John McIlwraith: A Remarkable Journey from Adversity to Journalism Excellence
Born into poverty during the Great Depression with physical disabilities including incomplete hands and feet, John McIlwraith faced daunting odds from the start. Losing his mother at age eight and having a father struggling with gambling addiction, the young Leederville resident's prospects seemed bleak. However, endowed with exceptional intelligence, a razor-sharp mind, and formidable determination, McIlwraith would not only achieve his childhood dream of becoming a journalist but would rise to become one of Australia's most influential business writers of his generation.
Early Life and Formative Challenges
John Bibb McIlwraith entered the world in Perth on November 5, 1931, born to typist Maud (nee Rose) and boilermaker Hector McIlwraith. As an only child, his earliest memories included living in a share house on Oxford Street and witnessing his father chase rats in darkness, illuminated only by the glow of a cigarette. His mother's quiet lessons instilled in him a deep sense of compassion for others, a quality that would define his character throughout his life.
Following his mother's death, McIlwraith's childhood became nomadic, boarding with various aunts and even living temporarily in a muddy tent at Harvey where his father worked on Depression-era irrigation projects. He endured numerous operations to correct his crooked right foot and later discovered his heart was positioned on the wrong side of his body. Despite these physical challenges, he developed an early love for books at Perth Boys School that fueled his unwavering determination to pursue journalism.
Breaking Barriers in Journalism
McIlwraith left school at 15 on the advice of his idol, Daily News columnist Bernie Kirwan Ward, working as a copy boy at The West Australian while studying at night to qualify for a cadetship. When he applied, he was rejected because, as he later learned, "the editor decided I would make people uncomfortable because of my missing fingers." Undeterred, he trained with The Collie Mail before heading east to write for The Argus in Melbourne.
His persistence paid off when he secured a meeting with WA Newspapers managing editor Jim Macartney, who asked, "What on earth are you doing over here?" After explaining his earlier rejection, McIlwraith returned to Perth just two months later to help develop a colour magazine for the paper. Colleagues marveled at his ability to take shorthand notes and type with remarkable speed, skillfully using his thumbs and two good fingers on his left hand in a rotating wrist motion.
Professional Ascendancy and National Recognition
At a party on his 26th birthday, McIlwraith met and fell in love with Scottish redhead Rita Scott, marrying her in 1959 and raising a family in Trigg. His career reached new heights in 1970 when Fairfax Media approached him to establish a Perth bureau for The Australian Financial Review. He served as Fairfax's Western Australia correspondent for fifteen years, during which his reputation grew steadily as his articles were syndicated to capital city dailies across the country.
Former Labor premier Brian Burke, who worked as a cadet reporter alongside McIlwraith at WA Newspapers, remembered him as "amiable and good-hearted but a formidable newsman and analyst." Burke noted, "When I was in government in the 80s, John was listened to and was influential. He represented an age of serious, considered journalism that I fear has been lost."
Mastering the Craft and Earning Trust
During Australia's business boom of the 1970s and 1980s, The Australian Financial Review became essential daily reading for decision-makers, and McIlwraith's reporting on local entrepreneurs like Lang Hancock, Kerry Stokes, Robert Holmes a Court, and Alan Bond gained national prominence. His reputation for accurately reporting complex company affairs without embellishment earned him widespread trust among corporate leaders and insider sources.
Media all-rounder Peter Kennedy acknowledged benefiting from McIlwraith's guidance, while The West Australian's former business editor Brian Wills-Johnson described him as "the doyen of financial journalists" and "my constant role model." In the late 1970s, McIlwraith declined a deputy editorship in Sydney after taking a family vote, prioritizing his life in Western Australia.
Later Career and Personal Legacy
In 1986, McIlwraith transitioned from newspaper journalism to become PR director at the University of Western Australia, where vice-chancellor Bob Smith gave him complete campus access. "He found some of the senior academics a bit precious," Dr. Smith recalled, "and conversely, they thought him abrasive. But he was the consummate professional and I valued him greatly."
Known for his affable nature and comfort in any company, McIlwraith developed close personal friendships with many business leaders, particularly Robert Holmes a Court, with whom he and Rita shared numerous overseas trips, sometimes aboard the tycoon's private jet. He maintained a wry sense of humor throughout his life, famously responding when told he wore mismatching shoes to a mining conference: "You're right. And do you know, I have another pair just like them at home."
Enduring Impact and Final Years
In his later years, McIlwraith contributed obituaries of notable figures to The West Australian, bringing his journalistic expertise full circle. He passed away with Alzheimer's in Claremont on December 2, 2025, at age 94, survived by his wife Rita, daughter Gillian, sons David and Andrew, six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Geoff Steer, a close friend since school days, captured McIlwraith's extraordinary spirit: "He was unusual in that his handicap didn't affect him in any way. He just ignored it." This determination, combined with his journalistic excellence, cemented John McIlwraith's legacy as one of Australia's most respected business writers, whose career demonstrated that talent and perseverance can overcome even the most challenging circumstances.
