Aussie Fifty Dollar Note

Poem written by Greg Dodge

There’s something very special about this true Aussie legend that I’m about to share,
He led such an exceptional life, spanning ninety-five long years, for his people even today, that was very rare¹.

He was born in South Australia of the Ngarrindjeri²people in 1872,

Where he was acknowledged at such a young age, with many things that he seemed to pursue.

He was an inventor, and a scientist, an author, a musician, and a preacher,

They called him the Australian Leonardo da Vinci³, such an inspiring teacher.

He travelled widely to promote the cause of Aboriginal rights,

In 1909 his goal was to patent many inventions for the whites

He played around with perpetual motion⁴ and patented his shearing tool⁵,

He applied for nineteen patents, he was definitely no fool

One day he was observing a boomerang⁶as it moved gracefully through the air

He had developed the basic design for a helicopter, 22 years before it was operational somewhere.

As the first Indigenous author he has written a vast amount of books,
He found out pretty quickly that most book publishers, in those days, were just flamin’ crooks.

Political issues he fought for Aboriginal affairs and self determination

Travelling all over this country, to protest with his people about their continual denigration.

By the way, his name is David Unaipon and he is honoured with his picture on the Aussie Fifty dollar note
Check out his “Legendary Tales of the Australian Aborigines”⁷and many more books that he wrote.

The Queensland State Library⁸in ‘88 started giving Indigenous authors the David Unaipon Award⁹,
So that the stories, myths and legends of our First Nations people are known here and abroad.
Remember the next time you get to look at an Aussie Fifty Dollar note
You’ll look proudly at his picture – and always remember what David invented and what he wrote.

Listen or view the POEM, Aussie Fifty Dollar Note here

Written and Spoken by Greg Dodge © 2020

1. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/indigenous-life-expectancy-and-deaths
2. https://coorongcountry.com.au/indigenous-ngarrindjer-coorong-culture/
3. https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2016/09/28/remembering-david-unaipon-man-fifty-dollar-note
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_motion
5. https://digital.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/nodes/view/2845
6. https://www.originalpeopleonline.com/blog/what-does-the-boomerang-helicopter-and-australian-50-note-share-in-common
7. https://www.bookdepository.com/Legendary-Tales-Australian-Aborigines-Unaipon-David/9780522849059?ref=grid-view&qid=1630635432368&sr=1-2
8. https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/
9. https://guides.lib.uw.edu/c.php?g=341672&p=2299458#:~:text=About%20the%20David%20Unaipon%20Award&text=Named%20in%20honour%20of%20David,who%20have%20not%20been%20published.