and inventor
David Unaipon was born in 1872, at Point McLeay on a South Australian Christian Mission, and trained to be an Aboriginal Christian Preacher.
David Unaipon – the Christian
David Unaipon, preacher, author and inventor, was born on 28 September 1872 at the Point McLeay Mission, South Australia, fourth of nine children of James Ngunaitponi, evangelist, and his wife Nymbulda, both Yaraldi speakers from the lower Murray River region. James was the Congregational mission’s first Aboriginal convert. David attended the mission school from the age of 7.
http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120339b.htm
David Unaipon – the inventor
David Unaipon was born in 1872, at Point McLeay on a South Australian Christian Mission, and trained to be an Aboriginal Christian Preacher. Soon he was acting as a spokesman for the Indigenous community and by the early 1900’s was famous. He won nationwide respect and his articles about Aboriginal Myths and Legends were published in newspapers and Christian magazines, a first for an Aborigine. In 1909 Unaipon invented an improved mechanical hand piece for shearing sheep by changing the motion of the blades from circular to straight. While he obtained a patent for his new shears he was never properly protected and it was others who gained financially from his invention. That didn’t stop Unaipon. Interested in aerodynamics he conducted experiments involving the flight of boomerangs and then predicted the invention of Helicopter flight. He was called Australia’s Leonardo and came up with ideas for a centrifugal motor and a multi-radial wheel idea.
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/txt/s1501003.htm
also refer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Unaipon
David Unaipon’s father, James Unaipon
James Unaipon has been described as, ‘a steady Christian . . . a nucleus around which those who were impressed by divine truth would rally’
http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/AS10470b.htm
http://atributetoaustralianchristians.wordpress.com/2011/05/10/james-unaipon
David Unaipon – the Australian $50 note
http://www.rba.gov.au/banknotes/types/fifty-dollar.html
and
http://www.rba.gov.au/banknotes/types/bio-unaipon.html
The other side of the $50 note – Edith Cowan
http://atributetoaustralianchristians.wordpress.com/2010/10/28/edith-cowan
More information on George Taplin, the Point McLeay Mission and the church featured on Australia’s $50 note http://atributetoaustralianchristians.wordpress.com/2010/10/28/george-taplin/
Influential Australian Christians depicted on Australian notes and coins
http://atributetoaustralianchristians.wordpress.com/2011/04/10/influential-australian-christians-depicted-on-australian-notes-and-coins/
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