Which Famous Lane Cove Resident Should Have a Blue Plaque?

Billy Hughes – Prime Minister

Hughes Park is named after Billy Hughes, Australia’s wartime Prime Minister. Billy Hughes lived in Lane Cove at 6 Richardson Street East. Billy Hughes is also famous for holding the record as the longest-serving Federal Member of Parliament.  He was the member for North Sydney and served for 51 years in federal parliament.

Gladwys (Claudia) Leach – Community Worker

Lloyd Rees – Painter

If you’ve ever driven along Cliff Road Northwood and seen a house that looks like it should be located on the Riviera – you are correct.  Read more here.

Famous Australian and former Northwood Resident Lloyd Rees built this home in 1934 as a tribute to his love of the Riviera.

Lloyd Rees and his wife Marjory lived in their Northwood home until 1986. In 1986 Lloyd Rees moved to Tasmania to be with family. Lloyd passed away in 1988 and left the house to his son Alan.

Guy Warren – Painter

Guy Warren won the 1985 Archibald Prize with a portrait of artist Bert Flugelman, which is included in the Archie 100: A Century of the Archibald Prize exhibition at the Art Gallery. This is the seventh time he has been an Archibald subject, including a self-portrait in 1996. Guy Warren started his working life at The Bulletin magazine, founded by JF Archibald, whose bequest established the Archibald Award in 1921.  Read more here.

Brett Whiteley- Artist

Brett Whiteley grew up in Longueville.

Charles Kingsford Smith – Aviator

In 1928, local World War I aviator Charles Kingsford Smith and his navigator Charles Ulm made the first trans-Pacific flight from the United States to Australia in their plane, the Southern Cross. Charles’ parents had resided in Arabella Street Longueville from about 1907, and Charles, born in Brisbane in 1897, spent his boyhood in the Lane Cove area. On 23 June 1928, Lane Cove Council and the citizens held a Civic Reception at the Lane Cove Picture Theatre for Kingsford Smith. He was presented with an illuminated address from the Municipality. An afternoon welcome home followed at Longueville Oval, which included an aerial display by the New South Wales Aero Club members.

Smokey Dawson – Singer

While Smokey Dawson presented a radio show on 2NSB and lived in Lane Cove, New South Wales, Herbert Henry “Smoky” Dawson died on 13 February 2008 after a short illness, aged 94. His wife, Florence “Dot” Dawson, an elocutionist, radio actress and presenter,  died on 27 October 2010 at 104 years of age. In a 2005 interview Dawson indicated how he would like to be remembered, “Ah well, just as Herb. Just as one who’s tried his best, he’s carried out, lover of his country and always thought about the good things in life. Being honest and true to yourself, the main thing, true to yourself. And ah, I think to be remembered as an old friend”.

John Newcombe – Tennis Player

John Newcombe grew up in Longueville.  His father owned a dental practice on Longueville Road (which he sold to Mark Casigila from Apple Dental).  He is one of only a few men to have the number one ranking in both singles and doubles tennis.

Phil Dulhunty – Businessman and Pilot

Philip received an OAM for service to international trade through the design, manufacture and export of equipment for large high voltage electric systems and to aviation, mainly through the Seaplane Pilots Association of Australia and the Catalina Flying Memorial Limited.  You can read more about Phil here.  He passed away last year.

We would love to hear more about Lane Cove locals who have excelled.  In particular, first nations people and women.  Here are a few others that have called Lane Cove their home:

Nicole Kidman
Brett Lee
Rupert Kirk