Garden Tours at Government House
A unique experience of one of Australia’s most iconic locations. Take in the beautiful Lake Burley Griffin as you cruise to the Governor-General’s historic, Official Residence, where you will receive an exclusive tour of the grounds. The tour of the picturesque surroundings is led by knowledgeable and experienced volunteer Garden Guides from The Australiana Fund.
Help support the work of The Australiana Fund - to acquire and preserve our historic and culturally significant collection for the nation!
Departure: DETAILS TO BE CONFIRMED.
The Tours typically run from Feb, March, April, September, October & November.
Further Details Pending regarding booking.
Adult $30 Concession $24 Child (5-12 years) $17 Child (under 5) Free
DUE TO THE EXCLUSIVENESS OF THIS TOUR, THE OPERATORS REQUIRE BOOKING 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE AND ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE THE NAME AND DATE OF BIRTH FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS JOINING THE CRUISE, WHICH WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE AFP AT GOVENMENT HOUSE.
Please note, this cruise consists of a 1 hour walking tour of Government House Gardens. Unfortunately there is no wheelchair access up into the grounds of Government House and the path the tour takes is quite uneven. Upon arrival at Government Gardens, guests are advised to use the bathrooms before disembarking from the boat as there is no access to toilets during the tour. All guests are required to provide ID.
The cruise operators reserve the right to cancel this cruise in the event of bad weather or low booking numbers. Also being the residence of the Governor-General, the AFP reserves the right to refuse access to Gardens at short notice due to security reasons.
Walking Tour of Birchgrove
To learn more about the fantastic guided walking tour from Ballast Point to Birchgrove Oval, organised by the NSW Commitee CLICK HERE
Private Viewing of an Historic Dawes Point Residence
Please join the New South Wales Committee of The Australiana Fund for a private, exclusive visit and drinks at an historic, Dawes Point home.
Situated in the historic Rocks area of Sydney, the home was built circa 1836 for businessman William Rankin, in the style of a Georgian townhouse. Fund members Simon de Meyrick and ceramic artist, Richard acquired the house in a very sad state in 2012 from NSW Housing and set about restoring it to its current, beautiful form and filling it with their amazing collection.
This event has ended
All profit from this event will go towards new acquisitions for The Australiana Fund Collection and our Collection conservation projects.
Image: Courtesy of Simon de Meyrick
Discovery Day at ‘Clairville’ Tasmania
The Tasmanian Members of The Australiana Fund are holding a discovery day at ‘Clairville’, the home of Fund Member and well-known artist Michael McWilliams and his partner Robert Henley. Built in the 1820’s ‘Clairville’ was owned by one family for generations. In 2019, Michael and Robert purchased the house including some of the original furniture. We will be able to wander in the expansive garden, tour the house, and visit Michael’s art studio, which is rarely open to the public. Michael McWilliams is a highly regarded Australian artist whose work is in demand.
The day will start with Robert and Michael discussing the house and some Tasmanian treasures owned and brought along by Members of the Tasmanian Committee. Lunch will be served with a glass of wine or soft drink in the lovely garden and later there will also be a Gin tasting from Turner Stillhouse. Tasmanian Fund Member, Brett Coulson is the Distiller. Their brand 3 Cuts Gin is delicious!
All profit from this event will go towards new acquisitions for The Australiana Fund Collection.
This event has ended.
Image: Courtesy of Michael McWilliams.
Free Online Lecture #8
A House of Treasures: The David Roche Foundation House Museum.
Speaker: Robert Reason, Museum Director, The David Roche Foundation. LINK TO THE RECORDING OF THIS LECTURE
A new private house museum for Australia opened its doors to the public in June 2016 containing the lifework of passionate Adelaide collector and international dog judge and exhibitor, David Roche AM (1930-2013). This talk will explore his home Fermoy House and its interiors which can be adeptly described as a compressed version of an English country home. Some of his remarkable collection of English, French and Russian art from the eighteenth to early twentieth century will be examined focusing particularly on the rococo and neoclassic periods. See also highlights from the temporary exhibition programme including current exhibition Wedgwood: Master potter to the Universe.
Free Online Lecture #7
'Collecting and Exhibiting for the Nation' Guest Speaker: Dr Mathew Trinca AM FAHA Director, National Museum of Australia. LINK TO THE RECORDING OF THIS LECTURE
The acquisition of the Trevor Kennedy Collection by the National Museum of Australia marked a high point in the work of this national institution devoted to telling the Australian story. More than 5000 pieces of fine art and Australiana collected over more than 60 years were acquired in what was the most significant addition to the National Historical Collection since the Museum opened its doors in Canberra in 2001.
