Australiana
Researching, collecting and preserving Australia's heritage

PO Box 2335, Bondi Junction NSW 1355 Australia
email: info@australiana.org 
 
The Australiana Society Inc

Vision statement

The Australiana Society encourages the research, collection and preservation of Australiana, items of portable heritage relating to or made in Australia.

Objectives

  • To promote the study and appreciation of Australiana to a broad audience through publications, meetings, conferences and other means
  • To produce a quality, authoritative magazine with original research and information about Australiana
  • To encourage the private and public collection, preservation, research and display of Australiana
  • To attract a national audience and establish events across Australia
  • To keep our Members informed and involved through our website, publications, lectures and events
  • To build up the membership of the Society

Legal status

The Australiana Society Inc is an incorporated body (no. Y0048938) under the Associations Incorporation Act 1984 (NSW) and its activities are governed by a Constitution (copies available on request). Our annual accounts are submitted to the Department of Fair Trading. Members liability is limited to their subscription.

The Australiana Society is listed on the Australian Government's Register of Cultural Organisations as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) and donations to the Society are tax-deductible. The Australian Taxation Office recognises the Society as a tax-exempt charity.

History

The Australiana Society Inc. was founded in 1978 to encourage interest, collecting, preservation and research of Australiana. In 2008 we celebrate 30 years as a forum for collectors, dealers, researchers and connoisseurs sharing our commitment to preserving Australia’s past.

Membership is at its highest level ever, over 500, and includes all of Australia’s major federal and state public libraries, museums and art galleries and well as most serious private collectors.

'Australiana' means items of decorative arts and historic interest originating in or relating to Australia, e.g. books, paintings, prints, photographs, furniture, ephemera, ceramics, silver, jewellery, glass and other artefacts.

Australiana magazine
click 'Australiana magazine' & 'Australiana contents' on the navigation bar for more

Australiana magazine is major achievement of the society, the key means of communication with members and a lasting testament to the research that our members undertake. It is by far the the best journal devoted to any aspect of Australiana.

Our 40-page quarterly full-colour magazine Australiana appears in February, May, August and November and is available only by subscription. We publish a wide range of lively articles on art, furniture, silver, ceramics, books, architecture, fashion, photography, sculpture, ephemera, crafts and history. Australiana keeps you abreast of new research, and each issue adds to this valuable archive. Distinguished scholars, curators, dealers, journalists and devoted collectors contribute.

Membership gives you four issues of Australiana plus invitations to Society meetings and events. Visitors are welcome to attend general meetings, usually an illustrated talk. Excursions and visits to a collection, exhibition or workshop are Members-only. For our events, click on Events Program. We have organised occasional meetings in the ACT, South Australia and Queensland.

Our membership list is private and we do not reveal members' details.

A key benefit of membership is the informal network of contacts that you can establish with other collectors, curators and dealers. If you are a serious collector, this is an essential weapon to keep you 'in the loop' and avoid the pitfalls of the clandestine collector.

An Australia Day dinner and excursions to exhibitions and public or private collections take place during the year. In 2001 we held our first conference and held a seminar on silver at Government House in 2002

The Australiana Society is an independent association. For information on the completely separate company The Australiana Fund, which furnishes Government properties, go to www.theaustralianafund.org.au

Committee 2008-9

President Michel Reymond
Vice-Presidents  Megan Martin
Annette Blinco
Secretary Michael Lech
Treasurer Andrew Morris
Members Paul Donnelly
  Lesley Garrett
Marcia Rackham
  David Barsby
Andrew Simpson