Fernberg Quarterly - December 2017

Fernberg Quarterly A QUARTERLY UPDATE FOR STAFF AND VOLUNTEER GUIDES

DECEMBER 2017

IN THIS ISSUE Historic photo recreated

Queensland's fascinating deer

Indigenous art acquisitions

Fernberg’s festive makeover

as popular Christmas Lights display returns More than 1,750m of lights and over 12,000 bulbs will illuminate Queensland’s historic Government House and gardens for the annual public Christmas Lights display.

The grounds will be open to the public each night from 7-8pm from 8 to 17 December 2017.

Entry is free.

Due to its increasing popularity, the number of nights the estate grounds are open for the Christmas Lights

display has doubled from five nights in 2016, to 10 nights this year.

Entry is via the Service Gate at 168 Fernberg Road, Paddington (pedestrian access only, there is no onsite parking), and Gavel Vice-Regal Dog will make an appearance each evening.

Last year over 18,000 people visited Fernberg – the official residence of the Queensland Governor since 1910 – including on Open Days, and on guided school and tour groups.

FERNBERG QUARTERLY • DECEMBER 2017

Christmas Lights are back on at Government House in a spectacular must see display that is open to the public over 10 evenings in December.

Official Secretary Foreword Welcome to the final edition of the Fernberg Quarterly for 2017.

opportunities for Queenslanders to visit the estate.

May I firstly extend an invitation to all readers, on behalf of the Governor and Mrs de Jersey, to attend the 2017 Christmas Lights display at Government House. Due to the event’s increasing popularity, the number of nights Government House is hosting the Christmas Lights display has doubled from five nights last year to 10 nights. The gates will open from 7-8pm each night from tonight – we hope to see you there.

This commitment complements the other strategic priorities set out in the Office’s annual report, which was tabled in the Queensland Parliament in September. Some of the major achievements have been included on the back page of this Fernberg Quarterly edition.

In August 2017, Government House also introduced free monthly tours of the estate. Previously, members of the public who were not part of a community or school group had to wait until one of two Open Days held each year to tour the House and estate.

These new public tours have been well patronised, and will continue to be held on the first Thursday of each month from February next year.

Both initiatives – the expanding of the Christmas Lights display, and the commencement of public tours – reflect the Office of the Governor’s commitment to providing more PAGE 2

Finally, the Governor has a number of constitutional and legal duties to undertake following this November’s State Election, including the appointment of Ministers, and receiving the return of the writ from the Electoral Commission of Queensland.

Government House has posted a short video explaining the Governor’s role at a general election on the official Facebook page (search ‘Governor of Queensland’ in Facebook). It features an animated Gavel Vice-Regal Dog, and is worth viewing.

On behalf of everyone at Government House, I wish you all a most pleasant and rewarding Christmas and New Year.

Air Commodore Mark Gower OAM Official Secretary GOVERNMENT HOUSE QUEENSLAND

Historic photo recreated at NSW Government House An historic photograph of the Governors of the Australian Colonies, Fiji and New Zealand, taken in 1888, has been recreated during a gathering of all current Australian vice-regal representatives at New South Wales Government House in November.

The original photograph depicts what is believed to be the first such gathering of Colonial Governors.

The vice-regal gathering was convened as part of several days of festivities commemorating the centenary of the arrival of the First Fleet on 26 January 1888.

Left to right: Governor of Tasmania, Sir Robert George Cruikshank Hamilton KCB; Governor of Queensland, Sir Anthony Musgrave KCMG; Governor of Fiji, Sir Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell; Governor of Victoria, Sir Henry Brougham Lock GCMG; Governor of New South Wales, Charles Robert Wynn, Lord Carrington PC GCMG; Governor of Western Australia. Sir Frederick Napier Broome; Governor of New Zealand, Sir William Francis Drummond Jervois; Governor of South Australia, Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson. Photo courtesy of Blue Mountains City Library.

As the Sydney Morning Herald reported at the time, the 1888 celebrations included the opening of Centennial Park, the unveiling of Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s statue, and a dinner at Government House attended by visiting dignitaries and over 2,000 guests. The Herald also reported that the possibility of Federation was very much a topic of discussion.

Almost 130 years later, the New South Wales Governor and Mrs Linda Hurley hosted the GovernorGeneral, all current State Governors and the Administrator of the Northern Territory, and their spouses, for a viceregal gathering in November 2017.

This follows a similar gathering the Queensland Governor and Mrs Kaye de Jersey hosted at Fernberg in November last year.

FERNBERG QUARTERLY • DECEMBER 2017

Left to right: Governor of Tasmania, Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Kate Warner AC; Governor of Queensland, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC; Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Ret’d); Governor of Victoria, Her Excellency the Honourable Linda Dessau AC; Governor of New South Wales, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d); Governor of Western Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Kerry Sanderson AC; Administrator of the Northern Territory, Her Honour the Honourable Vicki O’Halloran AM; Governor of South Australia, His Excellency the Honourable Hieu Van Le AC. Photo supplied by Salty Dingo.

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The Governor, pictured here with Christopher David McConnel of Cressbrook Station and Somerset Regional Council Mayor Graeme Lehmann, unveiled the bronze sculpture of Norman at the Somerset Regional Art Gallery – The Condensery on 30 September 2017.

