Royal Society of Tasmania Awarded Community Heritage Grant for Conservation of Historic Artworks

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 $20,000 to help preserve and provide access to Australia’s cultural heritage collections.

Prof Ross Large AO, Chair of the RST Art Committee, said, “Each year the Grants are fiercely contested by museums, libraries, archives and galleries around Australia and it speaks to the value of the RST works that our project has been funded.”

The grant will support the professional conservation of:

• “Ships at Anchor” by GTWB Boyes – a rare depiction of the female convict hulk HMS Anson
• “Panoramic View of Hobarton” after Augustus Prinsep – an early colonial lithograph capturing Hobart’s original shoreline
• “Bull Fish Clinus despicillatus” by Mary Morton Allport – a scientifically accurate watercolour by Australia’s first professional female artist

“These artworks are vital to Tasmania’s cultural and historical narrative,” said Prof Large. “Their conservation ensures future generations can access and appreciate these visual records of our maritime, colonial, and natural heritage.”

The conservation work will be undertaken by Stefano Cannone, a professional member of the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material (AICCM). Once conserved, the artworks will be re-photographed and made available through RST’s eHive catalogue and featured in the Society’s travelling exhibition series, Hidden Treasures.

This project builds on RST’s ongoing commitment to heritage preservation, following previous grants and fundraising efforts that have conserved over 35 artworks to date.

Media contact: Sue McKerracher 0404 456 749

Interview contact: Prof Ross Large AO 0418 352 501

Website: https://rst.org.au and Community Heritage Grants | National Library of Australia (NLA).

About the Royal Society of Tasmania

Founded in 1843, the Royal Society of Tasmania is Australia’s oldest scientific society, dedicated to advancing knowledge and promoting public understanding of science, history, and the arts. Through lectures, publications, and community engagement, the Society fosters informed discussion and celebrates Tasmania’s rich intellectual and natural heritage.