Lawrence came to Australia in 1865 and settled in Sydney. He became an engineer, an astronomer and an explorer. His engineering skills saw him building weightlifting kites, gliders and flappers. He even built shoes that allowed him to walk on water. The designs for the motors that he built found their way into the first heavier than air flying machines. Before he died in 1915, he'd seen the advent of flight, his contribution a certainty.