Brisbane restaurant owner wins Humanitarian Award

Michael Gambaro, owner of Gambaro’s restaurant, has won the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) Humanitarian Award at the annual Derrick-Mackerras Memorial Lecture, held at Customs House in Brisbane last night.

Michael Gambaro has wholeheartedly supported QIMR for many years through the Knights of the Round Table event, which raises funds for critical medical research. He has worked tirelessly and helped raise over $1 million for Queensland charities including QIMR, Wesley Research Institute and the Courier Mail Children’s Charity.

Gambaro and his family are synonymous with the hospitality industry in Queensland and each year he provides an exclusive luncheon at his iconic restaurant, Gambaro’s on Caxton Street to the Knights of the Round Table. The Knights of the Round Table event was established in 2006 to raise funds for cancer research at QIMR. It started with a group of passionate fundraisers who sat around a table at Gambaro’s Restaurant and made Brisbane corporate history.

Gambaro shows tremendous leadership in philanthropic endeavours and has demonstrated a sustained commitment to medical research. His philosophy in life is to ‘give something back’ and his vision and community spirit is what sets him apart and makes him a truly remarkable Queenslander.

The Derrick-Mackerras Memorial Lecture evening was attended by distinguished guests, Professor John Hay, (previously of The University of Queensland, and recently appointed Chair of QIMR Council) Mick Reid, Director-General of Queensland Health, and previous QIMR Directors Ralph Doherty and Lawrie Powell. The lecture is an annual event, named after QIMR’s founding Director, Dr Ian Mackerras and Deputy Director, Dr Edward Derrick.