Sir Maurice Mawby was a far-sighted outstanding leader in the development of world-scale mineral operations in Australasia in the 1960s. These included Weipa bauxite and aluminium iron ore in the Pilbara and copper in Bougainville. These initiatives were a natural outcome of Mawby's early training in mining and metallurgy and Broken Hill allied with his exceptional organising ability. Mawby was a strong supporter of The AusIMM and greatly valued its importance. His contributions to the mineral industry were formally recognised by overseas institutions in the UK and the USA as well as in Australia. This oration coincides with the 102nd anniversary of the founding of The AusIMM in 1893 and is well worth a read.