Hawkesbury Regional Gallery in Windsor launches its 2016 program with a spectacular exhibition from the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra: Awesome Achievers: Stories from Australians of the Year.
The exhibition features selected recipients of the Australian of the Year awards over the past 55 years, grouped around eight main themes.
The themes are:
All the world’s a stage – includes Dame Joan Sutherland, Sir Robert Helpmann and Dame Raigh Roe;
Bright sparks of early sporting fame – includes Dawn Fraser, Lionel Rose, Shane Gould and Cathy Freeman;
Our tallest poppies – Nobel prize winning scientist Professor Peter Doherty and author Patrick White;
Resilience! Indigenous leadership – includes Galarrwuy and M Yunupingu, Neville Bonner, Lowitja O’Donohue, Professor Mick Dodson and Adam Goodes;
Top of the Pops to Golden Guitars includes The Seekers, John Farnham and Lee Kernaghan;
Lifelines: medical health advocates – includes Professor Fred Hollows, Dr John Yu, Dr Fiona Wood,
Professor Fiona Stanley and Professor Patrick McGorry;
A magnificent rivalry: Australia’s America’s Cup challenges – includes Jock Sturrock and Alan Bond;
Cut and thrust: environmental activists – includes Harry Butler, Ian Kiernan and Tim Flannery.
The Mayor of Hawkesbury, Councillor Kim Ford is thrilled that Hawkesbury has been chosen to host the exhibition.
“This is the first major exhibition from the National Portrait Gallery designed specifically for regional touring,”
Councillor Ford said.
“Everyone knows and loves these outstanding Australians, who are in every way ‘awesome achievers’ and who demonstrate the very best of what it means to be Australian,” Councillor Ford said.
“‘We are honoured and delighted, and we look forward to seeing the exhibition in our wonderful Gallery.”
Dr Anne Sanders from the National Portrait Gallery will be speaking at the opening by the Mayor on Friday, 12 February at 6:30pm. Entry is free and refreshments will be served. The exhibition runs until 27 March.
