Queensland Greats Awards

Sallyanne Atkinson AO FAIM, FAICD, FAPI is a Business Leader and Former Politician.

Sallyanne began an arts degree at The University of Queensland, before becoming a journalist on the Brisbane Telegraph from 1960 to 1962, the Sydney Telegraph from 1962 to 1963, and The Courier-Mail from 1963 to 1964. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in History and Political Science, in 1967. She was Lord Mayor of Brisbane from 1985 to 1991 and to date has been the only woman to have held this position.

Sallyanne was the College Council President from 2009 to 2020. In honour of Sallyanne’s leadership and service, in 2021 the College renamed ‘Old Wing’ – the building where she resided at The Women’s College in 1960 – to the Sallyanne Atkinson Building. 

• B. Arts (1967), The University of Queensland
• Doctor of the University honoris causa (2007), The University of Queensland

• AO in recognition of service to the community and local government (1993)
• Centenary Medal for distinguished service to local government and to business (2001)
• UQ Alumnus of the Year (2014)
• Queensland Greats Award (2014)

Dr Else Shepherd AM was a pioneer and role model in breaking through the barriers to women's professional acceptance particularly in "non-traditional" fields such as engineering. She was one of the first two women to graduate from electrical engineering at The University of Queensland, in 1965, and at one time she was one of only two female engineers working in Queensland. 

She was an Honorary Fellow of Engineers Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. For three consecutive years, Engineers Australia ranked Dr Shepherd as one of Australia’s "Top 100 Most Influential Engineers", and in 2007, she was ranked one of Australia's "Top 25 Most Influential Female Engineers".

• B. Engineering (1966), The University of Queensland
• Grad. Dip. Music (1984), Queensland Conservatorium
• Doctor of Engineering honoris causa (2011), The University of Queensland

• UQ Alumnus of the Year (2009)
• AM for service to the engineering profession, particularly electrical and electronic engineering, to education, to the electricity distribution industry, and to the community (2003)
• Centenary Medal for service to Australian society in information technology (2001)
• Queensland Greats Award (2022)

Dr Aila Keto AO is an Australian environmentalist. She is the founder and President of the Rainforest Conservation Society in Queensland. During her career, she has been involved in the protection of more than 15,000 square kilometres of Queensland's rainforest.

• Doctor of Science honoris causa (2003), The University of Queensland
• B. Biochemistry, The University of Queensland

• AO for service to conservation, particularly through promoting the protection and management of the wet tropical rainforests of Queensland. (1994)
• Centenary Medal for service as an expert on wet tropics and as a leading conservationist and academic. (2001)
• Queensland Greats Award (2025)