About Us

THE Peter O’Connor Foundation arises from a declaration of trust made in 2010 between the executors of Peter O’Connor’s estate and The Peter O’Connor Foundation Ltd a company incorporated in Papua New Guinea. The execuotrs are John Bottoms, of the Cairns law firm Bottoms English Lawyers, and Anne English, former principal of Bottoms English Lawyers, now principal of Atherton Tablelands Law. John’s and Anne’s details are here.

The Peter O’Connor Foundation Ltd was appointed trustee under the declaration of trust. The will gave the executors the power to set up the foundation with the object of providing for the education of needy children in the rural areas of Papua New Guinea and in the settlements around Port Moresby. Peter died in 2004.

The foundation cannot provide funds to individual students. It can only provide funds and resources like books, computers and furniture to schools and charitable institutions. Individual students are advised not to ask the foundation for help with fees and books and the like, because our policy and our trust arrangements require us to refuse.

Bottoms English Lawyers was established in 1979 and is one of the most respected law firms in Cairns and the Tablelands.

The firm has built up a solid reputation of trust in our more than 30 years. The firm does a wide range of general legal work but has built a reputation for work in the Indigenous community, particularly native title, and has strong links with clients in PNG.

More details about the firm can be found here.

The will made provision for the appointment of a board of directors to advise the executors about the running of the foundation. Details of the board members can be found here.