On the eve of stepping down from his post, Mat Trinca will speak about this acquisition and other key moments in his decade as Director of the National Museum.
As well as detailing the work of building this important national collection, Mat will discuss the cultural politics of display and representation, focusing on the most notable of the Museum’s exhibitions of Australian life and history through this period. His lecture will trace the outlines of changes in Australian sentiment on a range of issues as it canvasses the breadth of the institution’s ambition its connections with the mission and activities of The Australiana Fund.
There is no charge for attending our Online Lectures. However, if you would like to make a tax deductible donation to The Australiana Fund, a link is provided at the point of Ticket Sales or go to our website Support Us page.
Thank you for your support of The Australiana Fund.
Image courtesy of National Museum of Australia.
Free Online Lecture #6
‘The Story of Beleura’ Link to the recording of this lecture
Beleura is an Italianate-style villa located in Mornington, Victoria. It was built in 1865 on the traditional lands of the Boon Wurrung/Bunurong people for James Butchart, a stock and station agent who created a thriving and prosperous business during the Victorian Gold Rush. This talk looks at the families who lived at Beleura including the Tallis family who made their fortune in the entertainment and theatre world of Victorian Melbourne as well as the special collections held by Beleura.
Guest Speaker: Martin Green
Martin Green has worked in heritage tourism and the museum sector for 24 years. For over twelve years he was the Education, Collections and Interpretations manager at the National Trust working at Rippon Lea, the Old Melbourne Gaol, and the Polly Woodside Tall Ship. He has worked on a variety of costume exhibitions including the Miss Fisher Murder Mystery costume series. Previously he worked for ABC TV as a Producer in education and the arts as well as for ACMI and their Digital Story series.
Image details courtesy of Beleura House & Garden.
Free Online Lecture #5
Curating Australiana: an exhibition in the vernacular Link to the recording of this lecture
The major exhibition Australiana: Designing a Nation sought to survey the iconography of Australiana in art and design through key chapters in our history through to the present day, and to illuminate the distinct creative traditions that have reflected—and changed with—popular notions of Australian identity and style. Curated by and presented exclusively at Bendigo Art Gallery in partnership with the National Gallery of Victoria, and drawing upon the collections of The Australiana Fund and other lenders, this expansive exhibition showcased works by over 200 artists and designers across 10 gallery spaces, spanning the visual and decorative arts as well as photography, illustration, furniture, jewellery, moving image and fashion.
In assembling works for the exhibition and interpreting its material, the curators ensured that the rich expressions of culture and connection to Country of First Nations artists and designers foregrounded explorations of national and personal identity by others. Through the use of local materials and motifs, playful remixes of popular culture, and incisive reflections on nationalistic sentiment, the visual language of Australiana was revealed to both celebrate—and interrogate—who we are.
Join exhibition curator Emma Busowsky as she reflects on this project and the curatorial framework behind it.
Image detail from The Australiana Fund Collection: Doulton & Co., 1858–1901, Artist: Florence Barlow, active 1873–1909, Vase, Lambeth, London, England, 1877, stoneware, incised, 21.5 x 12 cm. Purchased 1995. 1995.2. Image © Max Taylor Photographer.
Free Online Lecture #4
In the fourth Online Lecture of our 2023 series, Professor Tim Entwisle will talk about his life as a botanist and in botanic gardens, based on his memoir published last year by Thames & Hudson, Evergreen: The Botanical Life of a Plant Punk. Tim Entwisle believes botanic gardens address the key threats of our time, such as climate change and plant extinction, while simultaneously serving up gorgeous landscapes and offering a balm to the weary human spirit. After 25 years as a director at some of the world’s finest botanic gardens – in Sydney, London and Melbourne – his conclusion is that botanic gardens are a cure for the world’s ills. Evergreen also reveals the noisy soundtrack to Tim Entwisle’s life, why he prefers nature found kerbside rather than in the wild, and how he comes to have an alga (seaweed) named after him. Above all, it’s an ode to what Tim describes as a powerful mix of nature, science and culture.
Image detail: Courtesy of Professor Tim Entwisle.
