Mary Reibey 1777 – 1855 on the banknote of 20 Australian dollars

The Australian dollars replace the Australian pound and has been issued since 1966 – 35 years after the declaration of the Australian independence. On the banknote of 20 dollars is Mary Reibey – one of the first women who have dealt with trading. She has been raised by her grandmother in Lancashire, England and at the age of 14, she runs out of home. After that she is arrested for stealing a horse and sentenced to exile in New South Wales where she marries an officer from the ship “Britannia”. Her husband starts working in the transport business and trade with wood material and leather. Business becomes quite prosperous and reaches the islands of the Pacific, China and India. After his death in 1811, Mary Reibey takes control over his business. In the next 20 years she succeeds to develop it by buying crafts, estates and warehouses and all this makes her one of the richest women in Sidney. Nowadays, she is regarded as one of the most successful business women in New South Wales ever.