Marigold Merlyn Baillieu Southey (Myer ’45) is the younger daughter and fourth child of the late Sidney Myer and Dame Merlyn Myer DBE. She was educated at St Catherine’s School and the University of Melbourne. Marigold married Ross Shelmerdine in 1950. They had four children, two sons and two daughters. They were restaurateurs, entrepreneurs, and built and owned the Mitchelton Winery complex at Nagambie in 1973. Ross died in 1979.

In 1982 Marigold married Sir Robert Southey, a company director and Chairman of the Australian Ballet. Sir Robert died in 1998.

Lady Southey was a Director of the Myer Family Companies from the mid-1950s until she retired in December 1999. She was Vice President of the National Stroke Foundation, and was a former President of Philanthropy Australia and President of the St Catherine’s School Foundation in the 1980s and 1990s. Lady Southey also served eight years on the Board of Orchestra Victoria, and is on several committees of the Myer Foundation. She is an active chairman of her two sons’ companies, engaged in farming and viticulture.

Lady Southey was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1999 for her service to the community in support of health care, medical research and the arts, and received the Centenary Medal in 2000.

On 1 January 2001 Lady Southey was appointed as the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Victoria.

In 2006 she was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). She retired as Lieutenant Governor in April 2006.

Lady Southey is Patron of the Australian Ballet School, The Lort Smith Animal Hospital, the National Council of Jewish Women Australia (Vic) and Monash Health.

Lady Southey is a devoted mother and grandmother and enjoys spending time with her extended family.

Updated January 2016