In 2011, FR&C put together a list of over 100 Australian donors (and some non-Australian donors to Australian causes) who have given over $1m. We’ve updated the list on several occasions since – now with over 350 individuals and families listed. We’ve only included people and families whose philanthropy has been mentioned in the public domain – either with a firm figure or with an estimate (we’ve put firm dollars ahead of estimates, even where it’s likely that the estimated figures are under-reported). We’ve provided links to the sources we’ve used for each person’s giving. We’ve drawn on previous published lists and added a lot of information from our Giftsearch database and our own researches. And we’ll revise the list over time – if you have a suggestion for an update, email us.
All of these gifts and over 850,000 more donations to Australian causes can be found in our subscription Giftsearch database.
Estate of William Buckland – the William Buckland Foundation has distributed over $100m since its establishment in 1964 and distributes around $6.5m annually.
Geoffrey Cumming - $250m to the University of Melbourne to establish the Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics at the University of Melbourne (2022)
Chuck Feeney – US$368m in Australian giving via Atlantic Philanthropies. Atlantic completed its Australian giving in 2016 with a US$50m grant to establish the Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity, led by the University of Melbourne.
Myer Family – Over $200m in cumulative giving, $12m+ in total giving in 2014, via the Myer Foundation and Sidney Myer Fund, not counting additional giving by Myer family members via their own foundations and PAFs. Recent giving includes a $10m gift from the Myer Foundation, the Ian Potter Foundation, and Martyn and Louise Myer to the University of Melbourne (2013).
Packer family (Gretel and James Packer) – The Packer Family Foundation and Crown Resorts Foundation pledged $200m over ten years for the National Philanthropic Foundation (2014) to fund projects in the arts and community (particularly indigenous education). $60m previously pledged to the arts in 2013 falls within this larger pledge. The Packer Family Foundation with the Crown Resorts Foundation pledged multi-million $ support to St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney for the organ donation program (2015). Additional giving by James Packer includes $2m to Generation One, $500k in personal giving to Telethon (2013) (plus $2m via Crown Perth in 2013, $2.5m in 2014, $2.5m in 2017); $1m to Anzac Centenary Public Fund (2014), ), and $1m to the NSW Rural Fire Service in 2019. Gretel Packer’s personal giving includes $5m+ to the Sydney Modern project at the Art Gallery of NSW (2017). Ros Packer’s giving to the arts includes $1m+ to National Gallery of Australia. The late Kerry Packer's known giving included $30 million to cancer research, $10 million to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, and $2.5 million to the NSW Ambulance Service. In 2023, James Packer with the Packer Family Foundation gave $7m to UNSW to establish the James Packer Chair in Mood Disorders.
Gates Foundation – over $50m in Australian giving, including $12.4m to UNSW (2008), $9.7m to Murdoch University (2004), $8.7m to George Institute (2007), $5m to Australian International Health Institute (2004), $4.4m to QUT (2009), $2.9m to QUT (2008), $2.9m to Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (2007), $2m to University of Queensland (2008), $2m to ANU (2013), $4m to University of Queensland (2013), $18m to World Vision Australia (2015).
Miller Family – Established by Noel Miller, the Miller Foundation was one of the founding donors of MCRI. It continues to be a major donor, distributing over $7m each year in 2016 and 2017.
Margarete (Gretel) Ainsworth – $10m to Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), towards the Margarete Ainsworth Building, new home for the organisation (2013). See also joint gifts with Len Ainsworth to State Library of NSW and WSU in 2018.
The Ainsworth family (Geoff Ainsworth, Jo Featherstone, Len Ainsworth, Mark Ainsworth, Paul Ainsworth and Valerie Ainsworth) $10m to AGNSW’s Sydney Modern project. Paul and Valerie Ainsworth also gave $2m to Westmead Millennium Institute (2007).
Robert Cripps, Thomas Cripps, and family - US$230m in total giving via the Cripps Foundation to 2015. Australian giving includes $5m to Korowa Anglican Girls School, $6.9m to the University of Melbourne, $3.68m to Trinity College, Melbourne, $1.6m to St John's College, University of Queensland, and $5.6m to Caulfield Grammar School.
