Marilyn Dillon

INDUCTED 2008

Beginning in 1981, Marilyn Dillon was a strong voice for the establishment of a Community Controlled Health Service on the Gold Coast. She successfully secured funding, and negotiated with the Aboriginal and Islander Community Health Service in Brisbane, to provide visiting services to clients on the Gold Coast until the Kalwun Health Service became a standalone facility with its own staff.

Marilyn worked tirelessly to establish the Kalwun Health Service on the Gold Coast. She acted as project manager for the fitout of a dental surgery at Mermaid Beach, an abandoned industrial facility in West Burleigh that would become the lynchpin of the operation, and a property in Bonogan that would become Kalwun’s Home and Community Care building. Marilyn was a Director on the QAIHC Board and became heavily involved in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health issues across Queensland and Australia. Marilyn’s efforts were not restricted to the health sector. She was a tireless fighter for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their issues on the Gold Coast and through her efforts gained the respect of both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. Marilyn’s passion, professionalism, work ethic, vision, and kindness saw her materially improve the lives of countless people on the Gold Coast and beyond. She had the respect of doctors, c-suite executives, and politicians. But most importantly, she has the love and respect of her people.