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Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame Fellowship
About the Fellowship
The Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame Fellowship is awarded annually to support a research project that uses the rich resources of the John Oxley Library and contributes to the creation of new knowledge about Queensland’s business and economic history.
The fellowship recipient receives a stipend of $15,000, a personal work space within the Neil Roberts Research Lounge for 12 months and premium access to State Library’s extensive collections and staff expertise.
The Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame Fellowship is generously supported by the John Allpass Charitable Foundation.
2026 Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame Fellow
The 2026 Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame Fellowship was awarded to Robert Allen for his project, 'T.C Beirne and the House of the People: Exploring the many lives of businessman, philanthropist and politician Thomas Charles Beirne.'.
A member of the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame, Thomas Charles Beirne (1860 - 1949) is best remembered for his enormous contribution to Brisbane's mercantile landscape from the 1890s until the mid - twentieth century. My project title is taken from Beirne's well - known initials, his store's famous motto, and the fact that he made his mark in many fields. He was a shrewd businessman, a generous philanthropist, a long - serving Legislative Councillor, a devout Catholic and a devoted family man. I propose to draw upon material held by the John Oxley Library, other archives and his descendants to build a comprehensive picture of the man, his influence and his ongoing legacy. I propose to present my findings via periodic reports to the SLQ; public presentations; online blogs; an exhibition of Beirne - related ephemera at the Library; and a heritage walking tour of 'TCB's Fortitude Valley'.
Robert Allen, 2026 Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame Fellow.
2025 Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame Fellow
Dr Joanne Dolley, 2025 Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame Fellow with John Allpass from the John Allpass Charitable Foundation.
The 2025 Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame Fellowship was awarded to Dr Joanne Dolley for her project, 'Businesswomen of Queensland: The histories and successes of Queensland Businesswomen pre-1970'.
The early 20th century was far from an era of gender equality in business, yet many Queensland enterprises flourished under the leadership of women. This fellowship will spotlight the contributions of Queensland’s women business owners prior to 1970. The chosen timeframe is significant, as it leads up to the 1971 milestone when business loans for women no longer required a male guarantor. It also reflects the urgency of capturing the stories of women who owned businesses in this period while their experiences remain within living memory.
Acknowledging that challenges in gender equality persist today, Joanne's project will celebrate these remarkable stories and enhance State Library's collections on the pivotal role Queensland businesswomen have played in shaping our economy and society.
Blogs:
Watch this video to explore Joanne's research project, and don’t miss the full video highlighting all the 2025 Queensland Memory Awards recipients and their inspiring projects.
QBLHOF Fellows blogs
