The Top Ender Magazine October November 2020 Edition

Regular
Australian of the Year Award
Dr Geoffrey Thompson
´ Tarnished Brass adding to the festive atmosphere with (L–R) Craig McGiffen (trumpet), Geoff Peach (French horn), Andrew Stone (tuba), Carol Atkinson (euphonium)
and Bruce Cartwright (trumpet).
± Dr Geoffrey Thompson.
On 11 July, on a delightful dry season evening, the 2020
NT Australian of the Year Award was presented to Dr
Geoffrey Thompson. Dr Thompson was born in rural SA
in 1945, and had served in the RAAF as a Flight Surgeon
and Medical Officer, and he oversaw the evacuation of
Darwin after Cyclone Tracey on Christmas Day 1974, even
though his own home and possessions had gone. On leaving
the RAAF, he took to running medical clinics in remote
Aboriginal communities, often flying his own aeroplane.
His speciality is sports medicine, and he was the first President
and founding member of Sports
Medicine Australia (Northern
Territory); in addition, he has
worked with the Australian
Paralympic Committee as Chief
Medical Officer since 2008.
oversaw the
evacuation of
Darwin after
Cyclone
The ceremony was held at
the Aviation Museum – a fitting venue – beside the Lockheed
Orion AP-C3 outside the main hangar. Tarnished Brass, a small
group of local brass players (who all also play in other groups
around town), provided a festive ambience with their background
music.
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