Sir Michael Hintze – an estimated $35 million in total giving, including a Chair in International Security at the University of Sydney, Dorothy & Michael Hintze sculpture gallery at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and refurbishment of the Vatican's Pauline Chapel. Gave $1m to Sydney University (2013) and $1m to UNSW (2013). Recent giving includes $5m to the Australian Museum (2020)
Martin and Loreto Hosking via Three Springs Foundation - $12m to Monash University to establish the Monash Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies (2021), $10m to the University of Melbourne to establish a Contemplative Studies Centre as well as a further $3m+ to the University of Melbourne to support equine lameness prevention (2021).
Salteri Family – the late Carlo Salteri established the Heart Research Institute Salteri Family Research Endowment Fund with an initial gift of $1 million (1998), and subsequent gifts of $200K. Sandra and Paul Salteri are Patrons of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and have given over $8m in support of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children via their CAGES Foundation. Tenix have supported a Careflight helicopter and give via the Tenix Foundation.
Win Schubert – major arts philanthropist. $35m bequest to Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) to develop and maintain a permanent collection of artworks created in or after 1880, for the advancement of art education in Australia (2020); reported giving of $4.5m in 2011-12
Turner Family Foundation (Graham and Jude Turner) - $18.5m to University of Queensland to establish wildlife conservation and breeding project (2017)
The late Sir William Tyree – $10m bequest and $1m donation to Tyree Energy Technologies Building at UNSW (2009), $1m to engineering labs at University of Sydney (2007). The Sir William Tyree Foundation gave $1m to UNSW to support expansion of the nuclear engineering program (2021).
Sheila Woodcock - $14m bequest in 2020; recipients include $1.375m each to Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, The Salvation Army, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Scots Kirk Presbyterian Church, Hamilton NSW, RSPCA NSW, Royal Flying Doctor Service, Guide Dogs Australia, Diabetes NSW & ACT
Jan Cameron (with Rob and Sandy Purves and Graeme Wood) – $5m to Tasmanian Land Conservancy (2010), estimated $15m a year to the Elsie Cameron Foundation.
Valerie and John Ryan - $10m bequest to the Hunter Medical Research Institute towards medical research funding (2020), $10m bequest to the Newcastle Art Gallery (2020)
Christopher Abbot/The Abbot Foundation – $7m to the University of Woollongong to fund the Discovery Centre in early childhood teaching & research facility (2012).
Christine and Bruce Wilson - $5.5m to Snowdome Foundation to fund the Christine and Bruce Wilson Centre for Lymphoma Genomics (2017).
Wilson Family Trust - $5m to the University of Melbourne to establish the Thylacine Integrated Genomic Restoration Research (TIGRR) Lab at University of Melbourne (2022).
Eva Erdi via the Eva and Les Erdi Charitable Foundation – largest ever gift received by Alfred Foundation, for the Eva and Les Erdi Emergency and Trauma Centre (2015)
Peter Farrell – gifts of $1m+ to Harvard, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, San Diego Foundation, UCSD Cardiovascular Centre, along with substantial Australian giving including $1m+ to UNSW from the Farrell Family Foundation.
The late Tony Gilbert AM (John Anthony Gilbert) – over $1m in giving to the Art Gallery of NSW and the State Library of NSW, founding benefactor of the Bell Shakespeare Company.
Roger and Lesley Gillespie - support includes Monash University's World Mosquito Program, family foundation distributed $1.27m in 2018. Roger Gillespie became Chair of Monash University's Change It. For Good. campaign in 2019. The Gillespie Family Foundation gave $1m to La Trobe University to fund the Bradford Shepparton Pathways program (2023)
Estate of Percy Baxter – estimated distribution of $2.6m in 2005. Recent giving includes $960k to Ballarat Health Services for cancer centre equipment (2012).
Estate of Jack Brockhoff via the Jack Brockhoff Foundation – distributions of $1.98m in 2015.
Estate of William Buckland via the William Buckland Foundation – distribution of $6.5m in 2014.