Art Stories and Latest News

Funds in the Peter Smith Trust are available to provide travel assistance for Tasmanian Senior Secondary Science students selected to represent Australia in international science competitions of the highest level. The Royal Society of Tasmania created the Peter Smith Trust following a generous donation from Professor Peter Smith (1924-2017). He was an inorganic chemist, who […]

The RST Clive Lord Memorial Medal was established in 1934 and first awarded in 1938. The medal has been awarded to scholars distinguished for research in Tasmanian science or Tasmanian history. The RST Council has resolved to discontinue offering the Clive Lord Memorial Medal.

Alongside the opening of its Hidden Treasures Walk to the West exhibition in Queenstown next month (6 March – 10 April), the Royal Society of Tasmania has launched a search for missing works by Tasmanian colonial artist William Charles Piguenit. The Royal Society’s Professor Ross Large explained: ‘From 1873 to his death in 1914, William […]

Since opening at the beginning of January, the Royal Society of Tasmania’s Hidden Treasures exhibition at Woolmers Estate, near Longford, has been a must-see for visitors, with participants packing out our special series of events, including talks, demonstrations and an Arts and Antiques Roadshow. Sunday 8 February sees the latest event in the series, with […]

Following a well attended landscape painting demonstration by celebrated Tasmanian artist Darren Meader on 18 January, internationally renowned and award-winning botanic artist Lynne Uptin OAM will be setting up her easel in full view of visitors to the Royal Society of Tasmania’s Hidden Treasures exhibition at Woolmers Estate, near Longford, on Sunday 1 February from […]

On Sunday, 25 January, you can learn all about one of Tasmania’s most renowned 19th century artists. Royal Society of Tasmania members Dr Anita Hansen, Dr Malcolm Ward, and Mary Koolhof OAM will be presenting a talk entitled The Life and Works of Louisa Anne Meredith at 11am, at Woolmers Estate, near Longford. Louisa Anne […]

Celebrated Tasmanian artists Darren Meader and Lynne Uptin OAM will be setting up their easels in full view of visitors to the Royal Society of Tasmania’s Hidden Treasures exhibition at Woolmers Estate, near Longford, on Sunday 18 January (Darren) and Sunday 1 February (Lynne). It’s the opportunity to meet these skilled contemporary artists and to […]

Silverware, ceramics, toys, furniture, ornaments and paintings, together worth more than $300,000 in real money, and priceless in terms of sentimental value, came through the Royal Society of Tasmania’s Art and Antiques Roadshow on Saturday 10 January at Woolmers Estate. More than 50 visitors arrived with close to 200 items for the attention of renowned […]

The Royal Society of Tasmania’s Art and Antiques Roadshow on Saturday 10 January at Woolmers Estate is your chance to find out. Renowned antique expert and valuer Warwick Oakman will be on hand to appraise family heirlooms and tell you whether that ornament your grandma left you is worth more than you thought. The event […]

Journey from excel spreadsheet to Trove Partner: How the Royal Society of Tasmania made their collection Trove ready is a featured article in the National Library of Australia’s December 2025 Trove newsletter. The article tells the story of how we have made our collection discoverable for art lovers, historians, humanities researchers and others with a […]

The RST Council recently approved the two winners of the 2025 Doctoral (PhD) Award. This award is intended to recognise recent PhD graduates who have made significant advances during their doctoral research. The value of the award is $1,000 (AUD). The winners of the 2025 RST Doctoral (PhD) Award were Dr Laura Dalman and Dr […]

A showcase of rarely seen 1850s artworks from the Northern Midlands.

The RST Council recently awarded the MR Banks Medal for this year to Associate Professor Jacqueline Halpin.

Who do you trust when it comes to climate change? 6 November 2025 In September at the UN General Assembly, President Donald Trump called climate change “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world”. Instead, as climate change intensifies and bushfires become more frequent and destructive, the Royal Society of Tasmania (RST) invited members […]

5 November 2025 The Royal Society of Tasmania (RST) is proud to announce its successful application for a 2025 Community Heritage Grant, securing $8,120 in funding to conserve three significant works from its renowned Art Collection. The annual Community Heritage Grants are managed by the National Library of Australia and provide funding of up to […]

Nominations for the RST Annual Doctoral (PhD) Awards open on 1 October 2025. Two awards are offered for recent PhD graduates who have made significant advances in the course of their doctoral research.  The value of each award is $1,000 (AUD).

