Salt of the Earth Trivia Quiz

Answer: Victor Chang

Dr Victor Chang was a pioneer in heart transplant surgery and the development of an artificial heart valve. He was instrumental in setting up the National Heart Transplant Programme in Australia. he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1986, and after his death in 1991 The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institutes was established in 1993.

The murder of Dr Chang was one that shocked Australia especially when it was revealed it was an extortion attempt.

Answer: Ernest Dunlop

Ernest Dunlop was generally known as "Weary", a nickname gained when studying medicine at the Ormond College. Weary Dunlop served during WWII in the Middle East, Greece, Crete and Malaysia. Captured by the Japanese Weary was first taken to Singapore and then to Thailand to work on the Burma-Thailand Railway. Weary worked tirelessly, assisting and caring for the other prisoners with medical issues, injuries and malnutrition.

After the war, Weary continued to work with ex-prisoners both medically and socially.

Answer: Neville Bonner

Neville Bonner was appointed as a 'fill in' to the Queensland Parliament to represent the State in the Senate. Afterwards Bonner was elected by popular vote to Parliament, serving from 1971 to 1983. Bonner was named Australian of the Year in 1979 and received The Order of Australia in 1984.

Australian of the Year Award is an award that has changed over the years and has a Selection Committee. Nominations can come from any Australian individual and the Committee then chooses who they consider meets the criteria the most.

The criteria are:

Demonstrated excellence in their field;
Significant contribution to the Australian community and nation; and
An inspirational role model for the Australian community.

Answer: Alan Marshall

Alan Marshall was an Australian writer who wrote "I can Jump Puddles", the first of an autobiograpical trilogy. Marshall contracted polio when he was six years old and "I can jump puddles" is about his early childhood in Noorat, Victoria, Australia. Marshall was awarded Australian Literature Society Short Story Award on three occasions.

Answer: Caroline Chisholm

Caroline Chisholm married Archibald Chisholm, a member of the East Indian Company Army. Caroline travelled with him to India and then in 1838 to Australia. Whilst in Sydney, Caroline became aware of the plight of immigrants, especially females coming to the country with nothing and no prospects. Caroline set up accommodation centres and sought to find employment for the immigrants. Caroline was greatly admired and has been given many accolades: colleges, a suburb and a federal electoral district were named for her, and she has been commemorated on coins and banknotes.

She is commemorated as a saint by the Anglican Church.

Answer: Associated Country Women of the World

Raigh Roe is an Australian farmer in Western Australia. Raigh was a member of the Country Women's Association, then branch and State president, and finally national president. Raigh was interested in the welfare of rural women and became president of the Associated Country Women of the World. Raigh has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire and was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire and named Australian of the Year in 1977.

Answer: Kay Cottee

Australian Kay Cottee took 189 days to sail single-handed, non-stop and by unassisted circumnavigation around the world. Arriving in Sydney on 5th June 1988 on her yacht Blackmore's First Lady she was greeted by tens of thousands cheering her on. The voyage was not without incidents including rough seas and being washed overboard. Cottee received the Australian of the Year Award in 1988, was made an Officer of the Order of Australia, and became the first Australian recipient of the Cutty Sark Medal presented by the Duke of Edinburgh.

Answer: Albert Namatjira

Because of Namatjira's success as an artist he became the first to be granted Australian citizenship, which allowed him to vote, own property and buy alcohol. Also Namatjira was the first Aboriginal to win the Archibald Prize.
In 1953 Namatjira also won the Queen's Coronation Medal. Interestingly, Namatjira did not paint in the traditional Aboriginal style but made haunting desert and outback Australian scenes in a western way but still very distinctive in his work. In the 1950s almost every house had a Namatjira print on its wall.

Answer: Lionel Rose

Lionel Rose won the Australian Bantamweight Title in 1966, which he defended in 1967, went on to beat Fighting Harada, a match fought in Japan. In 1968 Rose made history by beating Harada and becoming the World Bantamweight Champion. He achieved another historic first when in the same year he became the first Aboriginal to be named Australian of the Year.

Answer: Sara Henderson

Sara Henderson's husband died in 1985, leaving her with a large cattle ranch in the Northern Territory to run. Sara not only succeeded in a man's world, she conquered it, making her property Bullo River Cattle Station a success. After writing a number of books, in 1991 Sara wrote her autobiography "Strength to Strength". Sara became a spokesperson for "Breast Screen Australia" but ironically she died in 2005 of breast cancer.