Sister Angela Mary Doyle, one of Queensland’s most remarkable women, marked her 100th birthday this year, a milestone in a life defined by compassion, courage, and quiet determination.
Read: Evans Deakin Shipyard: Brisbane’s Wartime Engine of Industry
Born on the 19th of August, the Irish-born Catholic nun first arrived in Brisbane in 1947 at the age of 21. Her first posting was to St Joseph’s Convent, Kangaroo Point, where she began teaching before moving into health care. It was the start of a vocation that would see her become one of Queensland’s most influential figures in education, nursing and hospital leadership.
Sr Doyle later trained as a nurse and rose to administrator of the Mater Hospital, where she helped modernise services and expand care across the state. But it was during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s that her bravery shone most clearly.
With Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen refusing federal funding for treatment, she quietly took the funds herself and channelled them through the Mater to the Queensland AIDS Council. She often visited patients under the cover of night, meeting them in their homes, listening to what they needed, and arranging care despite the risk of being discovered.
Federal Health Minister Neal Blewett once described the Sisters of Mercy as “the most altruistic of money launderers” for their covert role in supporting AIDS patients. For those facing illness and stigma, Sr Doyle’s actions brought comfort and dignity at a time of widespread fear.
Although she stepped back from leadership in the 2000s, Sr Doyle has remained closely involved with the Mater, continuing to support staff, visit patients and advocate for those in need.
Reflecting on her long life, she has often said that her focus was always more on helping others than on herself, and that her faith remained at the centre of everything she did.
Read: WilsonArchitects Marks 140 Years, Highlights Kangaroo Point Project
From Kangaroo Point to the Mater, from the classroom to the frontline of the AIDS crisis, Sister Angela Mary Doyle’s 100 years tell the story of a woman whose life has been lived for others.
Published 20-August-2025
