Monica Augustine “Mona” Minahan, also known as Mona Haines, was an Australian entrepreneur. She lived in

Alice Springs Alice Springs ( aer, Mparntwe) is the third-largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Known as Stuart until 31 August 1933, the name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William Whitfield Mills after Alice, Lady Todd (''née'' Al ...

as a pioneer of the Northern Territory's hotel industry, building the Riverside Hotel, the town's largest hotel to that point. She became a leading figure in the town's business, social and sporting life, and was made a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

in 1980.

Career

Minahan arrived in

in 1932 to work as a barmaid at the Sturt Arms Hotel. She later became a businesswoman in the hotel industry. By 1954, she rose to prominence, becoming "one of

Central Australia Central Australia, also sometimes referred to as the Red Centre, is an inexactly defined region associated with the geographic centre of Australia. In its narrowest sense it describes a region that is limited to the town of Alice Springs and i ...

’s best-known identities." In 1954 she finished the building of the largest hotel in Alice Springs, designed by Northern Territory architect and personality Beni Burnett.

Later life

Minahan was made a

(MBE) in 1980. The Minahan Medal, an annual award for the best and fairest player in the Central Australian Football League (CAFL), was donated by Minahan in 1947.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Minahan, Mona 1898 births 1996 deaths