She was an unlikely philanthropist, with a limited formal education, who made her fortune on the property market.

With no children and beneficiaries to leave her wealth to, Dorothy was convinced to set up an educational fund, that would continue her legacy for generations to come.

The scholarship is not awarded for the highest academic achievement, but to those who display a strong work ethic and the drive to pursue a higher education, an opportunity she never had.

Dorothy Irene Ellis-Thomas was born near Creswick in 1919, an only child to Ethel Preston and John Ellis.

Her father was a plumber, who sold his business and the family moved into Ballarat in the 1930s.

They eventually bought a house at Lake Wendouree - Avalon, at 332 Wendouree Parade.

Dorothy left school in Year 8, before studying book-keeping and typing at the School of Mines in Ballarat (SMB).

She and her mother opened The Rosemary tea house in the bottom block of Sturt Street, which became a popular social hub in Ballarat.

Soon after, Dorothy developed an interest in property and bought the tea house building and the adjacent property.

She began buying and selling properties, including prestigious homes on Wendouree Parade and on The Esplanade in Geelong.

Dorothy married George Thomas in 1950, a World War One veteran who served in the Australian Army Medical Corps. He worked as a shop clerk at Harry Davies and Co. Ballarat.

The pair built a home on Wendouree Parade. Mr Thomas died in 1975.

Dorothy was a prominent figure around Ballarat, often seen dressed in her finery and in her chauffeur-driven Mercedes-Benz.

Over the years, Dorothy amassed significant wealth and her lawyer and friend Paul James helped manage her property interests.

She was proud, yet extremely protective of her wealth and the comfortable lifestyle it afforded her.

With the help of her parents, especially her mother, she had built her fortune through hard work and determination to improve her circumstances.

In her later years, Mr James encouraged her to do something worthwhile with her money, but Dorothy was adamant that success was not something handed to you - it needed to be earned.

He had the idea of helping her set up an educational trust that could provide scholarships for hard-working Ballarat school leavers.

The capital would be invested, with the income used to provide scholarships.

Dorothy set the criteria her way. She died on April 4, 1995.

The first scholarships in 1999 in her memory sparked the beginning of an era for hundreds of Ballarat students.

In 2023, 25 years worth of scholarships have been awarded in Dorothy's memory. In total, around 350 students have been helped, worth $750,000. On December 21, 2023, 18 students received the latest round of scholarships.

The scholarship is awarded for all-round work ethic and determination across their studies, sport, family and community.

Paul James is a trustee of the fund and interviews each student to ensure they meet Dorothy's set criteria.

He asks each of them their definition of success.

"Is Dorothy more successful now (for her legacy), than when she died, for accumulating all that wealth?" he asks them.

"It's a matter of where you've come from and what it takes to get you where you are."

Some of her money has gone towards the Loreto College Performing Arts Centre and the Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts.

"It's been a way of spreading it wider and more kids getting the benefit of her legacy," Mr James said.

"We've been able to achieve without spending her capital, as she wanted."

Mr James said it was an example of the ways people could be philanthropic and there are talks about how others may contribute to Dorothy Thomas' fund going forward.

"You can help motivated young people and you can set the criteria as Dorothy did. For her, it was based on work ethic."