Manuel Hornibrook

Sir Manuel Richard Hornibrook (1893–1970) OBE was an Australian civil engineer. He founded the firm M R Hornibrook Pty Ltd that after merger with Baulderstone became one of the largest Australian civil engineering firms. Known as "MR", Hornibrook was knighted in 1960. He was highly respected and a builder of bridges across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Papua New Guinea as well as other major projects including Stages 2 (the Sails) and 3, of the Sydney Opera House.

As one of seven children of Catherine Hornibrook, Manuel was educated at Nambour, Obi Obi, Bowen Bridge and South Brisbane state schools.

At the age of 13 Hornibrook commenced apprenticeship with builder HW Fooks. In 1912, at the age of 19, Manuel with his brother Reginald established their own business which started with building drainage channels and sewerage systems. Soon the bridge building became Hornibrook’s speciality.

The business quickly moved into civil engineering contracting, excavating the State’s first open cut coal mine at Blair Athol in 1923. The William Jolly bridge built from 1930-1932 became his all-time favourite project because of the aesthetic appeal of the bridge and the pioneering use of the sand island method of pier construction.

Sir Manuel Hornibrook was the Chief Engineer during construction of the Hornibrook Bridge which was named after him.

He was the first Australian to be honoured with an honorary membership of the British Chartered Institute of Building.

Sir Manuel was posthumously inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in 2016.

Australian Dictionary of Biography

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