OUR PEOPLE
Our Volunteers are vital to the continued and smooth running of The Australiana Fund
Our Members and Volunteers are important to us
Our volunteers include those who are involved in the open days and garden tours, those who are on state committees that run state events, and those on the national council responsible for all aspects of The Fund. We continue to receive the support of many members, supporters and friends that help us in so many ways both financially and in-kind. The Fund also has a Fine Art Advisor.
Image left: Government House, Victoria, AGM 2024
COUNCILLORS & FINE ART ADVISOR
Bruce Trethowan - Chair
Bruce joined The Fund in 1998 and served on Council as Chair of the Victorian Committee from 2011 to 2020. He was re-elected to Council in 2024. He was a member of the Official Establishments Trust from 1996 to 2005. His architectural practice, Trethowan Architecture, specialises in conservation and the design of new buildings in environmentally sensitive areas. It has been the recipient of a number of awards and prizes. Now retired from practice, Bruce maintains his interest in architecture, the arts and heritage. Resident of VIC.
Mathew Trinca AM FAHA - Deputy Chair
Member of The Australiana Fund since 2014. Professor of Museum Practice in the Centre for Heritage and Museum Studies at the Australian National University from 2024. Former Director of the National Museum of Australia (2014-2024). Honorary Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. Commissioner for Culture and Olympic Heritage advising the International Olympic Committee. Chair of Blue Shield Australia, devoted to heritage preservation. Board member of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, UKARIA Cultural Centre and member of the Reference Group of A New Approach, an independently funded arts and cultural research and advocacy organisation. Former chair of ICOM Australia and co-chair of the Australia Singapore Arts Group. Resident of NSW.
David Murray - Hon. Treasurer and Hon. Secretary
Member of The Australiana Fund since 2015. Partner at Deloitte. Director of various private companies. Resident of NSW.
Sonya Abbey - Fine Art Advisor
BA (Hons) History of Art, (Manchester). Dip. Decorative Arts (Glasgow). 18 years with Christie’s international auction house in the UK, Europe and Australia, specialising in client management, textiles, Eastern rugs, carpets & collectors items. Joined The Australiana Fund as its Curator in May 2006. Resident of NSW.
Robyn Barblett CFRE - Councillor
Joined The Australiana Fund in April 2024. She is the Chef Advancement Officer at the University of Notre Dame Australia and is based at the University’s Fremantle campus in Western Australia. With extensive work experience both nationally and internationally, Robyn advises philanthropists on how to structure their giving effectively to support the issues and causes they have a great passion for. Resident of WA.
William Downey - Councillor
Member of The Australiana Fund since 2014. Retired pathologist. Resident of VIC.
Harriet Elvin AM FAICD - Councillor
Member of The Australiana Fund since 2002 and Councillor since 2017. Former Chief Executive Officer of the Cultural Facilities Corporation. Currently at the Research School of Management, Australian National University (ANU), researching how arts organisations balance their artistic and financial goals. Tertiary qualifications in Classics/Law (Cambridge), and in International Law, Art History/Curatorship, and Business Administration (ANU). Previous board appointments include membership of the boards of the Centre for Australian Cultural Studies and of the National Institute of the Arts. Chair of the Cambridge Society, ACT Branch. Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Resident of the ACT.
Philip Gosse - Councillor
Member of The Australiana Fund since 2015. Retired builder with 40 years experience renovating and restoring Sydney buildings. Resident of NSW.
Bettina Groves GAICD - Councillor
Member of The Australiana Fund since 2005. 25 years experience in textile and interior design industry. Manager of private investment and agriculture company since 2005. Resident of QLD.
Caroline Johnston OAM - Councillor
Member of The Australiana Fund since 2012. Member, Advocacy & Support Committee, Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI); Representative, Green Family Award; Founder, Johnston & Green; Former Board Member Duldig Gallery Inc; Former Executive Director, AMPLA, Former Board member, Anglicare Victoria. Resident of VIC.
Di MacKinnon - Councillor
Member of The Australiana Fund since 2019. Former State Chairman and Board Member of Australia’s Open Garden Scheme, current Board Member of Cape Hope Foundation. Former President of The Lady Franklin Club and current President of the Launceston Club. Resident in TAS.
Julieanne Watson - Assistant to the Fine Art Advisor
BA (Macq), Masters Museum Studies (Syd), Certificate in Decorative Arts (V&A) and "Styles in Art" (Sotheby's). Lifelong interest in the Colonial Decorative Arts. Resident of NSW.
Andrew Morphett - Councillor
Member of The Australiana Fund since 2013 and elected as a Councillor in September 2024. Joint owner of Anlaby, a heritage property in South Australia. Established in 1839, Anlaby is the oldest merino stud in SA. The property is being restored and conserved as a sustainable heritage/ Agri tourism business. Currently Deputy Chair of Regional Development Australia Barossa Gawler Light Adelaide Plains after several years on the board. Previously Director of Insure That Pty Limited and General Manager, The Louise Hotel. Management roles in governance and compliance at State Street and Hunter Hall. Resident of SA.
Emeritus Professor Robin Stuart-Harris - Councillor
Member of The Australiana Fund since 2014. Retired Medical Oncologist. Former Director of Cancer Services for the ACT and former Head of the National Advisory Council of the ABC. Currently a member of the Canberra Men’s Choir and volunteer at the National Museum of Australia. Resident of the ACT.