Description

During the middle of the nineteenth century, Englishman Walter Hall came to Australia with only a few pounds in his pocket to seek his fortune in the gold rush. After a shaky start he became a very successful and wealthy businessman. Much of his wealth came from Queensland's Mt Morgan gold mine. He also acquired substantial holdings in the booming pastoral industry and his entrepreneurial skills also extended to transport. He was one of the last owners of Cobb & Co, the horse-drawn coach line of Australian history and tradition. He died in 1911 aged 80 years.
Both Walter and his wife Eliza were active philanthropists during their life together. In the year following her husband's death Eliza set up a million pound charitable trust (1912), calling it the Walter and Eliza Hall Trust, as a means of assisting those in need.
Since that time the Trust has assisted hundreds of thousands of Australians in their time of crisis. Others have been assisted to reach their full potential as a reuslt of the Trust's support and encouragement. Also, many charitable organisations have been assisted by the Trust over the past ninety six years providing funds to assist them in their program delivery. For example the Walter & Eliza Hall Institure of Medical Research in Melbourne was established with funds provided by the Trust.

Website

Dual site - The Walter and Eliza Hall Trust and fundraising initiative The Survival Fund (launched 2006)

State

New South Wales

Social Category

Poverty/Disadvantage/Homelessness