Marie Bashir facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO FTSE
Bashir in 2008
37th Governor of New South Wales
In office 1 March 2001 – 1 October 2014
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Premier	Bob Carr Morris Iemma Nathan Rees Kristina Keneally Barry O'Farrell Mike Baird
Lieutenant	James Spigelman Tom Bathurst
Preceded by	Gordon Samuels
Succeeded by	David Hurley
17th Chancellor of the University of Sydney
In office 1 June 2007 – 15 December 2012
Vice‑Chancellor	Gavin Brown Michael Spence
Preceded by	Kim Santow
Succeeded by	Belinda Hutchinson
Personal details
Born	Marie Roslyn Bashir (1930-12-01)1 December 1930 Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia
Died	20 January 2026(2026-01-20) (aged 95)
Spouse	Nicholas Shehadie ​ ​ (m. 1957; died 2018)​
Children	3
Residence	Mosman, Sydney
Alma mater	University of Sydney
Occupation	Psychiatrist
Profession	Psychiatry

Dame Marie Roslyn Bashir (born 1 December 1930, passed away 20 January 2026) was an important Australian doctor and leader. She served as the 37th Governor of New South Wales from 2001 to 2014. At the same time, she was also the 17th leader (called Chancellor) of the University of Sydney from 2007 to 2012.

Marie Bashir was born in Narrandera, New South Wales. She finished her studies at the University of Sydney in 1956. She worked in many medical roles, focusing especially on helping people with their mental health. In 1993, she became the Clinical Director of Mental Health Services for Central Sydney. She held this job until she became Governor.

She retired after being Governor for more than 13 years. This made her the second-longest serving Governor of New South Wales. She said she did not want to serve longer than the war hero Sir Roden Cutler. General David Hurley took over from her.

Early Life and School Days

Marie Roslyn Bashir was born in 1930 in Narrandera, New South Wales. Her parents, Michael Bashir and Victoria Melick, were from Lebanon. Her father and his brother were both doctors. Her mother's family came to Australia a long time ago.

Marie went to Narrandera Public School. In 1943, she started at Sydney Girls High School, just like her mother. During this time, Marie lived in Sydney with her grandmother. After finishing high school in 1947, she studied music at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She became a very good violinist.

In 1956, Marie earned two degrees in medicine (MBBS) from the Sydney Medical School at the University of Sydney. She lived at The Women's College while studying. She later became involved in the college's leadership. At university, she met Nicholas Shehadie, a rugby player. They married on 23 February 1957. They had three children: Michael, Susan, and Alexandra.

Helping People: Marie Bashir's Medical Career

After becoming a doctor, Marie Bashir worked at St Vincent's Hospital and then at the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children. She later became a general practitioner, a doctor who helps families with everyday health needs. However, she wanted to do more to help people with mental health challenges. So, she decided to study psychiatry, which is the study of mental health.

Her husband, Nicholas Shehadie, became the Lord Mayor of Sydney. This meant Marie was the Lady Mayoress of Sydney from 1973 to 1975. In 1974, she was named "Mother of the Year" in New South Wales. She felt this showed that society was starting to accept working mothers more. Marie became a member of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists in 1971. She also taught medical students at the University of Sydney from 1972.

Supporting Young People's Mental Health

In 1972, Marie Bashir started the Rivendell Child, Adolescent and Family Service. This service helps young people with their feelings and mental health. She helped move the unit to a new location in Concord West in 1977. In 1987, she became a director of community health services. This role focused on health for young children, people from other countries, Indigenous Australians, and older people. For her work, especially in youth mental health, she received the Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) award on 13 June 1988.

The Rivendell Unit in Concord West, New South Wales, where Bashir was a founding Director

From 1990 to 1992, Marie was part of the New South Wales Women's Advisory Council. In 1993, she became a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Sydney. The next year, she became the Clinical Director of Mental Health Services for the Central Sydney Area Health Service. She helped make big changes to how mental health services were provided. She also helped create teaching programs with doctors in Vietnam and Thailand.

In 1995, in partnership with the Aboriginal Medical Service in Redfern, she established the Aboriginal Mental Health Unit. This unit worked to offer health support. Marie also focused on issues affecting young people and juvenile justice. She chaired the New South Wales Juvenile Justice Advisory Council for many years. On 1 January 2001, she received the Centenary Medal for her contributions.

Serving New South Wales: Governor and Beyond

In early 2001, Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia appointed Marie Bashir as the Governor of New South Wales. This made her the state's first female governor. She was also the first person of Lebanese background to be a governor in Australia. She started her role on 1 March 2001. On 30 March, she was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). Many people welcomed her appointment.

As Governor, Marie Bashir brought new ideas. She started a health program to help Indigenous medicine and nursing students. She also supported groups that help all people feel included and supported. In 2005, she opened the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival. She spoke about the importance of freedom and diversity in society.

International and Community Work

In 2002, Bashir became a patron of the Australia-Vietnam Medical Trust. She worked closely on health programs in Vietnam, especially in rural areas. On 17 May 2001, she was invested as a Dame of Grace of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem (DStJ). Having studied violin, she also became a patron for many arts groups. These included the Sydney University Graduate Choir, Opera Australia, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

In 2003, Bashir received the Mental Health Princess Award from Thailand. This was for her work on mental health programs between Australia and Thailand. In 2004, she was recognized as an Australian Living Treasure. She also became an honorary Member of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). In March 2004, during a visit to Lebanon, she received the Grand Officer of the National Order of the Cedar. Her term as Governor was extended several times. On 31 March 2006, the Queen appointed her a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO).

