Person

Parbo, Arvi Hillar (1926 - 2019)

AC Kt FTSE FRSV

Born: 10 February 1926
Tallinn, Estonia
Died: 1 May 2019
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Company director

Summary

Sir Arvi Parbo was Company Director of many mining and business companies, and was an active leader in the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Details

Chronology

c. 1956: Education - Bachelor of Engineering (BE(Hons), University of Adelaide
1956 - 1958: Career position - Under Surveyor and Technical Assistant, Nevoria Mine
1958 - 1960: Career position - Underground Manager, Nevoria Mine
1960 - 1964: Career position - Technical Assistant to Managing Director, Western Mining Corporation Holdings Ltd
1964 - 1968: Career position - Deputy General Superintendent, Western Mining Corporation Holdings Ltd
1968 - 1971: Career position - General Manager, Western Mining Corporation Holdings Ltd
1971 - 1986: Career position - Managing Director, Western Mining Corporation Holdings Ltd
1974 -: Career position - Chairman, Western Mining Corporation Holdings Ltd
1977 - 1987: Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences (FTS)
31 Dec 1977: Award - Knight Bachelor (Kt) - for services to industry
1983: Award - The Institute Medal, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
1983: Award - Gold Medal, Institute of Mining and Metallurgy London
1984: Award - John Storey Medal
1985 - 1991: Career position - President, Australia-Japan Business Co-operative Committee
1986: Award - Sir Willis Connolly Medal, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
1987: Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) [Awarded by AATS 1977]
1987 - 1989: Career position - Director, Broken Hill Pty Co. Ltd
1989: Award - Kernot Memorial Medal, for distinguished engineering achievement in Australia. Faculty of Engineering, University of Melbourne
1989 - 1992: Career position - Chairman, Broken Hill Pty Co. Ltd
1990: Career position - President, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
1992: Award - Rotary Club of Melbourne Vocational Service Award
13 Jun 1993: Award - Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) - for service to the mining industry and to commerce.
1995: Award - Chairman of the Year award, Australian Institute of Company Directors
1995 - 1997: Career position - President, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
1996: Award - ANZAAS Medal, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science
1996 - 2019: Award - Fellow, Royal Society of Victoria
1997: Award - Honorary Fellow, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
1 Jan 2001: Award - Centenary Medal - for outstanding service to the international and Australian business communities

Related Awards

ANZAAS Medal, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (1965 - )
Awarded the Medal 1996
The Institute Medal, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (1935 - )
Awarded the Medal 1983. "For his services to the mining industry, particularly in Western Australia, and his active role in business and government relationships at both the national and international level."
Kernot Memorial Medal, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Melbourne (1926 - )
Awaded the Medal 1989

Related Corporate Bodies

Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (1893 - )
Honorary Fellow 1997 - in recognition of his unique contribution to the leadership of the Australian Mining Industry, specifically to science and technology, and particularly his outstanding role in the development of the Australian Nickel and Alumina industries to their current World standing. Also, in recognition of his contribution to The AusIMM as Councillor and President; awarded the Sir Willis Connolly Memorial Medal 1986.
Australian Academy of Technological Sciences (1975 - 1987)
Fellow 1977 - 1987
Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (1987 - )
Fellow 1987 [Elected Fellow AATS 1977]; President 1995 - 1997.
Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (1885 - 2000)
Director 1987 - 1989
Institution of Engineers, Australia (1919 - )
Elected Honorary Fellow 1984
Royal Society of Victoria (1859 - )
Fellow 1996 - 2019

Published resources

Books

Parbo, Arvi, Down Under - Mineral Heritage in Australasia: an Illustrated History of Mining and Metallurgy in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea (Melbourne: The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 1992), 320 pp. Details

Edited Books

Engineers Australia ed., Anything is possible: 100 Australian engineering leaders (Barton, A.C.T.: Institution of Engineers, Australia, 2019), 136 pp, https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/2025-08/EA2_Anything%20is%20possible_0.pdf. 'A mining magnate - Sir Arvi Parbo' p.104. Details

Journal Articles

'Chapman Oration : 'Sophisticated detectives' succeed [delivered by Sir Arvi Parbo]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 52 (25) (1980), 24. Details
'Four new Honorary Fellows named [Bryan Kelman, Brian Loton, Arvi Parbo, Laurence Hartnett]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 56 (13) (1984), 40. Details
Anon, 'Sir Arvi Parbo AC Kt FTSE', Impact: magazine of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, 209 (2019), 63. https://www.atse.org.au/what-we-do/impact-magazine/impact-209/. Details
Parbo, Arvi, 'The Mineral Heritage: Central Victoria', AUSIMM Bulletin and Proceedings, 7 (1990), 23-37. Details
Parbo, Arvi, 'The Mineral Heritage: Northern Territory', AUSIMM Bulletin and Proceedings, 5 (1990), 38-41. Details
Parbo, Arvi, 'The Mineral Heritage: the People', AusIMM Bulletin and Proceedings, 2 (1990), 32-36. Details

Resources

Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q4802402. Details
VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/118723722. Details
'Parbo, Arvi (1926-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-603004. Details

Resource Sections

'Engineering Heritage : Biographies', in Engineering Heritage Australia : wiki website, Engineering Heritage Australia, 2024, https://heritage.engineersaustralia.org.au/wiki/Person:Parbo,_Arvi. Biography: Sir Arvi Parbo. Details

Rosanne Walker; Ken McInnes

Created: 30 June 1997, Last modified: 22 October 2025

EOAS ID: biogs/P002576b.htm

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