Soaring with the Sugarbird Lady by Dianne Wolfer

Robin Miller was a trailblazer in the skies. She grew up as a child during WW2, with a pilot for a father and her mother was the renowned author, Mary Durack.  She lived some of her early years in the region of Broome in the far north of Western Australia and she was profoundly aware of the tyranny of distance for those who lived there. Her determination to take her love of flying and her compassion for those who lived far from services led her to break ‘a glass ceiling’, or should that be ‘rise above the clouds’, and gain her pilot’s licence and even buy her own plane. This, in combination with her nursing qualifications, enabled her to lead a remarkable polio vaccination programme to remote communities in WA. At a time when women were not expected to pursue careers in aviation, Robin Miller was prepared to soar beyond their expectations. In her short 35 years of life serving the WA outback communities she was able to make a huge impact for feminism, the RFDS and for the aviators who followed in her wake. Taking planes across oceans to bring them to Australia, in an era when this was a risky venture, she demonstrated incredible courage and a true pioneer spirit. She should be better known and esteemed and hopefully this book will do much to make her remarkable story come alive for a new generation. 

I loved this simple biography with heart and wings! Robin Miller’s story is brought to a young audience in this compelling book with some of Robin’s own thoughts and reflections scattered through the story. We are able to fly with her, feel the risks of early aviators in Australia, recognise the need for an effective RFDS service to remote Australia and also fall in love with this formidable female in flight. Dianne Wolfer has done a wonderful job at animating Robin’s story and her early death at age 35 seems such a tragedy. Western Australia should be proud of this daughter of the skies who demonstrated to all Australians that determination and perseverance, combined with compassion could make a big difference in our harsh land. Anyone aged 9-14 with an Australian history or aviation interest would love this book and its insights into how individuals could make a difference. Teacher's notes and an activity are available from the publisher.

Themes: Flying, Aviation history, RFDS, Robin Miller, Discrimination, Determination, Western Australia.

Carolyn Hull