[2] Fairbairn's parents returned to Australia in 1918 and he spent his early years at his father's grazing property at Woomargama, New South Wales.

140 Squadron RAF in October 1942 where he "completed high-level mapping preparatory to D-Day, and was one of the first to photograph a V-2 rocket site".

[1] In January 1944 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross,[3] with the citation describing him as "an extremely keen and able deputy flight commander" and crediting him with having destroyed "five locomotives, one ship and attacked many troop concentrations".

79 Squadron RAAF and assigned to Momote Airport, supporting the Manus Naval Base and actions on the New Guinea campaign.

He was promoted to cabinet in June 1964 as Minister for National Development, a portfolio covering energy, forestry, minerals, and water.

He initially supported Gorton's election as party leader, but later became "disillusioned by the prime minister's maverick style".

[1] After the 1969 election, he unsuccessfully challenged Gorton for the leadership (along with William McMahon), and then resigned from the ministry, saying: "I have given deep thought and consideration to this decision.

According to Ian Sinclair, he was opposed to Gorton's centralism and in particular, his attempt to claim of sovereignty over Australia's territorial waters and continental shelf for the Commonwealth.

[8][9] Fairbairn was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross in 1944,[3] and made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1977.