Tragedy strikes Corangamite

Geoffrey Austin Street won the seat of Corangamite in 1934 for the United Australia Party  and later the liberal party and would serve for the next 6 years.

Street was a war hero,  having been wounded at Gallipoli and going on to serve in Belgium and France .He was awarded the Military Cross. Returning from war he bought a farm in the Western District and took to farming with gusto, becoming a champion sheep breeder and serving on the local council. Somewhat reluctantly recruited to politics by Robert Menzies he was hardworking and intelligent and in 1938 became Minister for Defence and later for the Army and repatriation.

In August Geoffrey Street and 10 other including three members of the Australian Cabinet and the chief of staff were aboard a plane that crashed near Canberra and were killed instantly. This was a severe blow to the government and robbed Corangamite of a popular, mature and loved political leader.

geoffrey Austin Street                                                             Geoffrey Austin Street

2 thoughts on “Tragedy strikes Corangamite

  1. Norma Bakker Reply

    Yet again another interesting post. I’ve seen the memorial at the crash site and not realised the connection.

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