As Western Australia’s Chief Engineer, CY O’Connor reached into the unknown when designing his two major projects – Fremantle Harbour and the Goldfields pipeline.
Can his legacy inspire us as we contemplate life after Covid-19?
Mike Lefroy discusses why the next generation of scientists, economists and dreamers should be inspired by his great grandfather CY O’Connor, to take risks in these uncertain times.
About Mike Lefroy
Mike Lefroy has a passion for history, in particular the history of Western Australia and his hometown of Fremantle.
He has strong family links to the early settlement of the Swan River Colony and the development of the state, particularly through his great great grandfather John Septimus Roe, the first Surveyor General, and his great grandfather Charles Yelverton O’Connor, the Chief Engineer of Fremantle Harbour and the Goldfields Pipeline.
In 1992 he joined the WA Maritime Museum as Head of Education. During the planning and construction of the new Maritime Museum on Victoria Quay, Mike was also the project manager for the Tin Canoe to Australia II Gallery.
Details of his books, junior novels and educational activities can be found on his web site www.mikelefroy.com.