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 railwa ...

. 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 ...

. 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