Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Thelma Mae Moroney

Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (13:29): I rise to celebrate Thelma Mae Moroney, who turned 100 on 7 September. Thelma’s extraordinary life has been devoted to her family, her community and her country. A remarkable woman, to this day she can provide a very lucid opinion on current political events and even our behaviour.

Born in Williamstown in 1923, Thelma was the oldest of eight siblings. At 18, in World War II, she joined the Women’s Australian Auxiliary Air Force. Stationed in Darwin, Thelma met her first husband Robert Gyton. They married in 1945 and had three sons: Robert, Peter and David. Thelma assiduously complied with the Official Secrets Act, only recently revealing her close association with General MacArthur when as Sergeant Stringer and stationed in his Brisbane headquarters her day job was to diligently ferry secret publications to the general.

At night as duty sergeant she stopped American soldiers fence hopping into the girls quarters. ‘Get back to your barracks!’ was her constant refrain. Later Thelma married her second husband Cyril Moroney, and together they built a home in Apollo Bay. Thelma was an integral part of her community for 25 years, supporting the Anglican Church, the golf club and school fetes while always knitting for her children and grandchildren. Thelma now lives at Broughtonlea aged care home in Surrey Hills. Happy 100th birthday, Thelma – and she is watching.