Christopher Sheehy

Sir Christopher Sheehy OBE (25 December 1894 – 31 August 1960) was one of Queensland's and Australia's leading dairy industry administrators.

Early life, family background and education

Sheehy was born at Gympie, Queensland, the third of six children of Irish-born parents Jeremiah Sheehy, goldmine manager, and his wife Kate, née O'Driscoll. Sheehy was educated at the Christian Brothers' College, Gympie.

Sheehy's brother and sister also served the State of Queensland. His brother The Honourable Sir Joseph Sheehy KBE was a Queensland Supreme Court Justice and three times Administrator of the State of Queensland, and his sister Kathleen Sheehy was a champion of special education in Queensland, being instrumental in renaming State education classes for children with disabilities from 'backward classes' to 'opportunity classes,' and was appointed head of the State's first ever Opportunity school (later renamed Special schools).

Sheehy studied accountancy in Brisbane and joined the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Stock as a clerk in January 1911. In February 1920 he married Ruby Maria Bridget Barlow, a Sydney-born clerk,

Queensland State appointments

Sheehy was Secretary of the Queensland Wheat Board from 1920 and Secretary of the Queensland Council of Agriculture from 1926 to 1938. In 1928 Sheehy also became Secretary of the Queensland Butter Board, a position he combined with that of State Secretary (1928 to 1934) for the (Thomas) 'Paterson Plan', which levied butter production to pay a bounty on the exported product.