Following on from the Icons of Brisbane event that was held in 2023, at our October seminar we are investigating another six people who have made significant contributions to the life and landscape of Brisbane, some of whom may be better known than others. Our subjects are:

Irish-born Thomas Charles Beirne (1860 - 1949) was a giant of Brisbane’s mercantile history. TCB, as he was known to many, was an influential figure during the first half of the twentieth century. A shrewd businessman, friend of politicians and confidante to Archbishops, he was also a generous benefactor and a long-term Legislative Councillor.

While he was born and educated in Melbourne, Sir Zelman Cowen played a significant role in the life of Brisbane as Vice Chancellor of The University of Queensland from 1970 to 1977, during the challenging years of the Vietnam War and the controversial Springbok Rugby tour student protests. In 1977, he left Brisbane to take up another challenging role, having been appointed by Malcom Turnbull as Governor-General of Australia following Sir John Kerr’s resignation that year. Acknowledged as an expert in constitutional law, he was a distinguished Australian with a significant international reputation.

Upon arrival in Australia in 1947, Sister Angela Mary Doyle taught for a short while before being sent to the Mater Misericordia Hospital in South Brisbane. In 1966 she took up the position of Administrator of that hospital and since that time, Sister Angela Mary has adopted a leadership role in healthcare and advocacy for various social and welfare issues, including women’s health, patient support and the treatment of communicable diseases. She recently celebrated her 100th birthday.

Robin Gibson has made a significant contribution to the public face of Brisbane with many landmark buildings that are immediately recognisable locally, nationally and internationally: The Queensland Cultural complex, including the Art Gallery, the Performing Arts Centre, Queensland Museum and State Library. Perhaps less well-known are Mayne Hall and the Central Library at The University of Queensland and Queen Street Mall, among many others.

After graduating from the Brisbane Central Technical College with a diploma in art craftsmanship, Daphne Mayo was awarded Queensland’s first publicly funded travelling art scholarship and studied in England before returning to Australia. In the 1920s and 30s, she undertook several public commissions, many of which she carved in situ. With her friend Vida Lahey, she founded the Queensland Art Fund in 1929 and they oversaw the establishment of the state’s first art reference library in 1936. She was appointed a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in 1959 and became Queensland Art Gallery’s first woman trustee in 1960.

Cecilia McNally, nicknamed The Duchess of Spring Hill, may be forgotten by many since her death in 1996 but she was widely known and respected for her enthusiasm for, and expertise in antiques, and her tireless support of charities and those in need. The annual Spring Hill Fair, which she organised for twenty-two years was perhaps Queensland’s most successful charity event, with the Mater Children’s Hospital being a major beneficiary of her generosity.

Our presenters are Jacqui Donegan, Lisa Jones, Robert Allen, Deborah van der Plaat, Richard Blundell and Paul Sayer.

Registration for the seminar and the bookshop opens at 12.30pm and the event will commence at 1.00pm. There will be a mid-session break for a cuppa. Bookings are essential for catering purposes.

Enter the campus from Gregory Terrace, the entrance to the GT125 Theatre is to the right of the chapel when viewed from Gregory Terrace