UWS Community Award recipient: Uncle Rex Sorby

Uncle Rex Sorby was born in Coonabarabran and lived on 640 acres near Forkie Mountain. At 16 Rex moved to Quirindi and joined the railway on full adult pay.  Uncle Rex worked at the railway for 30 years and was elected to the Union.

He was the first Aboriginal to be elected to the Australian Railways Union. Uncle Rex retired at the age of 58 and works on a number of Boards including the Guildford RSL, Heritage Society, and Holroyd Council and is an Ethics Committee Member. Uncle Rex currently sits on the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Employment and Engagement Consultative Committee at the University of Western Sydney and is an Elder on Campus.  Uncle Rex dedicates his life to ensuring equitable governance, policies and access for all Australians to education, employment and well being.

Photo: Sally Tsoutas