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12 Facts About Peggy Kelman

1.

Peggy Kelman was born as Margaret Mary McKillop in Scotland in 1909, her father was the Irish nationalist politician William McKillop, and her mother, Rose McKillop was from Orange, Australia.

2.

Peggy Kelman's father died in 1909, the year of her birth.

3.

Peggy Kelman's mother returned to Australia and Peggy was educated at Rose Bay Convent, Sydney, as well as in France and England.

4.

Colin and Peggy Kelman then returned to Australia continued as graziers both in Moree, New South Wales and Julia Creek, Queensland; the couple had 5 children.

5.

Peggy McKillop Kelman died in 1998 in Buderim, Queensland, aged 89.

6.

Peggy Kelman is buried with her husband in Buderim Cemetery.

7.

Peggy Kelman's headstone has a depiction of a small plane and the words "Wings forever folded".

8.

Peggy Kelman began flying training in 1931 at the Aero Club of NSW and gained her A licence in 1932, followed by a commercial pilot licence in 1935.

9.

Peggy Kelman owned many aircraft including a Percival, an Auster, a Tiger Moth, a Beech Staggerwing then one of the first Cessna 182s in 1957.

10.

Peggy Kelman flew these aircraft to town to do her shopping and to social days on neighbouring properties.

11.

Peggy Kelman joined the Australian Women Pilots' Association in 1951, serving as its Queensland president, then Federal president from 1974 to 1976.

12.

Peggy Kelman joined the international women pilots' association, The Ninety Nines, and became Australian governor of that organisation.