Online Lecture #3 - Canberra's Modern: Variations on a Theme
The third of our 2023 Online Lecture series will focus on Canberra.
Canberra has been factored in to various formulations of Australian modernism/modernity, from the earliest formulations of the purposes the national capital should serve, the contending visions of an international design competition for an ‘ideal city’, the tensions between garden city and a city beautiful ideals through to challenges of adapting a subsidised project to the demands of viable self-governing economy. In between there are the very distinctive registers of the experiment the city represented in the post- World War II decades.
This lecture will offer reflections on ways in which we might make connections between the personal, social, aesthetic and political of this period, and reflect on its historical significance.
Speakers: Professor Nicholas Brown
Nicholas Brown is a professor in the School of History in the College of Arts and Social Sciences at the Australian National University. In 2014 Cambridge University Press published his History of Canberra, and he has maintained an interest in the history of the city and its place in the wider national story. He is convenor of the Canberra Museum and Gallery advisory committee, and has served on the ACT Heritage Council. t
Image: Government House, Yarralumla, from the National Arboretum Canberra. Image© Wendy McDougall Photographer
Online Lecture #2 - Fred Ward, Pioneer Australian Designer: His Life and Work in Furniture Design .
Title: Fred Ward, Pioneer Australian Designer: His Life and Work in Furniture Design.
Speakers: Amy Jarvis and Meredith Hinchliffe AM
Amy Jarvis is a heritage and engagement specialist with more than 15 years of research and project management experience on a broad range of heritage conservation, management and interpretation projects and in public and private sector leadership and key advisory roles. Currently the acting Director of ACT Historic Places as part of the ACT Government’s Cultural Facilities Corporation, Amy was formerly the University Heritage Advisor at the Australian National University where she managed the collection of Fred Ward and ANU Design Unit Furniture. Amy is also a Churchill Fellow, and Co-Founder and Creative Director of Canberra Modern, an annual program of events celebrating mid-century design, architecture and planning in Canberra.
Meredith Hinchliffe AM has worked in the visual arts since 1977. She is a specialist in the decorative arts and is a valuer under the government’s Cultural Gifts Program. She is a project manager, a writer, curator and writes reviews of decorative arts exhibitions for CityNews. Prior to that she wrote reviews for The Canberra Times for 30 years. Meredith has curated several exhibitions of mid-century furniture, including one of the work of Fred Ward in 2013. Meredith is a Research Associate at the National Museum of Australia and is working on the Trevor Kennedy Collection, recently acquired by the Museum.
Online Lecture #1 - ‘Marion’s Nature – Marion Mahony Griffin as Pioneering Environmentalist’.
Speaker: Dr Anne Watson
Title: ‘Marion’s Nature – Marion Mahony Griffin as Pioneering Environmentalist’
Marion Mahony Griffin, architect and artist, was one of the first licensed female architects in the world.
South Australia Members Christmas Reception
The South Australian Committee have pleasure in inviting you to a Christmas Cocktail Reception.
This is an event for Australiana Fund Members and invited guests.
To request the online booking details use the CONTACT form on this website
3rd Narratives of Nations Link to Online Lecture Recordings
3rd Narratives of Nations
Lecture recordings s online now.
A Private Walking Tour of Millers Point & Dawes Point , Sydney
The New South Wales Committee of The Australiana Fund invite Members and their Guests to a private walking tour of Millers Point & Dawes Point with heritage architect Dr Anne Warr. Anne Warr is a Registered Architect with post-graduate qualifications in Heritage Conservation from the University of York, UK, and a recently completed PhD from UNSW.
Please join us for a special afternoon including an exclusive viewing of 5 private homes, some not before opened to public, ending with a drink at the historic, 170 year old ‘Hero of Waterloo Hotel’, in Lower Fort Street, Millers Point.
The Committee will finish off this enjoyable day with dinner at the highly praised ‘Hero of Waterloo Hotel’. Attendees are invited to stay on and join us at their own expense.
All profit from this event will go towards new acquisitions for The Australiana Fund Collection and our Collection conservation projects.
To request online booking details use the CONTACT Form on this website.
Image: Millers Point, NSW. Courtesy of National Library of Australia nla.pic-vn4695825-v
Lecture #5 - Australian timbers: a history of their use in cabinetmaking - Part of 3rd Narratives of Nations Symposium 2022
Speaker: John McPhee
Title: Australian timbers: a history of their use in cabinetmaking
Abstract: With special reference to examples in the Australiana Fund collection, this talk will look at the discovery, use of, and fashion for Australian timbers in cabinetmaking.
