Harry HawkerPrint Page

The plaque commemorates aviator Harry Hawker, a former student of the school who was born at Moorabbin. 

Hawker went to England to perfect his flying skills. After two years in England, Harry felt the need to return to his native Australia and the Parish of Moorabbin where he had planned to make his first flight in his own country and set himself up in business in Victoria.

After a civic reception came the long awaited flight over Melbourne’s suburbs, the first of which began from a paddock in New Street, Brighton, as a solo test flight, but eventually took in an aerial display over the whole of the Parish of Moorabbin, which included the City of Brighton and the Shire of Moorabbin.

On July 12, 1921, the tragedy that shocked an empire came suddenly when a Nieuport ‘Goshawk’ in which Hawker was flying caught fire in the air. Although badly burnt he managed to extinguish the fire and was attempting a forced landing when the aeroplane hit the ground and threw him clear of the machine; but with the burns and possibly because of the added injuries he received in impact. Hawker lived for only a few minutes.

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