News Archive

More than 100 years ago, UWA founder Sir John Winthrop Hackett saw limitless potential in our State, and people who were eager to explore new intellectual frontiers.

The Benefactor Wall, unveiled on Wednesday 6 May, celebrates the major benefactors who followed in our founder’s footsteps, the people who have supported UWA in becoming the international leader it is today.

The Wall is a daily reminder for the entire UWA community, of those who believe in us and support our mission to explore, teach and inspire.

Among our noted benefactors are people like Frederick Hadley, whose travelling scholarship continues to empower postgraduate medical students more than 50 years after it was first awarded. Frederick’s extensive collection of irreplaceable medical specimens remains invaluable for teaching and research, and was the founding collection of the FA Hadley Pathology Museum.

The Museum was recently refurbished with the help of donors through an Annual Fund grant. Now known as the Pathology and Education Learning Centre, it still holds Frederick’s prized specimens and has been acclaimed for its innovation and quality.

Western Australian agricultural pioneers, Sir Edward and Lady Beatrice Lefroy, were also leaders in agricultural research and education. The couple was instrumental in establishing the University Institute of Agriculture. Today, UWA is ranked first amongst Australian universities in the Shanghai Jai Tong Academic Ranking of World Universities ‘Life and Agricultural Sciences’ category.

Behind every name on our Benefactor Wall is an extraordinary story. It is a beautiful reminder that our University is built from and for our community.

Next time you are near Winthrop Hall, take some time to visit the Wall, located opposite the entrance to the Hall, under the arches of the Vice-Chancellery.