Robin Miller, fondly known as ‘The Sugarbird Lady’ was a pioneering aviator, humanitarian, and trailblazer for women. Had she not died so young, this week would mark her eighty-fourth birthday. Researching and writing a book based on Robin’s life has been an honour. Soaring with the Sugarbird Lady, published by Fremantle Press, comes out in March 2025
Robin packed so much living into thirty-five years. The daughter of author Mary Durack and aviator Horrie Miller, Robin grew up around aircraft. She overcame discrimination to become a pilot in the 1960s and saved hundreds of lives by flying to remote communities, where she administered 37,000 doses of the Sabin polio vaccine. Robin seemed to drop out of the vast blue sky in her Mooney aircraft, and as the vaccine was delivered via a sugar cube, she soon became known as ‘The Sugarbird Lady’.
After winging through aviation ‘glass ceilings’ in a miniskirt and bouffant hairdo, Robin became a pilot with the Royal Flying Doctor Service. She flew at all hours to help sick and injured patients. When a pregnant woman went into labour mid-flight, Robin put the plane onto autopilot, delivered the baby, and landed safely with one extra passenger.
Robin also ferried RFDS aircraft from Europe and America to Western Australia. You can see one of these, a single-engine FOCLI aircraft, and her dad’s Wackett at the Bull Creek Aviation Heritage Museum, where Soaring with the Sugarbird Lady will be launched by Professor Fiona Stanley, AC.
Fifty years after Robin’s death, this brave aviator remains a role model for all those with an adventurous spirit. I hope you will join me at the launch on March 5th 2025. Details here.
Dianne Wolfer 