Speaker: John McPhee
John McPhee, the inaugural Director of Fine Arts for the Australiana Fund and Fine Art Advisor to the Committee on Official Establishments, 1978-1979, and the inaugural Curator of Australian Decorative Arts and Senior Curator of Australian art, at the National Gallery of Australia, 1980-1992.
Joseph Sly, England/Australia, 1803– 1887, arrived 1834,
Pair of bookcases,
Sydney, New South Wales, c.1845,
red cedar, glass, each 122.5 x 294.5 x 47 cm.
Purchased 1979. 1979.15.1–2
©Wendy McDougall Photography
The Australiana Fund’s National Fundraising Raffle 2022 (online)
The Australiana Fund’s National Fundraising Raffle 2022 is in support of the conservation and maintenance of our significant, historic and contemporary collection of Australian artworks, including the ‘Yarralumla Cabinet’ by Geoffrey Hannah OAM.
Seven wonderful, Australian prizes, with a total value of $9,625 have been generously sourced by The Fund’s State Committees.
Drawn on 12 December 2022. at 12 Noon
Congratulations to our Winners !
1st PRIZE – J. Boller Ticket Number: #301
2nd PRIZE – D. Colton Ticket Number: #188
3rd PRIZE – R. Hannan Ticket Number: #345
4th PRIZE - T. Bradley Ticket Number: #79
5th PRIZE – D. Garder Ticket Number: #243
6th PRIZE – A. Tyson Ticket Number: #7
7th PRIZE - A. Parbury Ticket Number: #272.
Thank you all for supporting this event.
An Afternoon at Coriyule
Coriyule is one of Victoria’s most important historic houses. Constructed in 1849 for two Lady Squatters, Anne Drysdale and Caroline Newcombe, the house is constructed from local stone. Their architect, Charles Laing, created an unusual house with many features pertinent to their needs and the challenges of the times.
Purchased in 2007, the property was a ruin and the garden was derelict. Over the last 20 years our hosts for the afternoon, Australiana Fund Members Isobel Williams and Bryce Raworth, have meticulously restored and renovated the house and transformed the garden into a feast of trees, wonderful plantings of Australian natives, exotics and vegetable gardens.
Thanks to their enormous generosity, Australiana Fund members and guests are invited to take a second look at their property which The Fund last visited in 2013, following completion of the first stage of the building and garden works.
Please join us for a special afternoon of fun and festivities. Bring your tennis gear and make a game!
Enjoy afternoon tea from 3pm and local wines from the Bellarine Peninsula which will feature on the drinks trolley.
Children (and grandchildren) under 15 are free!
To request online booking details use the CONTACT Form on this website.
Lecture #4 - The Emergence of the Australian Interior Designer: Craft, Commerce and Interdisciplinary Practices, 1920-1945 - Part of 3rd Narratives of Nations Symposium 2022
Speaker: Dr Catriona Quinn, Researcher and academic, UNSW Sydney.
Title: The Emergence of the Australian Interior Designer: Craft, Commerce and Interdisciplinary Practices, 1920-1945
Abstract: The 1920s and 1930s were a crucial time for the development of new design occupations, including interior decoration, which offered fresh opportunities in commerce and self-expression for women. The links between craft and design were crucial to this transitional phase of emergent occupations, when interdisciplinary practices flourished. This talk looks at individual designers such as Thea Proctor, Marion Hall Best, Margo Lewers and May Coulson through the lense of key themes: the gendering of craft and design practices, the global circulation of ideas and the implications of European diaspora. The fluidity between interwar craft and design practices, it is argued, connects this seminal era with contemporary tensions in design disciplines and the gendering of ‘female’ occupations which underpins biased historical narratives.
Speaker: Dr Catriona Quinn, Researcher and academic, UNSW Sydney.
Dr Catriona Quinn researches and teaches design history at UNSW Sydney. A former curator at Sydney Living Museums, she developed the first retrospective exhibition on an Australian interior designer, Marion Hall Best, in 1993. Catriona has published and lectured widely on interior design history, including recent chapters in The Other Moderns: Sydney’s Forgotten European Design Legacy (2017) and Margo Lewers: No Limits (2022) and was twice awarded bursaries by the Design History Society to present at their international conferences. Her 2021 PhD on the role of the client in postwar interior design won UNSW’s J.M. Freeland Prize for Significant Research Contribution. 3.
