Lorne Victoria Australia

Arthur Robbins (1921-1996)

Arthur Bond Robbins was born on 26 July 1921 at Mullimby, northern NSW. He attended a school named Repentance Creek Primary School and then Lismore High School. He left school at 15 and worked on the family farm, dairying and banana-growing. After a few years Arthur moved to Brisbane to work at his uncle’s garage. He was keen to fly and enlisted in the RAAF in May 1942. After training in Australia, he went to the UK for further training. He served in the UK from 25 May 1943 to 24 July 1945 in RAF bomber command as a Lancaster bomber pilot in 622 squadron,  completing 32 operations. Later he was transferred to Pathfinder squadron No 7 and flew 20 operations until the end of the World War II. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 14 November 1944 and the Pathfinder Force Badge on 21 May 1945.

He returned to Australia in July 1945 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant and 850 hours of service flying and discharged from the RAAF on 24 September 1945. At the end of 1945, Arthur joined Australian National Airways flying for 8 years around Australia ending his career with a total of almost 8000 hours in the air.

1948, Arthur & Eunice Robbins (nee Richards)

In 1948 Arthur married Eunice Richards. He meet Eunice whilst based in Brisbane at the boarding house run by Eunice’s mother. They then moved to Melbourne setting up a home in Strathmore, near Essendon Airport, welcoming the arrival of there only child Barry Robbins.

Arthur, Eunice and Barry then moved to Ombersley in 1956, a soldier settlement block, and worked hard to create a viable property and give service to the CFA, Durack School Committee and the Durack Church.

They purchased land in Lorne in 1964, built a house at 52 Smith Street in 1977 and retiring to Lorne in 1979. Arthur loved bowls and was President of the Lawn Bowling Club. Arthur and Eunice gave good community support and worked as Meals on Wheels volunteers. Arthur worshipped at St Cuthberts and worked to maintain its gardens.

1990-91, Lorne Mens Bowls Team Premiers. (LHS photo 281L)

Arthur Robbins, a former Pathfinder in World War II, had a path named in his honour, the Arthur Robbins Walk, which connects Mountjoy Parade to Smith Street and along Smith Street to St Cutberts Church.

2025, Arthur Robbins Walk

Arthur is remembered as a very private man, who died 14 April 1996, having given great service to Australia as an airman, community member, and as a husband, father, grandfather and friend.

Eunice Robbins (1926-2017)

Eunice was born in Kingaroy Queensland on 26 January 1926 and lived at Coolabunia as the younger of two daughters of Henry and Grace Richards. Eunice lost her father at the age of 11, leading to the family moving to Brisbane in 1937. After primary school Eunice attended Commercial High School in the Brisbane Botanical Gardens, leading to her first job with the Foreign Bible Society at the age of 15.

In Brisbane, her mother Grace took in borders and in 1946 she meet a young pilot with Australian National Airline by the name of Arthur Robbins. Eunice and Arthur married in 1948 and moved to Melbourne, where Arthur continued to fly with ANA and Eunice worked for the opposition airline, TAA (Trans Australian Airlines).

They purchased land and built a house in Strathmore, taking three years because of lingering material shortages after the war. In 1945, they welcomed the arrival of their only child Barry.

The Robbins family moved to a Soldiers Settlement block of 516 acres at Ombersley between Winchelsea and Beac. Very hard years followed, struggling to make ends meet, with constant setbacks affecting animals and crops, plagues, drought, storms, wind and hail and the threat of bushfire.

In the later years on the farm Eunice and Arthur did manage to spend a few days in Lorne each year after the harvest. This lead them to buying 52 Smith Street in 1964 and in 1977 they built a small house. It was intended to be a holiday house, but was later extended and became their retirement home.

Eventually the farm work got too hard and they retired to Lorne permanently. Eunice got involved in Meals on Wheels, church garden maintenance, Senior Citizens and was a volunteer at the Op-shop for more than 20 years.

Granddaughter, Lucy Howard-Robbins, recalled Eunice was a feminist ahead of her times, wearing trousers as a young woman, introducing herself as a farmer, never a farmer’s wife. She loved learning and understood that hard work, intelligence and a good heart were the quality by which a person should be measured.

Eunice was a very intelligent woman with a keen sharp mind, who liked to discuss current affairs. Curiosity and interest in things and dedication to her garden continued to the very last day of her life.

Sources:

• Lorne Historical Society Collections
• Arthur Robbins Eulogy written by Bob Andrews
• Eunice Robbins Eulogy written by Barry Robbins and Lucy Howard-Robbins
• Eunice Robbins Tribute, 2 May 2017, St Cuthberts Uniting Church
• Lyn Davies, conversations 2025, 2026