Odyssey House Patrons

The Honourable Alex Chernov AC QC Governor of Victoria

Alex Chernov was born in Lithuania and, with his Russian parents, immigrated to Australia as a young boy. He was educated at Melbourne High School and then at the University of Melbourne where he gained the degrees of B.Com. and LLB (Hons). After graduating, he tutored in law on a part-time basis at Ormond and Newman Colleges and at Monash University. In 1968, Alex Chernov signed the Roll of Counsel at the Victorian Bar and in 1980, was appointed Queens Counsel in Victoria and, later, in the majority of the States in Australia. He practised almost exclusively in commercial and company law and equity, appearing in the Supreme Courts of nearly all the States at trial and appellate level, as well as the Supreme Court of Fiji and the High Court of Australia and the Privy Council.

Whilst a barrister, Alex Chernov played a significant role in the leadership of the legal profession and legal education in Australia and in our region. Between 1971 and 1975, he was the Independent Lecturer in Equity for the Council of Legal Education and, between 1985 and 1987, was an Honorary Consultant to the Australian Law Reform Commission. He is the co-author of Brooking and Chernov, Tenancy Law and Practice in Victoria, and the editor of its second edition. During 1985 and 1986, he was the Chairman of the Victorian Bar and Vice President of the Australian Bar Association. Between 1990 and 1991, he was President of the Australian Law Council and was Vice President of LawAsia between 1995 and 1997. He was also a member of the Council of the Presbyterian Ladies College between 1981 and 1990 and Chairman of the Australian Motor Sport Court of Appeal between 1985 and 1997.

In 1997, Alex Chernov was appointed a Judge of the Trial Division of the Supreme Court of Victoria and, in 1998, was appointed to its Court of Appeal. In 1992, he became a member of the Council of the University of Melbourne and chaired a number of its major committees. In 2004, he was elected a Deputy Chancellor of the University of Melbourne and in 2009, was elected as its Chancellor. In 2008, Alex Chernov was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia and was made a Companion of the Order in the 2012 Australia Day Honours. Alex Chernov was sworn in as the 28th Governor of Victoria on 8th April 2011.

Alex and his wife, Elizabeth, who is also Law graduate of the University, have three children, who are also graduates of the University. They have six grandchildren.

Mrs Elizabeth Chernov

Elizabeth Mary Chernov was born in Melbourne and was educated at the University of Melbourne where she completed her LLB. After graduating, she practised as a Solicitor for some fifteen years, for most of that period on a part-time basis.

Elizabeth served for many years on the board of the Royal Women’s Hospital and became its Deputy President and then Director and Deputy Chair of the Women’s and Children’s Healthcare Network. She was also Deputy Chair of RWHS Research and Ethics Committee and a Director of the Victorian Hospital Association. She was also a member of the Court Network.

Elizabeth married Alex Chernov in January 1966 and they have three children and six grandchildren.

Odyssey House Ambassadors

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle

Robert Doyle is the serving Lord Mayor of Melbourne.  A Member of Victoria’s Parliament for 14 years, Robert was Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Party for four years.  He has also been Shadow Minister for Health and, in government, Parliamentary Secretary for Health.  
Robert is President of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation and a Trustee of the Shrine of Remembrance.  Robert Doyle is a Principal at The Nous Group, a management consultancy business based in Melbourne, and, since 2007, has been Chairman of Melbourne Health (The Royal Melbourne Hospital).

Sigrid Thornton

One of Australia's leading and best loved actresses, Sigrid has starred in many films now regarded as Australian cinema classics including The Man from Snowy River and The Light Horseman. She has also starred in several television productions including All the Rivers Run, What’s Good for You, the landmark Sea Change and more recently Underbelly, The Golden Mile. Sigrid visited Odyssey House Victoria’s residential rehabilitation facility in Lower Plenty in August 2009 and spoke later that year at our Friends of Odyssey brunch.