Garden Tours at Government House
A unique experience of one of Australia’s most iconic locations. Take in the beautiful Lake Burley Griffin as you cruise to the historic Governor-General’s Official residence, where you will receive an exclusive tour of the grounds. The tour is hosted by the volunteers from The Australiana Fund who will educate and enthrall you as you wander the picturesque surroundings.
Departure: 1pm Thursday from the Yacht Club, Mariner Place, Yarralumla.
This cruise runs every Thursday during Feb, March, April, September, October and November.
Adult $30 Concession $24 Child (5-12 years) $17 Child (under 5) Free
Add an Afternoon Tea Buffet to your Government House cruise booking for just $35. Includes sandwiches, scones, pastries, slice or cake and a glass of sparkling on arrival.
DUE TO THE EXCLUSIVENESS OF THIS TOUR, WE REQUIRE BOOKING 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE. WE ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE THE NAME AND DATE OF BIRTH FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS JOINING US, WHICH WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE AFP AT THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S RESIDENCE.
The Yacht Club are required to take the name and date of birth for all participants joining us, which will be forwarded to the AFP at the Governor General’s Residence.
Please note, this cruise consists of a 1 hour walking tour of Government House Gardens. Unfortunately there is no wheelchair access up into the grounds of Government House and the path the tour takes is quite uneven. Upon arrival at Government Gardens, guests are advised to use the bathrooms before disembarking from the boat as there is no access to toilets during the tour. All guests are required to provide ID.
The Yacht Club reserve the right to cancel this cruise in the event of bad weather or low booking numbers. Also being the residence of the Governor-General, the AFP reserves the right to refuse access to Gardens at short notice due to security reasons.
For further information, please call 6273 1784 or email Yacht Club at reception.yachtclub@cscc.com.au
Lecture #3 - W. H. Rocke & Co., and the crafting of taste and tradition with Australian timbers in Melbourne and Canberra - Part of 3rd Narratives of Nations Symposium 2022
Speaker: Dr Andrew Montana
Title: From international exhibitions to Ruth Lane-Poole’s Federal Capital commission: W. H. Rocke & Co., and the crafting of taste and tradition with Australian timbers in Melbourne and Canberra.
Abstract: Established in Melbourne in the 1860s, W. H. Rocke & Co. was Victoria’s successful and largest furniture manufacturer and crafted stylish and impressive furniture to showcase Australian timbers for international exhibitions in Australia and London. This quality firm worked until the early 1930s and was responsible for some of the cabinetry and upholstery work of Canberra’s Official Residences under the direction of Ruth Lane-Poole. Casting the context wider, this well-illustrated presentation showcases Rocke & Co.’s work, and the interest in the revival of historic, British styles in Australian timbers, long championed by Lane-Poole and her associates from Melbourne.
Speaker: Dr Andrew Montana
An Honorary Research Fellow, Dr Andrew Montana was a senior lecturer in art and design for almost twenty years at the Australian National University. In 2013, he was the curator of the exhibition Australia Revealed: Decorative Arts from The Australiana Fund. The author of books, chapters and articles, he engages with the intersection of art, architecture, design and the decorative arts in his ongoing research. Most recently, Andrew has contributed two chapters on the Australian decorators Lyon, Cottier & Co. to the book Daniel Cottier: Designer, Decorator, Dealer, published with Yale through the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, London, 2021. He was awarded the Ivan Barko award for his published research in the French Australian Review.
Private Viewing & Talk: Cressida Campbell at Philip Bacon Galleries.
The Queensland Committee of The Australiana Fund invite you for drinks and canapés and to view an exhibition of recent works by Cressida Campbell at Philip Bacon Galleries, Brisbane.
Guest speaker Simon Elliott, Deputy Director of QAGOMA, will talk about the work and career of this important Australian artist.
We hope you will join us for this exclusive event at Philip Bacon Galleries, Brisbane.
A major survey exhibition of Campbell's work is scheduled to open in September 2022 at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
Funds raised will go towards The Australiana Fund's programme of new acquisitions and maintenance of our historic and culturally significant collection of Australian artworks on loan for display and use in the four Official Residences of the Governor-General and Prime Minister of Australia.
To request online booking details use the CONTACT Form on this website.
