When asked by a journalist if a woman would win the Brisbane Centenary Air Race in 1936, 21-year-old pilot Ivy May Pearce responded, “No reason why she should not!”.

One of the roads at Brisbane Airport, is named after her and there is also a building at the Gold Coast Airport named after her, but who is Ivy May Pearce?

In celebration of Girls in Aviation Day, Aviation Lecturer Natasha Heap introduces Ivy May Pearce. Ivy was was one of five female pilots, and the youngest entrant overall, to compete in the Brisbane to Adelaide Centenary Air Race held in 1936.

Ivy was an Ipswich girl who attended St Columba’s Convent in Dalby before completing her schooling at All Hallows in Brisbane, and learning to fly at Archerfield.

Once she finished her flying career, Ivy ran the Railway Hotel in Toowoomba and later in life, moved to the Gold Coast and became interested in fashion, establishing several boutiques and travelling internationally with her designs.