Berghofer, Clive

Millionaire businessman and property developer, Clive Berghofer, was born in 1935 on the outskirts of Toowoomba.

He attended school at Cambooya and later Wellcamp where his parents had a dairy farm. He began his working life in a sawmill at Wellcamp when he was 13, then  later moved to another sawmill near Millmerran.

After National Service in the Army he took a job as a carpenter’s labourer at Oakey.

Mr Berghofer first married in 1953 and had 2 children, a son and a daughter. He married for the 2nd time in 1959 and had 3 daughters.

In 1959 he moved to Toowoomba and set up his own building business. He bought his first block of land in 1964 and continued to develop land and build houses. In 1971 he won the tender to build and operate the  Wilsonton Hotel.

By 1976 he had also built the Wilsonton Shopping Centre. His business empire now spans many companies and successful ventures. He ranks annually in the BRW Rich 200 list.

He served as an alderman on Toowoomba City Council from 1973 to 1982 and was Mayor from 1982 till he resigned in 1992. He was a Member of  the Queensland Parliament for Toowoomba South from November 1986 to March 1991.

He is the patron of many charitable, welfare and sporting organisations and his philanthropy is legendary. Contributing $5 million to the Queensland Medical Research Council saw the research centre named the Clive Berghofer Cancer Research Centre.

Mr Berghofer was awarded the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1994 in recognition of his services to local government and the community. In 1996 the USQ awarded him the honorary title of Fellow of the University of  Southern Queensland for contributions to the civic life of Toowoomba and commitment to the interests of the University.