The newly opened Kingsford Smith Drive riverside promenade and cycle path has been named “Lores Bonney Riverwalk” in honour of the Australian aviatrix who was the first woman to fly solo from Australia to England.
Opened in December 2018, the 1.2-kilometre Kingsford Smith Drive riverside promenade and cycle path stretches from Bretts Wharf to Cameron Rocks. On 27 June 2019, the Council announced that the riverwalk has been named after “Lady of the Sky” Maude “Lores” Bonney in recognition of her significant impact on the Australian aviation industry.
The new Lores Bonney Riverwalk features a dedicated two-metre-wide riverside walk path and a three-metre-wide two-way off-road cycle path along the Brisbane River at Hamilton.
About Maude “Lores” Bonney
Born 20 November 1897, Maude “Lores” Bonney moved to Brisbane in 1917 with husband Harry Bonney. Her interest in flying was influenced by airman Bert Hinkler, Harry’s first cousin. Not long after she began taking flying lessons, Harry bought her a Gipsy Moth biplane that she named “My Little Ship.”
Lores first broke records in 1931 when she flew from Brisbane to Wangaratta, the longest one-day solo flight by an Australian woman pilot. She then became the first female to circumnavigate Australia by air in 1932.
In 1933, she became the first female aviator to fly solo from Australia to England, despite crashing her aircraft.
Maude “Lores” Bonney also became the first aviator to fly solo from Australia to South Africa in 1937. She accomplished these achievements despite encountering many setbacks throughout her career. She died on 24 February 1994 at the age of 96.
