This week, the Governor and Mr Howard met with representatives from the creative industries, environmental conservation and health sectors.
On Wednesday, the Governor and Mr Howard attended the National Gallery of Victoria’s ‘Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse’ exhibition. The National Gallery of Victoria is the oldest, largest and most visited gallery in Australia and is hosting the McQueen exhibition until the 16th of April. The exhibition explores the work of fashion designer Alexander McQueen through the presentation of more than 120 garments and accessories and more than eighty pieces of artwork including paintings, sculptures, textiles, prints, photographs and decorative arts. The exhibition is the first major Australian exhibition to focus on McQueen’s career, and has been made possible, in large part, due to the extraordinary generosity of Victorian Philanthropist Krystyna Campbell-Pretty AM. Find more information here.
On Thursday, the Governor and Mr Howard hosted a reception to celebrate the Royal Melbourne Hospital’s (RMH) 175th anniversary. Opening in 1848, the RMH was Victoria’s first public hospital. Today, it is one of the largest health care providers in the state, providing medical, surgical, mental health, rehabilitation, aged care, outpatient and community program care. The Governor and Mr Howard were delighted to welcome the RMH back to Government House, having hosted the hospital’s 170th anniversary in 2018. Speaking to guests, the Governor thanked staff for their contributions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and congratulated them on the upcoming Arden campus project, the biggest hospital project in Australia’s history, with upgrades to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Royal Women’s Hospital and the construction of a new Arden medical precinct. The Governor has, on a number of occasions, visited the RMH, where she met with researchers, clinicians, orderlies and administrative teams to learn more about the important work of RMH as one of Australia’s leading public hospitals. Read the Governor’s speech here.
Supporting ecological and conservation projects is a priority for the Governor and on Friday, Her Excellency visited the Coranderrk floodplains in Healesville, where she planted a Swamp Paperbark tree (Melaleuca ericifolia). Managed by Zoos Victoria and located in the Coranderrk Bushland Reserve, the floodplains are a significant habitat for two of Victoria’s State Emblems, the Leadbeater’s Possum and the Helmeted Honeyeater. During the visit, the Governor heard from Wurundjeri elder Murrundindi about the cultural and spiritual significance of Coranderrk. The reserve is home to around 10% of Victoria’s plant species and more than 260 specimens of birds, mammals, reptiles, frogs, and fish. Zoos Victoria, in collaboration with the Wurundjeri Traditional Owners, are working to restore the dynamic ecological balance to this important Victorian ecosystem. Learn more about the Coranderrk Bushland Reserve here.
Whilst in Healesville, the Governor also visited the TarraWarra Museum of Art, where she toured the TarraWarra Biennial 2023: ua usiusi faʻavaʻasavili. The Biennial features newly commissioned works by 15 artists/ group –artists focused on the interconnectedness of the peoples of Australia, Asia and the Great Ocean. The exhibition is showing until July. More information can be found here.
The Governor also took the opportunity to tour the town of Healesville where she spoke to local business owners and residents of the area. Healesville is a leading tourism destination for local and international travels, a regional food and wine centre situated within the beautiful surrounds of Yarra Valley and Dandenong ranges.