The Royal Society of Tasmania made a significant impact at the recent Oatlands Heritage and Bullock Festival, presenting their Hidden Treasures exhibition in two of the town’s most historic venues. The Court House and Gaol House were transformed into temporary galleries, displaying high-quality digital prints from the Society’s extensive Art Collection. Strong Community Response The […]

A selection of The Royal Society of Tasmania’s remarkable collection of historical maps is now available as high-quality reproductions in our online shop. These museum-grade prints bring centuries of Tasmanian exploration and discovery directly to your walls. Museum-Quality Printing Standards Each map reproduction is created from high-resolution scans of original maps in our collection. The maps […]

In former years when the Governor by convention served as RST President, Sir Guy Green AC, KBE, CVO was President and Patron of the Royal Society of Tasmania from 1995 to 2002, while serving as the Governor of Tasmania. He was always generous with his time and was happy to meet with the members of the RST […]

Congratulations to the 2025 Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellow, Professor Anya Reading The premier funding body for University research excellence in Australia is the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the most prestigious ARC awards are the Laureate Fellowships. These five-year fellowships are reserved for internationally top-tier researchers, and one, named the Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate […]

Congratulations to Australian Laureate Fellow, Professor Matt King The premier funding body for University research excellence in Australia is the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the highest ARC awards are the Laureate Fellowships. These five-year fellowships are reserved for internationally top-tier researchers, only 17 being awarded annually. Among the 2025 awardees is Professor Matt King, […]

The Royal Society of Tasmania warmly congratulates  Mary Koolhof on receiving the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours for her service to education and the community. A longstanding member, councillor, and former president of the Society, Mary Koolhof has made outstanding contributions to learning, inclusion, and community engagement. […]

The RST will offer three medals in 2025: The Royal Society of Tasmania Medal, the Clive Lord Medal and the MR Banks Medal.

Listed here are the 2024 medal winners for the Peter Smith Medal and the Louisa Anne Meredith Medal. A medals ceremony will be held at Government House on 18th June, 2025 where the medal winners will be presented with their medals by Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker AC. This ceremony is open to everyone. […]

The RST Council recently approved the two winners of the 2024 Doctoral (PhD) Award. This award is intended to recognise recent PhD graduates who have made significant advances during their doctoral research. The value of the award is $1,000 (AUD). The winners of the 2024 RST Doctoral (PhD) Award were Dr Ingrid Cox and Dr […]

Tasmania Reads is a week-long celebration of reading and storytelling of all kinds. In March 2025 the RST hosted a popular and much-enjoyed talk by Tasmanian crime fiction writer David Owen. Many attendees knew David from his time as Official Secretary to three Tasmanian Governors at Government House. In 2021 he co-authored with Prof Kate […]

It is with great sadness we acknowledge the death of Distinguished Professor James Kirkpatrick AM on 21 October 2024. Professor Kirkpatrick was one of our most prestigious members and a significant contributor to the Royal Society. In 2019 he was awarded the Clive Lord Medal in recognition of his research on Tasmania’s natural environment, including […]

Professor David Green died on 6 September 2024 in Hobart. He was a long-term member of the RST and was awarded the RM Johnston Memorial Medal in 2016. Professor Green’s career in geology (igneous petrology) was truly remarkable for the breadth and significance of his research and achievements, especially his contributions to understanding the formation […]

Congratulations to our RST member Lynne Uptin OAM who was awarded the 2024 Best Botanical Art Exhibit Award and a Gold Medal award for 2024 for her suite of works. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in London is staging its annual Botanical Art and Photography Show from 14 June to 7 July 2024. The exhibition […]

Article prepared by the RST Honorary Curator, Dr Anita Hansen, for the August 2023 RST Newsletter. George Thomas William Blamey Boyes – a member of the John Skinner Prout cohort who painted ‘plein air’ watercolours is this month’s protagonist, and he is arguably as well-known as a diarist as an artist. As well as having […]