Temora

Distinguished and Famous people from Temora

🏉 Luke Breust

Luke Breust divided his Temora childhood between rugby league and Australian football, playing for the Kangaroos alongside future Hawthorn teammate Isaac Smith. For a time league looked the likelier career: he even trialled with the North Queensland Cowboys. Opportunities with the NSW under-18 side and Sydney reserves helped change that direction. Hawthorn eventually gave him a rookie-list opportunity, and he went on to play 308 AFL games, win three premierships and earn two All-Australian selections. His parents' farm remained a place to return to, with the familiar routines of country life behind a remarkably successful professional football career.

✈️ David Lowy

David Lowy's decision to establish an aviation museum gave Temora a major new connection with Australia's flying heritage. The Sydney businessman chose the aerodrome for its aviation history, favourable conditions, supportive community and room to operate historic aircraft. The museum was incorporated in 1999, its first hangar was completed early in 2000, and it opened to visitors that June. Lowy supplied the initial aircraft collection. Expansion brought exhibition spaces and a dedicated display hangar, while the original building became a restoration and maintenance facility. A 2019 alliance transferred ownership of eleven aircraft to the RAAF while keeping them on display at Temora.

🐎 Colin Pike

Colin Pike trained and drove Paleface Adios, the pacer whose racing success made the Temora Tornado nickname famous. His wife Shirley owned the horse, and their partnership produced 108 wins from 240 starts, including the 1976 Miracle Mile. Colin and Shirley were both born and raised in Temora; they met through tennis and married on Valentine's Day in 1953. Racing success did not end his involvement in the town, where he served on the trotting club's board and was named Citizen of the Year. A statue in Paleface Park remembers the man in the sulky as well as the horse in front.