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The Australiana Fund recently marked 45 years of service to the nation through the quiet philanthropy which underpins our commitment to enhance Australia’s Official Residences with our significant Collection of Australian decorative arts, fine art and furniture.
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ABOUT US
Soup plate with Hanbury Clements crest, Canton, China, c.1820, porcelain, coloured glazes, gilt, 25.3 cm. Provenance: Lieutenant Hanbury Clements (1793–1847). Purchased 2004. 2004.3
This soup plate is part of a Cantonese dinner service which belonged to Hanbury Clements (1793-1847). Born in Dublin, Ireland, Clements joined the Royal Navy 1806, became a Lieutenant and later a private captain and trader in the South Pacific in the 1820s (during which period this dinner service was acquired). He captained the 'Ardent' the first ship bringing free settlers from Ireland to Hobart in 1824, and in 1829 emigrated to N.S.W., settling near Liverpool. Although he was only a Lieutenant, Clements became known as Captain Clements and owned several ships. He collected a number of natural history and ethnographic artifacts on his voyages in the Pacific. It is thought that he acquired his Cantonese dinner service during years of trading after his marriage in 1817. In 1829 he settled with his wife Margaret and some of their 10 children near Liverpool, Sydney. He established successful estates at Rockley (near Bathurst) Liverpool and Camden and his death was recorded at Bathurst in 1847. A covered tureen, warming dishes and several plates are part of the Caroline Simpson Collection.
PURPOSE
The Australiana Fund was established in 1978, as an independent fundraising body to acquire a national collection of historic artworks to enhance the décor of the four Official Residences of the Governor-General and Prime Minister of Australia so that visiting dignitaries, international royalty and government officials are surrounded by the highest quality examples of Australian art and design. Most importantly The Fund’s Collection also brings works of art reflecting Australian culture and history into the public realm of the nation’s four Official Residences. The Collection is fully accessible to the general public at Open Days, Investitures, citizenship ceremonies and the numerous school tours that take place throughout each year. Events are subject to the official calendar.
These events and tours offer access to our exceptional collection and are key to The Australiana Fund’s ability to fundraise for the purpose of acquiring and preserving this significant national and culturally important collection of Australian artworks. Unlike other collections, The Fund’s Collection is a working collection so our fundraising also ensures our ability to undertake essential, museum-standard conservation.
Like all cultural organisations, The Fund lends artworks from the Collection to other cultural and heritage organisations, national, local and interstate, public cultural institutions.
In addition to physical access to The Australiana Fund Collection, we strive to reach the widest possible audience through our role within the Houses, our online lecture series, Symposia, and a major publication Collecting for the Nation – The Australiana Fund, which was launched in 2017 and funded entirely by donations from our members and supporters.
To complement public engagement through our social media platforms we work with the National Library of Australia’s research database TROVE to broaden our reach and accessibility. The Collection is already publicly available via eHive, a web-based system used internationally by hundreds of museums, societies and private collectors.
We are recognised by the Commonwealth Government’s Cultural Gifts programme and as a registered, not-for-profit charity under the requirements of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
ESTABLISHMENT
The Australiana Fund was established in 1978 as an independent collecting body following the encouragement of Mrs Tamara Fraser, wife of the then Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser. During an official visit to Washington in 1976, Mrs Fraser had been greatly impressed by the initiative taken by Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961 to establish the White House Historical Association, to acquire fine American decorative arts and works of art in keeping with the historical interiors of the White House.
STORIES OF THE COLLECTION
All collections tell stories – the foundation story about the purpose and origins of a collection, the contextual stories of the wider historical themes that are illustrated throughout and across a collection, the particular stories embodied in the tales of individual objects, and stories of generosity and benefaction.
The Australiana Fund’s Collection is no exception – despite its relatively youthful age of some forty-six years, it is full of stories – stories about Australia, its people and culture, and its place in the world. Published in 2017, our book Collecting for the nation - The Australiana Fund, tells many of those stories and it is hoped these will encourage the reader to explore aspects of Australia’s history and culture, which speak of time-honoured traditions, open up new perspectives and deepen understanding of our heritage and culture.
OPEN DAYS, GARDEN TOURS, EVENTS AND PROGRAMS
Public Open Days - Details of Open Days will be updated on this page, Facebook , Instagram and via Twitter when information is available. These events are not run by The Australiana Fund and dates may be subject to change. For more details check the official website of the Governor-General www.gg.gov.au
Garden Tours, Government House, Canberra - Any profit from the garden tours goes towards preserving and enhancing The Australiana Fund's collection of historic artworks. For Bookings, please refer to Events page.
CURRENT FOCUS
The current focus of The Fund includes building the Collection through acquisition appeals, growing fundraising and public awareness, caring for a working collection, and continuing to provide public and membership programs.
DONATION OPPORTUNITIES
Support us by donating to one or more of the four key donation opportunities.