Lecture #2 - Ruth Lane-Poole - A Woman of Influence - Part of 3rd Narratives of Nations Symposium 2022
Speaker: Margaret Betteridge
Title: Ruth Lane Poole - A Woman of Influence
Margaret was introduced to the work of Ruth Lane-Poole in 1986 on taking up her role as Honorary Adviser, Fine Arts and Gifts in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. She came to appreciate Ruth's work in the historical context of decorating and furnishing Government House and The Lodge in 1927. In 2021 Margaret curated the exhibition, Ruth Lane-Poole: A Woman of Influence, at Canberra Museum and Gallery which brought together insights into her Irish family connections and her decorating philosophy. For the first time, examples of the furniture, silver and china she commissioned for the official residences in 1926-27 were seen together in the context of her work.
With the Governor-General and the Prime Minister successfully installed in their official residences in Canberra in time for the opening of Federal Parliament on 9 May 1927, the Federal Capital Commission’s ‘Furniture Specialist’, Ruth Lane-Poole, could reflect on the task she had just completed. With great pride, she noted that ‘there is not one piece in the houses made of imported timber.’ No doubt encouraged by her husband, Charles Lane-Poole, the Commonwealth’s senior forester, she chose Australian native timbers to suit the traditional period styles of furniture she considered appropriate for the functional requirements of the houses and their occupants.
Speaker: Margaret Betteridge, Director Betteridge Heritage, freelance heritage and decorative arts consultant
A post-graduate scholar in museum studies at the University of Leicester, Margaret was the founding curator of the Royal Mint and Hyde Park Barracks Museums for Sydney's Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. In 1986 she was appointed to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to manage the collections of contents in the Australian Government's official residences. Since 1994, Margaret has enjoyed the diversity of collections management and curatorial enterprise projects with clients in the public domain working on wide ranging projects across Australia and New Zealand. She has the privilege of on-going work with all tiers of government and with private and public organisations to deliver award-winning results. Her clients include (but not limited to) the NSW Government (Public Works Advisory, Property and Development NSW and Heritage NSW), City of Sydney and Sydney Living Museums. She is passionate about the use of Australian flora and its adaptation as a decorative language in design, art and craft.
Lecture #1 - The Governor-General’s Xylotheque - Part of 2022 3rd Narratives of Nations Symposium
Bookings: Eventbrite
Speaker: Jennifer Sanders, Chair The Australiana Fund
Title: The Governor-General’s Xylotheque
In 1918, Richard Baker, Curator/Director of the Technological Museum, Sydney, presented His Excellency Sir Ronald Crauford Munro Ferguson P.C. G.C. M.C., Governor-General of Australia with a collection of 100 ‘dummy’ books each carved out of an Australian timber with the botanical name on the spine of the timber sample. Carved by renowned timber carver, Frederick W. Tod, each volume represents not only the refined cabinetmaking skills of Tod but also the richness and potential of Australia’s native forests.
More than a gift, this timber ‘library’ or xylotheque was the embodiment of the deep respect Baker had for Munro Ferguson, who was himself a forester. The respect was mutual – Baker, an Economic Botanist was a leading figure in a distinguished group of botanists who researched and classified the botanical resources of the new southern land of Australia, following in the footsteps of Sir Joseph Banks.
This paper throws new light on the influence and connections of Munro Ferguson, Governor-General throughout World War 1and, an advocate for a sustainable Australian timber industry.
Private Guided Tour of the Chau Chak Wing Museum
Located in the heart of the University of Sydney, our private talk and tour will be led by museum’s expert team followed by refreshments on the beautiful terrace overlooking the gardens.
To request online booking details use the CONTACT Form on this website.
Salon des Refusés at The David Roche Foundation
The South Australia Committee of The Australiana Fund takes pleasure in inviting you to a Christmas Cocktail Reception and Private View.
This is an event for Australiana Fund Members and invited guests.
To request the online booking details use the CONTACT form on this website
Historic Waterton Hall
The Tasmania Committee of The Australiana Fund cordially invite you to a walking and wine tasting tour of Waterton Hall.
This magnificent family owned, 1850s homestead is the home of Waterton Hall Wines. The 2-hour tour led by the owners or Estate manager will focus on the property’s history, its historic outbuildings while enjoying sweeping views of the Tamar River, wine tasting and canapés.
