Renowned ophthalmologist Dr Bill Glasson AO has shaped his career around the ethos of “take the services to the people” and he will be sharing stories from his life and career at a special Buderim Foundation Breakfast on Tuesday 9th June 2026.
From the early days of his childhood growing up on a sheep and cattle property outside Winton in Far West Queensland, Bill Glasson knew who his people were – the hard working, dedicated producers of the west. However, as he got older and returned home from boarding school during holidays to help on the property, through drought after drought, he knew he wasn’t destined for life on the land.
Instead, he set his sights on becoming an optometrist, thinking “most people need glasses” and then trained in Brisbane and London to become an ophthalmologist, settling in Brisbane with his wife Claire, who he met at medical school at the University of Queensland.
Driven by wanting to provide services for the people who needed them, as soon as Dr Glasson established his Brisbane practice he began outreach services to the Sunshine Coast and Far West Queensland.
“I have always believed you have to take the services to the people, and I knew there was a great need for eye health services in Far West Queensland as well as in our indigenous communities, so we established outreach services, while also doing a couple of days a week at Cotton Tree,” Dr Glason said.
“I wanted to give back and in the case of the Far West, I owed it to them to go home and do what I could to help the people of my community.”
Buderim Foundation Chair, Rick Woods said the Foundation was delighted to have Dr Glasson as the special guest for their Breakfast at Headland Gold Club on 9th June from 7am.
“Bill has been giving back, sharing his incredible expertise throughout his career and as part of that he has some incredible stories to tell,” Mr Woods said.
Dr Glasson, who was awarded the Order of Australia in 2008, for services to medicine in rural and remote Australia, to the eye health of Indigenous people and to professional medical organisations, has also served on many organisations advocating for access to medical care and eye health services both in Australia and in East Timor.
“In 2001, as East Timor was gaining its independence, I started an outreach with the East Timor Eye Program aiming to reduce preventable blindness in Timor-Leste while also helping to train doctors, surgeons and eye health specialists.
“It was important to me that we were not only treating those in need but that we were training the future of eye health care for the nation,” Dr Glasson said.
Dr Glasson continues to work full time as an eye surgeon specialising in cancer treatment while also continuing outreach services in Far West Queensland. He is excited that his daughter Dr Nicola Glasson will be continuing his legacy as an ophthalmologist both at his Brisbane practice and with outreach work.
“Nicola is about to have her second child, but I look forward to a time when we can go back out west together. It will be very special,” he said.
Buderim also has a special place in Dr Glasson’s heart, and he ran a practice in Mill Road for decades, before donating use of the building to the Buderim Men’s Shed before the organisation established their own-purpose built premises.
Mr Glasson said he was looking forward to coming back for the breakfast and catching up with many great mates from the area.
Mr Woods said the Buderim Foundation’s breakfasts were always popular and this one would be no exception. He said the breakfast was also a great way to support the Foundation.
“So, bring your friends and family, or come and meet new Foundation friends and join us for another great event,” Mr Woods said.
Event Details:
- Date: Tuesday, 9th June 2026
- Time: 7:00am – 9:00am
- Venue: Headland Golf Club, Buderim
- Cost: $55pp (includes a hot breakfast)
- To find out more and purchase tickets:
- visit https://www.buderimfoundation.org.au/event/breakfast-with-dr-bill-glasson/ or
- email info@buderimfoundation.org.auto purchase tickets via cash or EFTPOS.
RSVPs must be received by Monday, 1st June 2026. Book early to avoid disappointment, as numbers are limited.
About The Buderim Foundation
The Buderim Foundation is a philanthropic organisation that harnesses the power of community giving to enrich and enhance the quality of life for everyone in the Buderim area and across the Sunshine Coast.
The Foundation works by professionally investing all donations and bequests from community members. The earnings from these investments are redistributed back to the community via annual grants programs, ensuring that today’s generosity supports tomorrow’s needs in perpetuity.
The Foundation manages two funds: the Buderim Community Fund, supporting organisations serving Buderim residents, and the Thompson Charitable Fund, providing grants to organisations supporting people experiencing homelessness and financial hardship across the entire Sunshine Coast. So far, more than $2.3million has been granted to community and not-for-profit organisations to provide for people in the Buderim and Sunshine Coast communities.
For more information about the Buderim Foundation, how to get involved or make a donation, visit https://www.buderimfoundation.org.au/ or follow the Buderim Foundation on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
