Sir Harry Gibbs will be remembered as one of this country's most respected and skilled jurists.
He was educated at Ipswich Grammar School and Emmanuel College at the University of Queensland, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1937 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1939 - both were awarded with first-class honours.
Sir Harry's early legal career was interrupted by World War II. After serving in the Australian Military Forces from 1939 to 1942, he became a Major in the Australian Imperial Force where he fought until the end of the war.
Following a distinguished career at the Bar, Sir Harry served as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland from 1961 until 1967 and also the Federal Court of Bankruptcy and the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory.
In recognition of his outstanding legal mind and his towering reputation in the legal community, Sir Harry was appointed a Justice of the High Court in 1970.
When Sir Garfield Barwick retired from the bench, the Coalition Government appointed Sir Harry as Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia in 1981.
His term on the court was marked by a number of major constitutional cases arising from the 1974 double dissolution of parliament and also the legislative programme of the Whitlam government. As Chief Justice, he presided over a series of cases involving the reach of Commonwealth power, most notably the Koowarta's Case in 1982 and the Tasmanian Dam Case in 1983.
Sir Harry was knighted in 1970 and became a Privy Councillor in 1972. He would later support the provisions of the Australia Act 1986, which effectively terminated appeals to the Privy Council from Australia.
Following his retirement in 1987, Sir Harry remained an active contributor to debate on legal issues and presided over a number of judicial inquiries.
Sir Harry passed away on 25 June 2005, aged 88 years.
On behalf of the Government, I extend to his wife Lady Muriel, his son and three daughters and to other family members and friends, our most sincere sympathy in their bereavement.