History displayed on our currency - part II

@JudyEv (325345)
Rockingham, Australia
March 17, 2017 8:25am CST
Following a discussion I posted on our $50 note, I thought I'd write about the $20. It is part of the third series of Australian bank notes and came into being in 1992. The $20 note is red and features Mary Reibey on the obverse and Reverend John Flynn on the reverse. The window image is a compass. Mary Reibey (1777- 1855) was transported from England as a convict but later became a successful businesswoman in Sydney, having been sentenced to seven years' transportation for horse-stealing. She married at 17 and when her husband died in 1811, Mary took on the care of their seven children and the control of numerous business enterprises, building up a successful and substantial empire. Details on the note include a sailing ship and an early colonial building. The Reverend John Flynn OBE (1880-1951) was an Australian Presbyterian minister and is most famous for establishing the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). He was the first superintendent of the Australian Inland Mission, travelling thousands of miles by camel, horse and later car, visiting outlying and isolated stations. His vision was to spread a 'mantle of safety' over the outback. This was achieved when the pedal wireless was pioneered in 1929, allowing communication between stations and towns. The Flying Doctor was now only a radio call away. The pedal radio also allowed the establishment of the 'School of the Air' whereby children on stations received help with correspondence lessons. Some sixty-six planes are now used all over Australia, not just in the outback, to provide fast and expert help to anyone who needs it. Details on the note include the fabric biplane 'Victory' which flew the first Flying Doctor mission from Cloncurry, Qld on 17 May, 1928, the pedal radio which enabled the people of the outback to call on the Flying Doctor for assistance, and the Body Chart. The latter was created by Sister Lucy Garlick in 1951 and is still used today. It enables patients to describe the region and intensity of their pain or injury during a remote telehealth consultation. Also shown is a camel signifying the five camels Flynn purchased in 1913 so that his Patrol Padres could complete their mission work throughout central Australia. And that's probably enough for one discussion.
Because of the interest and comments on Australian currency recently I thought I'd write about each of our notes with some explanation of what is on each one. I...
13 people like this
12 responses
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
17 Mar 17
Mary Reibey was a convict so that makes her "Australian royalty." Can you boast "Australian royalty"?
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
Yes, I think I have a great grandfather or maybe great, great who was a horse-thief too. Vince's two grandmothers were sent out from England and Ireland as girls of good repute. They were expected to find husbands out here and start producing Australian citizens which they did. They came out on the same ship, became and remained friends and later the son of one married the daughter of another and became Vince's parents.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69416)
• Germany
17 Mar 17
Thanks for this detailed information. I knew about the 'School of the Air' and 'The Flying Doctors'. Many years ago I watched a TV programme featuring the Flying Doctors.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
It is a fascinating story. The RFDS now services all of Australia. We often hear the helicopter fly overhead if there has been a road accident in the area. They might land on the road and pick up injured people if there is a bad crash. .
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
17 Mar 17
and that's pretty cool, foreign money (to me anyways), is so cool!
1 person likes this
• Centralia, Missouri
19 Mar 17
@JudyEv ours is lame when it comes to color
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@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
Others have said it is colourful compared to their own.
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@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Mar 17
@Jessicalynnt I've always heard of them as 'greenbacks' so I guess your notes are green.
1 person likes this
• India
18 Mar 17
Lots of information indeed,but i don't find need of history being painted on note
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@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
I quite like the fact that they have put so many drawings on the note, all of which have something to do with the main image.
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@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
@abhinalstrikr Which city map would you use?
• India
18 Mar 17
@JudyEv I feel city map would better replace them
1 person likes this
@Ronrybs (17836)
• London, England
17 Mar 17
A bit lucky there horse stealing could get you hung!
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@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
@Ronrybs It must be true!!! Wikipedia said so!!!
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@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
Apparently she was dressed as a boy at the time.
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@Ronrybs (17836)
• London, England
18 Mar 17
@JudyEv A likely story!
1 person likes this
• Bangalore, India
18 Mar 17
Very nice post Judy. Came to know about new things.
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@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
It's interesting to read about things you've never heard of. And India is doing well in the 3rd Test aren't they?
@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
@ichchhe_mrityu I didn't think we'd lose the second match but we did so I don't think I am a very good judge.
• Bangalore, India
18 Mar 17
@JudyEv Yes.. even I never heard of currency which have two persons' face in two side. Today was better day for India. But still match is inclined to Aussies side. At least Australia will not lose the match. What do you think?
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
17 Mar 17
It is amusing that we handle banknotes every day and many people would have no idea if you asked them who was depicted on a certain denomination.
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@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
18 Mar 17
@JudyEv Yet we handle such things on a constant basis. Try asking people which way the Queen faces on a coin and many will struggle, despite seeing them every single day.
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@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
@Asylum It's understandable in a way isn't it?
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@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
I wouldn't know offhand if I were asked.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130067)
• India
18 Mar 17
I have never liked history. Depends on how it is presented I suppose. This presentation is great
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@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
It's only a tiny bit but I'm glad it wasn't too boring!
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@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
17 Mar 17
I have been watching Who Do You Think You Are Au. and I am learning so much about Australian history, here in the states we are taught nothing about it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
We learnt next to nothing about US history either. The one thing I remember is that California has a similar climate to our corner of WA.
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111948)
• United States
17 Mar 17
that is neat.I liked it.I wish they do something like this here.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
Others have said that our notes are colourful.
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
17 Mar 17
I think this is a great series. History is a great thing to remember and we handle money on a nearly daily basis....
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
I like the fact that there are other 'details' on the note - camel, Body Chart, etc.
@Kandae11 (53679)
17 Mar 17
Very interesting information - thank you for sharing.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325345)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Mar 17
I'm glad you found it interesting. :)