Tribute to Sir Anthony Mason

Former Chancellor Sir Anthony Mason's contribution to UNSW has been recognised with the opening of a commemorative garden in his name.

Funded by a generous donation from the U committee and with the help of the Faculty of Law, the Sir Anthony Mason Garden has been opened on the Kensington campus.

Located outside the Law Building on lower campus, the sculpture garden honours the great contribution made by Sir Anthony, who served as the fifth Chancellor of UNSW between 1994 and 1999.

Vice-Chancellor Fred Hilmer paid tribute to the many achievements of Sir Anthony, from his admission to the bar in 1951 and his selection as Queen's Counsel and Commonwealth Solicitor-General in 1964, to his appointment to the Supreme Court as Judge of the Court of Appeals, and then to the High Court of Australia, over which he eventually served as Chief Justice and from which position he retired in 1994 before arriving at UNSW.

Sir Anthony continues to serve the University through his work on the Gilbert + Tobin Centre for Public Law Advisory Committee and the Law Selections Committee.

Accompanied by his family, including his wife Lady Patricia Mason, sons Michael and David and grandchildren Kate and Emma - both current students of UNSW - Sir Anthony said that "three abiding interests in my life have been the law, books and gardening. I am delighted that the three have been connected in this garden".

The garden features a sculpture designed by Kate Cullity entitled Seeing the Wood for the Trees, and was the winning entry in the 2006 UNSW Sculpture Commission Competition.

Photos: Susan Trent/Gasbag Studios