From the Editor

What makes someone inspiring?

As we prepare to celebrate Qantas’s Centenary – and remember the achievements of Hudson Fysh, Paul McGinness and Fergus McMaster in creating a global business from the humblest of beginnings – it’s a question we’ve been asking ourselves. What is the true spirit of Australia?

As we were grappling with this, well, you know what happened. Australia burned. And burned.

But then there was something remarkable. Stories of resilience and generosity started to filter through the ashes. The Sudanese refugee who offered a family of strangers his flat for the night. The teenagers who bundled seven koalas into their car on Kangaroo Island. The man who rowed stranded campers on the NSW South Coast to safety while his own home burned.

Adversity reveals our true selves. Adversity reveals the spirit of Australia. Horace, the Roman poet, wrote it like this: “It is courage, courage, courage, that raises the blood of life to crimson splendour. Live bravely and present a brave front to adversity.”

It feels fitting then that this month we unveil the first of our 100 Inspiring Australians, with our official partner, Penfolds, and supporting partners Melbourne Business School and SAP. Over the next eight months, in the lead-up to Qantas’s 100th birthday, we’ll introduce you to some incredible people. Some are brave and generous. Some take extraordinary risks. Others just do things differently.

And next month, we’ll be celebrating all that this country has to offer. As I write this, we have journalists and photographers on Kangaroo Island, in East Gippsland, on the NSW South Coast and more. The support of Australians for fire-affected communities has been extraordinary. Let’s keep it going now that the headlines are receding. Let’s help our fellow Australians continue to present a brave front.