Keith Williams, (22 September 1929 – 19 October 2011) was an Australian entrepreneur who developed some of the best known attractions in
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
, including
Sea World,
Hamilton Island and
Port Hinchinbrook
Cardwell is a coastal town and rural locality in the Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Cardwell had a population of 1,309 people.
Geography
The Bruce Highway National Highway 1 and the North Coast railway ...
.
Williams was a self-made multimillionaire who began his career in the 1960s with the creation of a water skiing park in Surfers Paradise. This was followed by a raceway, Sea World, and Hamilton Island, Daydream Island and Port Hinchinbrook in the
Whitsunday Islands
The Whitsunday Islands are 74 continental islands of various sizes off the central coast of Queensland, Australia, north of Brisbane. The northernmost of the islands are off the coast by the town of Bowen, while the southernmost islands are of ...
.
Williams earned a reputation as both a visionary and a pioneer, and as the bane of environmentalists.
He was born in
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...
on 22 September 1929. He left school aged 13 and by aged 16 had started his first business. By 19, he was making products licensed by Walt Disney in a self-built factory at Bulimba with 50 employees.
By age 30 Williams was an Australian water-skiing champion and in 1963 married a former TV star and later Miss Gold Coast, Thea Williams.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Keith
1929 births
2011 deaths
Australian businesspeople
Businesspeople from Queensland
Australian Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George