Neville Thomas Eric "Nev" Hewitt (19 October 1920 – 19 July 2016) was an Australian politician. He was a

Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly This is a list of members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, the state parliament of Queensland, sorted by parliament. See also * Queensland Legislative Assembly electoral districts This is a list of current and former electoral div ...

Early life

Hewitt was born at

Theodore Theodore may refer to: Places * Theodore, Alabama, United States * Theodore, Australian Capital Territory * Theodore, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Banana, Australia * Theodore, Saskatchewan, Canada * Theodore Reservoir, a lake in Sask ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

in 1920 to Herbert Deane Hewitt and his wife Mildred Sarah Elizabeth (née Davey). He started his schooling in Theodore before completing his education at

Rockhampton Grammar School , motto_translation=Grow in character and scholarship , established = 1881 , type = Independent, day & boarding , gender = Co-educational , head = Dr Phillip Moulds , city = Rockhampton , state = Queensland , c ...

World War II

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, he joined the

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

, reaching the rank of Flying Officer. Hewitt was aboard a

Wellington Bomber The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson; a key feature of the aircraft is its ...

when it was shot down over

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

. He managed to parachute out and endured an artillery duel before landing and breaking his ankle. Over four nights he managed to crawl back to where his plane had crashed and destroyed anything of value to the enemy. He was finally rescued by a British patrol and for his actions was awarded the

Military Medal The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. The award ...

and the

Air Force Medal The Air Force Medal (AFM) was a military decoration, awarded to personnel of the Royal Air Force and other British Armed Forces, and formerly to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for "an act or acts of valour ...

. After the war, he returned to Theodore and worked at Forest Hills Station till 1948. Hewitt then worked as manager for Australian Estates in Eidsvold till 1956 at which time he entered Queensland politics.

Politics

At the 1956 Queensland election Hewitt won the seat of

Mackenzie Mackenzie, Mckenzie, MacKenzie, or McKenzie may refer to: People * Mackenzie (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Mackenzie (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) * Clan Mackenzie, a Sco ...

as a candidate for the Country Party. It was the only seat his party gained from the Labor Party, winning it by just 46 votes after a second count. At the 1972 election his seat was abolished and he moved to the electorate of

Auburn Auburn may refer to: Places Australia * Auburn, New South Wales * City of Auburn, the local government area *Electoral district of Auburn *Auburn, Queensland, a locality in the Western Downs Region *Auburn, South Australia *Auburn, Tasmania *Aub ...

, holding it till his retirement from politics in 1980. From 1969 till 1980 Hewitt held several Ministerial roles including Water Resources, Aboriginal and Islander Advancement, and Local Government. During his 12 years as a Minister 10 major dams were built, the Brigalow Land Development Scheme was introduced, and the Moura and Blackwater mining developments commenced.

Personal life

In 1946, he married Nancy Dorris Freeman and they have five children -Geoffery, Denise, Ian, Peter and Rodney. Fifteen grandchildren Kate, Lachlan, Nathan, Cameron, Anna, Rebecca, Thomas, Jessica, Kimberley, Callan, James, Bethany, Hamish, Charles and Fletcher. In his younger days Hewitt was an amateur jockey and rode 300 winners. Hewitt died on 19 July 2016 in

Rockhampton Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. The population of Rockhampton in June 2021 was 79,967, Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. making it the fourth-largest city in the state outside of the ...

Legacy

Landmarks which bear Hewitt's name include Theodore's Neville Hewitt Park and the Neville Hewitt Weir in

Baralaba Baralaba is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Banana in central Queensland, Australia. In the , Baralaba had a population of 314 people. Geography The Dawson River forms the western boundary of the locality. The town is located in the ...

which was built in 1976 enabling water to be supplied to the Aboriginal community of

Woorabinda Woorabinda is a rural town and locality in the Aboriginal Shire of Woorabinda, Queensland, Australia. In the , Woorabinda had a population of 962 people. It is an Aboriginal community. Geography Woorabinda is in Central Queensland, inland abo ...

. The Neville Hewitt Bridge built over the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton was also named in Hewitt's honour and officially opened on 16 August 1980 to cater for the city's increasing traffic.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hewitt, Nev Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly 1920 births 2016 deaths National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Queensland Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II Royal Australian Air Force officers Shot-down aviators Australian recipients of the Military Medal Recipients of the Air Force Medal