Deer: a fascinating part In 1873, Queen Victoria sent a personal gift of six red deer to the Colony of Queensland, which were released at Cressbrook Station, near Toogoolawah. Nearly 150 years later, the Governor has unveiled a bronze sculpture of one of the deer, Norman, memorialising a fascinating part of Queensland’s history. An extract of His Excellency’s speech is below.

The Governor addresses guests shortly before unveiling the Norman statue, sculpted by Queensland artist Bodo Muche.

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Norman has brought us together today, but I don’t mean my distinguished predecessor Sir Henry Norman, Governor of Queensland from 1889 to 1895.

I refer instead to Norman the red deer stag, one of six red deer that arrived in Queensland from the UK in 1873 as a gift from Queen Victoria, who is of course the ‘Queen’ after whom Queensland was named.

The deer probably came from the herd at Windsor Great Park, next to Windsor Castle. If so, this really was a personal gesture from Queen Victoria, who had a special affection for the Park.

The four female deer, Atlas, Alma, Ada and Martha, along with Norman and Bolingbroke – what magnificent names!

– must have been tough creatures. In those days the voyage from the UK would have taken some months.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE QUEENSLAND

After unveiling the sculpture, the Governor, with Mrs de Jersey, toured the Toogoolawah History Museum and met Committee members and volunteers.

of Queensland’s history Nevertheless, the six deer survived the voyage and were released on the McConnel family’s Cressbrook Station in September 1873. This was, of course, before the impact of introducing exotic species into a new environment was well understood.

Though Norman arrived 144 years ago, he has not faded from history.

Queensland’s coat of arms includes a red deer stag – let’s imagine it’s Norman – representing the State’s historical link with United Kingdom.

And now the Somerset Regional Council has honoured this fascinating historical connection by acquiring a magnificent statue depicting Norman, created by local sculptor Bodo Muche.

It’s a wonderful choice for this sculpture garden, part of the spacious and light-filled Art Gallery built by the Council in the restored Condensery Packing Shed, itself closely linked to

FERNBERG QUARTERLY • DECEMBER 2017

the early history of Toogoolawah, Fittingly, Bodo Muche and Susan McConnel – a family name that has close connections with Cressbrook Station – have exhibitions in the Gallery at the moment. I very much look forward to hearing more about the McConnel family connection to this wonderful part of Queensland’s heritage shortly.

I thank and congratulate the Somerset Regional Council, and indeed everyone who has been involved, on the marvellous way Norman and his special place in Queensland’s history is being recognised.

And it is now my great pleasure, as the representative in Queensland of Her Majesty The Queen, Queen Victoria’s great-great-granddaughter, to officially unveil the statue of Norman and its commemorative plaque.

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The Governor and Mrs de Jersey visited Singapore and Israel from 24 October – 4 November 2017, promoting Queensland’s interests in the lead up to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and representing the State at centenary commemorations of the Battle of Beersheba. The Governor is pictured here with Gold Coast Mayor, Tom Tate and Australia’s High Commissioner to Singapore, His Excellency Mr Bruce Gosper at a Queensland reception to welcome the Queen’s Baton to Singapore.

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GOVERNMENT HOUSE QUEENSLAND

From around the estate Acquisitions bolster Government House Indigenous collection

Queen, Duke wedding crockery story retold on platinum anniversary Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh recently celebrated 70 years since they were married at Westminster Abbey on 20 November 1947, an event of which guests are reminded when they visit Fernberg’s Dining Room.

Important acquisitions have been made which build on Government House’s collection of Indigenous art.

Artworks were sourced directly from community art centres in Aurukun and Lockhart River in June and have been placed on display for all visitors to Government House to enjoy.

Recent acquisitions include two ‘ku dogs (‘ku means "camp dog" in the Wik language) sculptures from the Wik and Kugu Aurukun Art Centre in Aurukun on Cape York Peninsula.

Lucky Ku’ and Bullet Ku’ are carved from Milk Wood by local artists Lex and Leo Namponan.

Gavel with Lucky Ku’ and Bullet Ku’ by Aurukun artists Lex and Leo Namponan

The pattern on the main Aynsley crockery set utilised at Government House for formal lunches and dinners is known as the ‘Windsor’ pattern.

According to the Aynsley website, “In 1947, the British Pottery Manufacturers federation presented 15 designs of dinner services to then Princess Elizabeth for her wedding to Prince Philip. Princess Elizabeth chose the Aynsley Windsor pattern, a laurel border with burnished gold etching to which the royal cypher was added.”

It is unknown when the original Government House ‘Windsor’ set was purchased, and while the company has ceased commercial production of this line, replacement pieces are sourced from specialists around the globe.

FERNBERG QUARTERLY • DECEMBER 2017

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Annual Report tabled The Office of the Governor’s annual report was tabled in Parliament on 29 September 2017.

The annual report is an integral part of the Office of the Governor’s corporate governance framework and describes the achievements, performance, outlook and financial position of the Office for the 2016-17 financial year.

The report is a key accountability

document and the principal way in which the Office reports on activities – including regional and international travel in support of Queensland’s interests – and provides a full and complete picture of its performance to Parliament and the wider community.

Read the 2016-17 annual report – highlights from which are detailed below – at www.govhouse.qld.gov.au/ news-publications.

www.govhouse.qld.gov.au  www.facebook.com/QldGovernor  @QldGovernor  @QldGovernor PAGE 8

GOVERNMENT HOUSE QUEENSLAND

Photography by Best Photos