Covering convict history in the magnificent, restored stone barn with Riesling and nibbles, colonial history in the gorgeous gardens and maritime history in the delightful boathouse and a taste of Shiraz. View the Saint Mary McKillop Josephite School House with Viognier, followed by a special, exclusive, private tour of the ground floor of Waterton Hall before enjoying a charcuterie and cheese platter and something sweet!
The award-winning, cool climate wines of Waterton Hall will be available for purchase on conclusion of the tour.
All proceeds go to The Australiana Fund, established in 1978 by Mrs Tamie Fraser AO, to acquire and maintain an historical and culturally significant collection of Australian artworks. The Fund’s purpose is to enrich Australia’s four official residences – Government House and The Lodge in Canberra, Admiralty House and Kirribilli House in Sydney – with artworks that are Australian by origin or association, to illustrate the nation’s history and creativity through its cultural and artistic legacy. The collection has a unique role as a ‘working collection’ bringing aspects of Australia’s story to life while meeting the very practical requirements of the houses.
Since 1978, The Fund’s members and supporters have contributed more than $10 million to support collection acquisitions and preservation as well as initiatives to promote the collection to a wider audience. The Fund’s collection continues to grow as a visual expression of our nation’s distinctive cultural heritage and contemporary creativity.
BOOK EARLY- NUMBERS WILL BE LIMITED
COST: $85pp (+booking fee) all profit will go to The Australiana Fund RSVP:16 November
FOR EVENT DETAILS & TO BOOK ONLINE: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/historic-waterton-hall-a-walking-tasting-tour-tickets-189425726447
The Australiana Fund’s 3rd Narratives of Nations Symposium
The Australiana Fund’s 3rd Narratives of Nations Symposium
The Symposium ticket includes refreshments and lunch.
For the full details please refer to the separate programme information (to be published soon)
9:30am Registration commences
10:00am 3rd Narratives of Nations Symposium commences
This year, to coincide with the major exhibition at Canberra Museum & Gallery our theme is Australian Timbers. Topics and guest speakers will include:
Australian Timbers and Cabinetmaking, with specific reference to examples in The Australiana Fund Collection. Presented by John McPhee, the inaugural Director of Fine Arts for the Australiana Fund and Fine Art Advisor to the Committee on Official Establishments, 1978-1979, and the inaugural Curator of Australian Decorative Arts and Senior Curator of Australian art, at the National Gallery of Australia, 1980-1992.
Ruth Lane-Poole: A Woman of Influence by Margaret Betteridge, Fine Arts Advisor to the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet and Honorary Fine Art Advisor to The Australiana Fund (1986-1993). Since 1993, she has worked as a heritage consultant. Most recently she has curated the upcoming exhibition Ruth Lane-Poole: A Woman of Influence at Canberra Museum & Gallery.
Dr Andrew Montana, senior research fellow with the Australian National University specialising in the art and design of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, will talk about W. H. Rocke & Co. Established in Melbourne in the 1860s, W. H. Rocke & Co. was Victoria's largest and most successful furniture manufactures, and often crafted stylish, impressive and expensive furniture to showcase Australian timbers for international exhibitions in Australia and London. This quality firm worked until the early 1930s and was responsible for some of the cabinetry and upholstery work of Canberra's official residences under the direction of Ruth Lane-Poole, and for (old) Parliament House during the 1920s.
Ruth Lane-Poole’s influence on Australian Interior Design by Catriona Quinn, former curator at Sydney Living Museums, best known for her expertise in 20th century Australian interior design and decoration.
The Significance and History of The Australiana Fund’s recent acquisition, The Munro Ferguson Timber Library by Jennifer Sanders, currently Chair of The Australiana Fund. Former Deputy Director at the Powerhouse Museum (2001–2009), after rising from curator in 1978 to senior curator, decorative arts & design, and Assistant Director Collections in 1988.
Symposium concludes.
2.30pm: Viewing of National Library of Australia exhibitions: Treasures Gallery & A Nation Imagined: the Picturesque Atlas of Australia. Alternatively, conduct your own ‘at leisure’ visits to NPG, NGA, National Archives, Museum of Australiana Democracy at Old Parliament House (MOAD).
Cocktail Party & Private viewing ‘Collecting: a personal view’ at the New Gallery
Cocktail Party & Private viewing - "Collecting: a personal view” at the New Gallery"
The Australiana Fund’s National Fundraising Raffle (online)
National raffle - The Australiana Fund