Chancellor and Administrator

In April 2007, Marie Bashir was chosen to be the Chancellor of the University of Sydney. She started this four-year role on 1 June 2007. As the longest-serving state governor, Bashir also acted as the Administrator of the Commonwealth many times. This happened when the Governor-General of Australia was away from Australia. On 4 November 2009, she was invested as a Chevalier of the Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur from France.

In late 2010, the Mosman Municipal Council named a new sports centre after her. It was called the "Marie Bashir Mosman Sports Centre." She officially opened it on 10 December 2010. In 2011, her term as Governor was extended again until 2014. Premier Barry O'Farrell praised her caring nature and hard work.

Bashir taking part in the Anzac Day parade in Sydney, 2013

In October 2011, Governor Bashir moved back into Government House, Sydney. This building was originally built for the Governor. On 19 April 2012, she received the Grand Cordon of the National Order of the Cedar from the President of Lebanon. In May 2012, she announced her plan to retire as Chancellor of the University of Sydney. A portrait of her as Chancellor was unveiled. Her term as Governor was extended for another six months, ending in September 2014.

On 26 May 2013, Bashir was promoted to the rank of Officer within the Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur by the President of France. On 21 October 2013, a new primary school in Strathfield was named the "Marie Bashir Public School" in her honour. The Premier noted her great contributions to New South Wales. In December 2013, the University of Sydney renamed an institute after her. It became the Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity (MBI). She also became a patron of the NAISDA Foundation.

In the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours, Bashir was made a Dame of the Order of Australia. This was for her amazing service to New South Wales, medicine, and education. In September 2014, her official portrait as Governor was unveiled at Government House.

Retirement and Legacy

Marie Bashir retired from her role as Governor on 1 October 2014. She mentioned that she did not want to serve longer than Sir Roden Cutler, a war hero she greatly admired.

General David Hurley succeeded her as Governor.

Continuing to Help Others

After retiring, Marie Bashir continued her community work. She was especially interested in helping post-traumatic stress disorder in Australian Defence Force veterans.

As of November 2020, Bashir was a patron of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation. Her role as patron of the NAISDA Foundation continued as of December 2021.

Her Passing

Marie Bashir passed away on 20 January 2026 at the age of 95. Premier Chris Minns announced that she would be honoured with a state funeral.

Awards and Recognitions

Marie Bashir received many important awards and honours throughout her life.

Her Official Title

Viceregal styles of Dame Marie Bashir
Reference style	Her Excellency
Spoken style	Your Excellency

Her full title as Governor was: Her Excellency Professor The Honourable Dame Marie Bashir, Dame of the Order of Australia, Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, Governor of the State of New South Wales in the Commonwealth of Australia.

Important Awards

Awards from Australia and Other Countries

	Dame of the Order of Australia (AD)	2014
	Companion of the Order of Australia (AC)	2001
	Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)	1988
	Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)	2006
	Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem	2001
	Centenary Medal	2001
	Grand Cordon of the National Order of the Cedar (Lebanon)	2012
	Grand Officer of the National Order of the Cedar (Lebanon)	2004
	Officer of the Legion of Honour (France)	2014
	Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (France)	2009

Awards from New South Wales

	Commissioner's Commendation for Service	22 August 2014 – Awarded by the New South Wales Police Force
	Commissioner's Sesquicentenary Unit Citation	22 August 2014 – Awarded by the New South Wales Police Force
	Medal of the Library Council of New South Wales	21 October 2014 – Awarded by the State Library of New South Wales
	Distinguished Service Medal – Gold	October 2016 – Awarded by The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

Special Appointments

• 1980 Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP).
• 2004 Honorary Member of the United Nations Development Fund for Women.
• 2006 Honorary Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (Hon.FTSE).
• 2007 Honorary Member of the Australian Medical Association.

Honorary University Degrees

• 3 May 2002: Honorary Doctorate of the University (D.Univ.) by the Australian Catholic University.
• 11 October 2002: Honorary Doctor of Medicine (MD) by the University of Sydney.
• 13 November 2004: Honorary Doctorate of the University (D.Univ.) by Southern Cross University at its Lismore Campus.
• 2004: Honorary Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) by the University of New South Wales.
• 2007: Honorary Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) by the University of Wollongong.
• 20 April 2012: Honorary Doctorate of the University (D.Univ.) by Macquarie University.
• 17 April 2014: Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) by the University of Western Sydney.

Honorary Military Roles

• 1 March 2001: Honorary and Regimental Colonel in the Royal New South Wales Regiment.
• 1 March 2001: Honorary Air Commodore of No. 22 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force.
• 9 October 2008: Honorary Commodore, Navy Warfare Training, Royal Australian Navy.
• 22 August 2014: Honorary Governor of the New South Wales Police Force.

Named in Her Honour

Awards

• Marie Bashir Peace Awards, National Council of Women of New South Wales.

Institutions and buildings

• Marie Bashir Mosman Sports Centre, Mosman.
• Marie Bashir Public School, Strathfield.
• Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity (MBI), University of Sydney.
• Governor Marie Bashir Reading Room, State Library of New South Wales.
• Professor Marie Bashir Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown.