Sidney Myer’s widow, Merlyn, later Dame Merlyn Myer, · society. Philanthropy has been a part of...

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Sidney Myer’s widow, Merlyn, later Dame Merlyn Myer, with the Myer Women’s Association, 1958.

2009 COMMEMORATIVE GRANTS PROGRAM ii

They should leave an enduring impact, be relevant to Australian society and provide an effective solution. All the projects should reflect the legacy and interests of Myer Family philanthropy.

A Taskforce comprising family representatives from three generations was convened to assess projects for the program. A key aspect of the 2009 Commemorative Grants Program is that each of the projects is indicative of the personal passions of individual family members. To this end, the 2009 Commemorative Grants Program puts ‘family’ into Myer Family philanthropy. Family, after all, has been the lynchpin of the Sidney Myer Fund and The Myer Foundation throughout their history.

The Taskforce did an excellent job in challenging ideas and ensuring that the final projects were aligned with the original goals. At times, when confronted with a difficult choice, we found ourselves asking, “What would Sidney think?” It is a testament to the strength of Sidney Myer’s legacy that, 75 years on, we remain respectful of his philanthropic vision, while determined to interpret it in a modern context.

The 2009 Commemorative Grants Program will give $28 million over five years to 13 major projects and will support 49 organisations. Individual Myer Family members have contributed a further $8 million, bringing the total commitment from Myer Family philanthropy to $36 million. The range of projects is exciting and diverse, and represents many contemporary issues facing Australian society including affordable housing, climate change and the effects of prolonged drought in regional Victoria. All of the projects accord with the Myer Family’s traditional

History plus imagination equals the future

2009 COMMEMORATIVE GRANTS PROGRAM ii

philanthropic foci, including health, education, science, environment, the arts and Australia’s engagement with the Asian region.

What is common through all of the projects is a commitment to making an enduring and positive impact on society. Each grant has been given to a deserving recipient organisation. Our grants represent a partnership —we simply cannot be an effective grant-maker without good recipient organisations. Over the years, we have been privileged to forge strong and enduring relationships with many organisations that work for the benefit of our community.

We are proud of each of the 13 projects detailed in this report, which make up the 2009 Commemorative Grants Program. We look forward to the contribution that each of them will make to a better Australia.

Sidney Myer Convenor, 2009 Commemorative Grants Taskforce

Australia has a strong philanthropic sector, which has contributed significantly to the development of our society. Philanthropy has been a part of the culture of the Myer Family for four generations, beginning with Sidney Myer. In 2009 we commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Sidney Myer Fund and the 50th Anniversary of The Myer Foundation.

Three years ago, Trustees of the Fund and Directors of the Foundation reflected on how best to mark the occasion of these significant milestones. The family wished to build on the success of the Sidney Myer Centenary Celebration in 1999, the most important focus of which was a program of major grants.

It was decided that a 2009 Commemorative Grants Program would enshrine both the history of Myer Family philanthropy, and its contemporary engagement with the future.

Myer Family members and philanthropic staff met together to create a vision for the 2009 Commemora-tive Grants Program. We thought about the key elements that have contributed to the success of the Myer Family philanthropy in the past and about the wide range of community needs. We then tried to infuse the program with this knowledge.

The result was a set of principles, which became benchmarks against which potential projects for the 2009 Commemorative Grants Program were assessed. We decided that, to mark this milestone, the projects should be measured against whether they were innovative, large-scale and substantial, and have a wide application and benefit for the community.

Carrillo Gantner AO Chairman, Sidney Myer Fund President, The Myer Foundation

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En Avant

2009 COMMEMORATIVE GRANTS PROGRAM iv

Contents

foreword ii

commemorating the sidney myer fund and the myer foundation in 2009 v

2009 commemorative grants:

Victorian Arts Centre Trust 2

Asialink 3

Florey Neuroscience Institutes 4

Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne 6

Orchestra Victoria 8

Melbourne Affordable Housing 9

Country Fire Authority 12

Flinders University 13

The Butterfly Foundation 14

ClimateWorks Australia 16

Abbotsford Convent Foundation 18

Bush Heritage Australia 19

Celebrating Our Partners: Philanthropic investment for strong community organisations 21

2009 COMMEMORATIVE GRANTS PROGRAM iv

v

Sidney Myer revolutionised retail in Australia. Rather than hide merchandise behind his stores’ counters, he laid goods on tables and racks so they were easily accessible to customers who could feel them for themselves. In many ways, he treated his wealth in the same way: bringing it to the people through a passion for philanthropy that was palpable, and which touched many lives. His vision was motivated by a deep-seated desire to help the community that had helped him.

Twenty-one-year-old Simcha Baevski departed Tsarist Russia as a Jewish refugee on a boat bound for Australia in 1899. When he arrived in Melbourne, he spoke no English except phrases learnt on the boat and, according to legend, he had only threepence in his pocket.

From humble beginnings as a hawker in country Victoria, Sidney Myer (the name he adopted shortly after arriving) used his innate salesmanship and entrepreneurial insight to open his first store in Bendigo in 1900. He opened the Melbourne Myer Emporium in Bourke Street in 1914 and bought the Adelaide store in 1930. Other stores around Australia followed.

As Sidney Myer’s wealth grew, so did his passion for philanthropy. His public and private kindness to his staff was legendary, as was his capacity to respond creatively and generously to the suffering of his fellow Australians during

the Great Depression. On Christmas Day 1930, he invited 10,000 destitute “friends” to a Christmas lunch at the Royal Exhibition Building, served by himself and his staff. As the Depression deepened, he gave money to the Victorian Government to provide work for men with families, which resulted in the construction of The Boulevard along the Yarra River. Sidney Myer also wrote an open letter to business leaders urging them to stimulate the depressed economy by spending money on job creation. He lived this ethos himself, and during the Depression he not only retained staff, he hired more.

These and many other examples illustrate the man Sidney Myer was—a visionary with a generous spirit who used his considerable influence, wealth and passion to help those in need. His legacy endures today, 75 years after his death.

Commemorating the Sidney Myer Fund and The Myer Foundation in 2009

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Sidney Myer, circa 1925

2009 COMMEMORATIVE GRANTS PROGRAM vi

SiDnEy MyEr FunDCelebrating 75 years

In 1934 Sidney Myer died of a heart attack, aged 56. He bequeathed part of his estate to the establishment of a perpetual fund, which was to benefit the community in which he made his fortune.

In his will, Sidney Myer directed that the Fund be used for charitable purposes. Since its inception, many tens of millions of dollars have been directed from the Fund into helping causes across the Australian community. The Sidney Myer Fund focuses on the areas of education, poverty and disadvantage, the arts and health.

THE MyEr FounDATionCelebrating 50 years

Sidney Myer’s philanthropic vision not only survived after his death, it gained momentum.

In 1959, Sidney’s sons, the late Kenneth and Baillieu Myer, established The Myer Foundation. The Foundation’s founding members also included Sidney’s wife, Merlyn, and daughters, Neilma and Marigold. The Myer Foundation is now supported by three generations of Myer Family members, and represents the continuing family commit-ment to philanthropy.

The Myer Foundation has a progressive agenda, underpinned by a commitment to doing things differently, and challenging conventional thinking about charity.

Since its establishment, The Myer Foundation has placed great emphasis on supporting new ideas and providing the means for scientific and social experiment. The Myer Foundation has led the way in addressing issues in Indigenous Australia and fostering Australia’s engagement with Asia.

In 2009, the Sidney Myer Fund and The Myer Foundation celebrate major milestones of 75 years and 50 years respectively. The 2009 Commemorative Grants Program continues the tradition and values of Myer Family philanthropy that began with Sidney Myer and which has been enthusiastically supported by each generation of the Myer Family. At the same time, the Program embraces the future and reflects the evolution of Australian society.

The five founding members of The Myer Foundation: Baillieu Myer, neilma Gantner, Dame Merlyn Myer, Marigold Shelmerdine (later Lady Southey) and Kenneth Myer, circa 1977.

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THE SiDnEy MyEr MuSiC BoWL

During the summers of 1929 and 1930, Sidney Myer gave £1,000 per year to enable the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to stage free open-air public concerts. Six concerts were held in Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens and were a phenomenal success, attended by an estimated 100,000 people. In 1932 he established a Trust to fund free outdoor symphony concerts. Before he died Sidney Myer visited the Hollywood Bowl and expressed the desire to do something similar in Melbourne.

In recognition of Sidney Myer’s vision for a permanent site for outdoor musical events, the Trustees of the Sidney Myer Fund paid for the construction of the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. It was officially opened by Prime Minister Robert Menzies in 1959, to an audience of 30,000.

Since then the Bowl has hosted countless musical and arts events. In 1967, more than 200,000 people attended a Seekers concert, and many international performers including the Aztecs, Dire Straits, Metallica, Neil Diamond, Crowded House and ABBA, to name only a few, have staged outdoor concerts in front of the sloping lawns teeming with people. In keeping with its genesis, the Bowl stages the annual Sidney Myer Free Concerts with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

In 1980 the administration of the Bowl was handed over to the Victorian Arts Centre. The Sidney Myer Fund and The Myer Foundation also contributed $3 million to the $21 million refurbishment of the Bowl, which was completed in 2002.

Each year about 15,000 people flock to the Bowl to enjoy Carols by Candlelight, a sight that would surely delight Sidney Myer. In 2009 the Sidney Myer Music Bowl celebrates 50 years of entertaining and inspiring the people of Melbourne.

Moments in history“ At those symphony concerts in the Botanic Gardens when he [Sidney Myer] saw thousands upon thousands enjoying the music under glorious surroundings, he was always overjoyed and grateful that he was so privileged to be in a position to do such things for the public.”

—Merlyn Myer circa 1935

2009 COMMEMORATIVE GRANTS PROGRAM viii2009 COMMEMORATIVE GRANTS PROGRAM viii COM MEMOR ATIV EGR A NTS PROGR A M COM MEMOR ATIV E

GR A NTS PROGR A M

ASiALinK

The Myer Foundation, with encouragement from the Commission for the Future, and the Asian Studies Council, established Asialink in 1989/1990 to address the need for a greater understanding of Asia across the Australian community. Asialink’s first chairman was Kenneth Myer, who had long championed the need for Australia to build better relations with its Asian neighbours. Baillieu Myer is a Patron of Asialink and initiated the Asialink Conversations series.

In 1991 The Myer Foundation partnered with the University of Melbourne in support of an agreement between the two bodies that continues to this day.

Since its inception, The Myer Foundation has continued to support Asialink with core funding, and Asialink has evolved into the leading non-government organisation working between Australia and the countries of Asia. It has built a strong national and international reputation across a wide range of fields, including education, arts, health, leadership training and corporate and public programs.

Asialink has also played an active role in developing programs and events aimed at equipping Australian business leaders with specific cultural knowledge to engage successfully across the region. The organisation helped to establish an influential mental health program which now has a footprint in 12 countries in the region and 60 model sites in China servicing 43 million people.

In 1999 Asialink received a $2 million grant from the Sidney Myer Centenary Celebration to construct a permanent home for the organisation, within the landmark Sidney Myer Asia Centre at the University of Melbourne.

HoWArD FLorEy inSTiTuTE

In 1960, Kenneth Myer and fellow philanthropist Ian Potter funded the establishment of the Howard Florey Institute. They shared an interest in the work of Dr Derek Denton, who was conducting internationally important research relating to the control of salt and water balance in health and disease, but was limited to poor facilities at the University of Melbourne’s former medical school. Myer and Potter’s philanthropic donation was enough to help Dr Denton leverage further funding, including from the Australian Government, to build new facilities so that this work could flourish.

In 1963 Prime Minister Menzies opened the Howard Florey Laboratories of Experimental Physiology and Medicine. It was named in honour of Australian Nobel Laureate Howard Florey, whose research on penicillin continues to save millions of lives each year.

The institute relied on significant funding from the United States’ National Institutes of Health. When the American Government reduced foreign research grants in 1967, the Florey’s future was threatened. In order to ensure its survival, in 1971 Kenneth Myer played a major role in incorporating the Howard Florey Institute under a Victorian Act of Parliament. He continued to support the Institute with time and money, acting as chairman until his tragic death in 1992. Baillieu Myer and Ken’s son Martyn Myer, have continued to play an active role in developing the Institute through Board membership and financial support.

The Howard Florey Institute became a leading centre for molecular biology, following the work of Dr Hugh Niall and Dr Geoffrey Tregear, who led developments in the sequencing, cloning and synthesis of the relaxin gene in several species.

In 1997 the Board made the strategic decision to change the Institute’s focus to brain disorders. In 2007 the Howard Florey Institute amalgamated with the Brain Research Institute and the National Stroke Research Institute to form Florey Neurosciences Institutes. Today, it is one of the world’s top ten neuroscience institutes.

Taiwan’s Cloudgate Dance Theatre performs Songs of the Wanderers, The Arts Centre, 2006.

2009 COMMEMORATIVE GRANTS PROGRAM 2

Victorian Arts Centre TrustKEnnETH MyEr ASiAn THEATrE SEriES

THE ViCToriAn ArTS CEnTrE TruST

The Victorian Arts Centre Trust is the governing body of the Victorian Arts Centre. Its statutory purpose is to enrich the lives of Victorians through the delivery of a diverse, distinctive and dynamic program and to promote access to the performing arts for all Victorians.

The Arts Centre is one of the largest and busiest performing arts centres in the world, with more than two and a half million attendances last year, including 800,000 to exhibitions.

The Arts Centre works closely with leading Australian performing arts companies and presenters, who use the Arts Centre’s venues for their regular seasons. There is also a focus on bringing top international companies to the Arts Centre and on providing a creative hub that enables artists to share new work with the widest possible audience.

THE projECT

The 2009 Commemorative Grant of $2 million will be used to support the development and presentation of the most significant Asian performing arts program in Australia.

The Kenneth Myer Asian Theatre Series will showcase outstanding performances from large and established Asian performing arts companies, classical and contemporary, together with talented, emerging performers. The biennial series will be augmented by a program of workshops, master classes, public seminars and displays that will illuminate and enhance the audience experience of the performances.

Greg Randall, Director of Programming at the Arts Centre, says the series will be founded on a number of principles. “The Kenneth Myer Asian Theatre Series will take a broad view of Asia and include the Indian Subcontinent, North East Asia and South East Asia. It’s a large, culturally diverse area and that will be reflected in the series. We want to present the very best of Asian performance, so the series will be focused on excellence.”

Audiences expecting only traditional Asian performances, however, will be in for a surprise. “The lens is a contemporary view of Asian theatre,” says Greg. “Audiences will be treated to a real sense of discovery about the work that is coming out of the region.” It is expected that the establishment of the Kenneth Myer Asian Theatre Series will attract mainstream audiences as well as growing larger audiences within the Asian Australian community.

The increasing engagement between Australia and Asia through government, industry, tourism, education and culture makes the establishment of the Kenneth Myer Asian Theatre Series timely. Susanne Williamson, Manager Philanthropy and Supporter Relationships at the Arts Centre, says, “The support provided by the Commemorative Grant will enable the Arts Centre to build greater understanding and engagement between significant Asian artists and cultures, and audiences in Australia.”

An Artistic Reference Group for this series has been established, comprised of leading local experts to help identify and secure the best Asian productions for the program, which will commence in early 2010. The 2009 Commemorative Grant will be used partly for research and development of the series and partly to contribute to the cost of delivering the performances.

“The new theatre series will very much reflect the ambitious, forward-looking role of Kenneth Myer, who understood more than most that the arts are an access point to create better understanding and stronger relationships with our Asian neighbours,” says Greg.

2009 CoMMEMorATiVE GrAnT

$2 million

The Myer Foundation

“ The new theatre series will very much reflect the ambitious, forward-looking role of Kenneth Myer, who understood more than most that the arts are an access point to create better understanding and stronger relationships with our Asian neighbours.”

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Globally, countries are increasingly investing in diplomacy, soft power and smart power to complement traditional

“first-track” government-to-government diplomatic relations. There is an ever- increasing need for nations to work together to address global challenges such as climate change, food shortages and pandemics.

The Asian community of nations is developing rapidly, and for the first time, our major trading partner, now China, is not in any security alliance with Australia. Our future economic prosperity and security largely depends on how effective we are in fostering strong relationships with our Asian neighbours.

ASiALinK ConVErSATionS

Asialink’s CEO, Jenny McGregor explains the history of the Conversations. “In the early 2000s, tensions between Australia and Southeast Asia were running high,” says Jenny. “Mr Baillieu Myer strongly believed something needed to be done to address a perception that Australia had turned its back on Southeast Asia. As a result, the Asialink Conversations were conceived, and the first Conversations were held in Melbourne in 2002.”

The Conversations bring together emerg-ing leaders across Government, academia, community and business, from Australia and ASEAN member countries.

AsialinkASiALinK ConVErSATionS EnDoWMEnT


$1.5 million

The Myer Foundation

Operating as a “second-track” initiative, the Conversations promote interactions that are focussed on building constructive relationships in the region.

The Asialink Conversations are recognised for their unique and valuable contribution to the development of the Asian community. This reputation has attracted some of the region’s most influential, talented and creative minds to past Conversations, allowing for liberated and lively discussions. “The model brings together leaders and future leaders from a range of sectors, where the objective is to move beyond politeness, so we can really engage with each other, understand issues, and talk openly,” explains Jenny. “This enables frank and robust discussions, which can help counter dangerous misunderstand-ings and creates a shared view of major challenges. It’s an environment where leaders can exchange views, debate and argue in a way that is not possible within traditional ‘first track’ diplomacy.”

THE projECT

The Asialink Conversations have been held in 2002 (Melbourne), 2004 (Kuala Lumpur), 2006 (Ho Chi Minh City) and 2007 (Sydney), but until now, have been a year-by-year proposition.

The 2009 Commemorative Grant of $1.5 million will contribute to the long-term future and independence of the Conversa-tions and will help to secure sponsorship from the corporate sector.

Jenny believes this will help to further position the Conversations as the leading second-track initiative for the region, and an influential contributor to regional networks and architecture. “Securing the future of the Asialink Conversations means that we can build on the solid relationships, partnerships and goodwill that have been established over the previous four Conversations,” says Jenny. “It means we can do things between the Conversations series to strengthen the relationships developed and invite countries beyond the ASEAN membership, such as China, India and Japan.”

The Conversations provide a valuable opportunity for neighbouring nations to develop a deeper understanding of each other, and in turn, establish meaningful relationships that transcend political agendas. “The objective is to build networks, friendships and trust that will help in good times and in bad.”

Already, the Conversations have had a positive impact in the region and Jenny is excited about the prospect of what might flow as a result of the 2009 grant. “Our vision is that the Asialink Conversations will contribute to region building, the development of multi-lateral relationships, and will help to solve some of the important issues in our region.”

“The Asialink Conversations aim to build networks, friendship and trust between emerging leaders in the Asian region.”


In any one year, over three million Australians experience one or more episodes of major brain or mind disorders. Younger people are particularly afflicted by depression and addiction, whereas dementia, stroke and Parkinson’s disease affect people in increasing numbers as our population ages. In addition, Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy, Huntington’s Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Schizophrenia and traumatic brain and spinal cord injury can strike at any time.

Brain and neural disorders place a heavy social and economic burden on our community and the personal suffering by those afflicted and their carers is immeasurable.

FLorEy nEuroSCiEnCE inSTiTuTES

The Howard Florey Institute was founded by Kenneth Myer and Sir Ian Potter in 1971, and in 1997 changed its focus to brain disorders. Now the Florey is Australia’s largest and leading brain research institute with more than 300 staff and students.

In 2007, the Howard Florey Institute amal-gamated with the Brain Research Institute and the National Stroke Research Institute to form the Florey Neuroscience Institutes. As a result, the Florey Neuroscience Institutes is now one of the world’s top ten centres for neuroscience research. The Institutes comprise more than 500 staff and students and a research budget of over $40 million.


$5 million

The Myer Foundation

THE projECT

The Myer Foundation’s commitment to the Florey continues with a grant of $5 million that will contribute to the cost of constructing two new purpose-built, contemporary facilities. The Mental Health Research Institute and University of Melbourne neuroscientists will co-locate with the Florey Neuroscience Institutes in the new facilities at the University’s Parkville campus and in the clinical wing of the Austin Hospital in Heidelberg.

The four research institutes and the University will collaboratively use their world-class research skills aimed at developing more effective treatments for the millions of Australians affected by brain disorders every year.

Director of the Florey Neuroscience Institutes, Professor Frederick Mendelsohn says, “There’s a revolution underway in neuroscience driven by advances in enabling technology. The next decade will produce exponential breakthroughs, which will have far-reaching impacts on our community, both in terms of our health and our economy.”

Professor Mendelsohn says the potential for collaboration between the sciences as a result of the co-location is very exciting.

“One of the most important aspects of this project is having scientists work together,” he says.

“Science is typically a collaborative, interactive discipline, but it’s also very competitive. Many scientific discoveries are made by accident—where one scientist working on research in one area talks to another working in a completely different area, which triggers an idea.”

“If we can uncover the brain chemistry that leads to addiction, we can use that knowledge to treat many forms of addiction, such as nicotine, alcohol, solvent sniffing and eating disorders,” says Professor Mendelsohn.

The total cost of the new buildings is $205 million and they are expected to be com-pleted in 2011. The Florey Neuroscience Institutes has already secured funding from the Victorian Government, Australian Government and other philanthropic organisations including the Ian Potter Foundation.

Professor Mendelsohn says the vision includes making research more accessible to the public. “We want to change the view that research is all done in a locked-up, hidden facility. We will exhibit the Cunningham Dax Collection of psychiatric art and we want the space to be open- facing, with an outreach component, so people can feel more connected with some of the important work we do in helping those people affected by brain and mind disorders.”

Florey neuroscience institutes FLorEy nEuroSCiEnCE inSTiTuTES BuiLDinG

“There’s a revolution underway in neuroscience driven by advances in enabling technology. The next decade will produce exponential breakthroughs, which will have far-reaching impacts on our community.”

The royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne.


Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) is recognised as one of the world’s finest. There are over 10,000 species and 50,000 individual plants in the 38 hectare gardens, including trees and plants of great cultural value. Many of these plants are irreplaceable, endangered or even extinct in the wild. It is important that the survival of these plants is guaranteed by an adequate supply of water.

The recent drought, Melbourne’s growing population and the onset of climate change have all contributed to the depletion of Melbourne’s water supply, and significantly reduced the water volume and quality within the Gardens.

royAL BoTAniC GArDEnS

The Royal Botanic Gardens was established in 1846. At the time, the Gardens’ site on the southern bank of the Yarra River was an uninspiring mixture of rocky outcrops and swampy marshland, but it was not long before the foundations were being laid for one of the great gardens of the world.

In 1857 the Gardens’ first full time Director, Ferdinand von Mueller was appointed. Mueller established the Gardens’ scientific centre, The National Herbarium of Victoria, and amassed an extraordinary range of plants from every corner of the world.

In 1873 Mueller was succeeded by William Guilfoyle, who set about creating the Gardens’ world-famous “picturesque” landscape style.

royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne WorKinG WETLAnDS


$1 million

The Myer Foundation

Guilfoyle sculpted sweeping lawns, meandering paths and glittering lakes, creating a series of vistas offering a surprise around every corner. Guilfoyle’s design included a volcano, which was built as a reservoir at the highest point of the gardens. As well as being a focal point in the Gardens, the volcano was intended as a reservoir to store water. Director and CEO of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Philip Moors explains. “Guilfoyle’s concept was never really visible to the public and the reservoir was finally closed during the 1950s,” says Philip.

Today, the Gardens are a treasured icon within Melbourne, visited by nearly 4,000 people from Victoria, interstate and overseas each day. The Gardens are owned by the people of Victoria and managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens Board.

THE projECT

The 2009 Commemorative Grant will help to fund Working Wetlands, an important RBG project that represents Stage 2 of a three-part plan to make the Gardens totally water self-sufficient. Working Wetlands involves implementing an integrated carbon-neutral system for local storm-water harvesting, circulation, bio-filtering, storage and distribution for irrigation. This work will lay the foundation for Stage 3 of the program, which will complete the work required for the Gardens to be fully water independent.

“Over the last eight years, we’ve managed to halve the amount of water used in the Gardens,” says Philip. “But we’re now at the point where we can’t use any less, so we need to consider more sustainable options.”

The Grant will also contribute to resurrect-ing Guilfoyle’s Volcano by enabling it to be connected to the Working Wetlands system, thereby helping to open up this last historic part of the Gardens to the public. The new Volcano will showcase floating garden beds, demonstrate the Garden’s water management system and educate visitors about water issues.

The project will divert local stormwater into the Ornamental Lake where it will be filtered before being directed by pipe to the Volcano reservoir, Nymphaea Lake and Fern Gully. “This project will help us to gather water for the Gardens and also improve some of the plantings and the vistas.” says Philip.

RBG hopes to leverage funding from government and other sources to proceed to Stage 3. “The Royal Botanic Gardens play a central part in the memories of millions of Victorians, many of whom bring their children here for picnics and to feed the ducks, just as they did when they were younger. This vital work will guarantee that future generations of visitors will enjoy the Gardens, just as others have for over 160 years.”

“This vital work will help make it possible for future generations of visitors to enjoy the Gardens, just as others have for over 160 years.”

orchestra Victoria with principal Guest Conductor Marko Letonja at Hamer Hall, july 2008. photo: Fred Kroh


Music is one of life’s great joys and can bring together people from all walks of life. For many Australians living in regional areas, access to high quality performances can be limited, due to the time and cost involved in travelling to capital cities for performances by major arts organisations.

Young aspiring musicians in regional com-munities are often disadvantaged due to a lack of access to performing musicians and orchestras that allows them to learn and practice.

orCHESTrA ViCToriA

Orchestra Victoria (OV) is one of Australia’s premier orchestras. It is the performance partner for Opera Australia, The Australian Ballet and the Victorian Opera. In addition, the Orchestra delivers free concerts and education workshops throughout Victoria via its Community Program.

The Community Program is based on a unique model of partnerships in which the Orchestra works closely with local councils, charitable organisations and community representatives to develop concerts and workshop programs that meet the needs of the communities. The Orchestra’s Community Program currently reaches approximately 60,000 people throughout Victoria.

orchestra Victoria on Air


$1 million

Sidney Myer Fund

The main aims of the program are to enhance access to high quality musical performances and to provide training opportunities and encouragement to aspiring young musicians.

THE projECT

The 2009 Commemorative Grant will be used to help fund a series of three annual, free open-air concerts in iconic locations in regional Victoria. Each concert will be simultaneously broadcast to an outdoor

“Live Site” at a second regional centre, utilising state-of-the-art audio and video technology.

Jo Beaumont, OV’s Artistic Director, says the 2009 Commemorative Grant will help OV fulfil its vision. “This represents the coming to fruition of a project that’s been on our wish list for a long time,” says Jo.

The first concert will be held in Bendigo’s Rosalind Park on Saturday 28 February 2009 and will be broadcast live to Shepparton. “We wanted the first outdoor concert to be held in Bendigo because of the regional city’s long affiliation with the Myer family, as well as the Orchestra’s history of involvement with the Bendigo community,” says Jo.

“It will be a big festive evening, where people can bring along their picnic blankets and experience a wonderful performance in a picture-postcard location.”

Along with the Orchestra’s existing Regional Program, the “On Air” events will enable OV to forge even stronger, more enduring relationships with communities in country Victoria. “Our aim is to provide young people in particular with access to some of the finest musicians in the State via performances, workshops and teaching events,” says Jo.

The regional centres involved will be rotated to ensure the engagement of Victoria’s major regional areas.

OV expects to use the three large-scale and inclusive events to leverage further funding and in-kind support, “We hope this event will be attractive to sponsors and local councils,” says Jo. “Our vision is that this will be a celebration of local community, a celebration of excellent music and musicians, and a highly anticipated event for the regional communities taking part.”

“Our vision is that this will be a celebration of local community, a celebration of excellent music and musicians, and a highly anticipated event for the regional communities taking part.”

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With the increasing gentrification of Melbourne’s CBD, a large number of the city’s low-income residents has been displaced. This exciting project will more than double the number of affordable housing options available in the precinct, and help to create a sustainable way of living that fuses home, work and community in a central space.

MELBournE AFForDABLE HouSinG

Melbourne Affordable Housing (MAH) operates as a not-for-profit developer, owner and manager of affordable housing in metropolitan Melbourne and Greater Geelong. It currently manages 298 units of housing, of which 240 are owned by the company and 58 are leased from the Director of Housing.

THE projECT

The Drill Hall Apartments and Multicul-tural Hub is an integrated project that will provide quality, affordable housing, employment and training opportunities within the heart of Melbourne’s CBD. Located in a $7.2 million heritage-listed building provided by the City of Melbourne, the project will redevelop the site to create a hub for Melbourne’s diverse multicultural communities, 60 units of affordable accommodation, and an Employment Centre operated by Social Firms Australia.

Melbourne Affordable Housing DriLL HALL ApArTMEnTS AnD MuLTiCuLTurAL HuB DEVELopMEnT


$2 million

Sidney Myer Fund

The Employment Centre will establish a community enterprise that will train and employ residents to offer much-needed gardening, cleaning and home maintenance services to clients such as the City of Melbourne. This collaborative approach to helping the long-term unemployed back into the workforce will respond to a community need as well as offer the participants the opportunity to stabilise their own lives and potentially grow the business.

The name “Drill Hall” is derived from the building’s original functions as a pre-war, 1930s officer training facility. It has an ideal location near Victoria Market, public transport, educational institutions, hospital and medical facilities, and a broad range of welfare services.

John Timmer, Director Project Develop-ment, says it’s a model that may become the blueprint for future low-cost housing.

“Blending housing, community and employment services into the one space is quite novel,” he says. “The potential is there for this project to break open all the silos. It’s not just about providing affordable rent. It’s about reducing the cost of living and helping to create sustainable, long-term affordable living solutions.”

In contrast to traditional public housing, which works with the highest needs groups within the community, the affordable

housing model can cater to a broader range of tenants. Drill Hall housing will be provided to a diverse mix of the community including unemployed people, artists on low incomes, newly arrived migrants, low-income workers, and people with special needs who need to live near medical and support facilities.

The main Drill Hall will be available for community displays, festivals and other events. The office space will be occupied by community groups and may also provide a new home for the MAH team.

The City of Melbourne has provided the $7.2 million heritage-listed building and will contribute a further $1.25 million. MAH is also seeking additional funding from other sources.

The building is expected to be completed in 2010. The 2009 grant will allow the company to proceed with its capital-raising efforts, to secure the 25 per cent contribu-tion required to access State Government funding. “We’re a charitable, not-for-profit organisation and funding is limited,” says John. “Without the generous assistance from the Sidney Myer Fund, this project simply would not have happened.”

“The project will allow people to live in an affordable way, interact socially, and become valued contributors in our society.”


Artist’s impression of the Drill Hall building, MGS Architects.

CFA tankers replace water used for fire fighting back into a dam.


Many communities are experiencing considerable economic and social hardship due to the effects of prolonged drought in rural Victoria. For the Country Fire Authority (CFA), the shortage of water has affected the non-emergency activities of some fire brigades in drought-ravaged rural areas. Traditionally, CFA has relied on town water supplies and the goodwill of local landholders who make their dam water available. With some communities experiencing drought conditions for the last ten years, CFA is increasingly reluctant to draw on these precious resources, and has sought a more a sustainable solution.

CounTry FirE AuTHoriTy

CFA is a community-based, community-focussed emergency management organisation that provides a range of services that contribute to the safety and well-being of Victoria. CFA serves more than 2.8 million people and one million dwellings, from the growth corridors in outer-suburban Melbourne to the far corners of the State.

Comprising more than 1200 brigades, CFA responds to a range of emergencies including bushfires, house fires, industrial incidents, road accidents and rescues. It also provides substantial support to other emergency service agencies and conducts extensive public education programs on fire prevention and safety.

Country Fire AuthoritySuSTAinABLE WATEr SuppLiES AT CFA CoMMuniTiES


$2 million

Sidney Myer Fund

CFA has a diverse membership of 60,000 people, of which 99 per cent are volunteers. The men and women of CFA are highly dedicated and come from all walks of life, giving their time freely to help protect their community.

Robert Hogan, CFA’s Executive Manager Public Affairs says, “CFA is a reflection of local communities because it is made up of the people within them.” The closure of schools, banks and other businesses in some rural areas has meant that the importance of CFA in local communities has never been greater.

“In many places around Victoria, isolation and demographic decline means CFA is often the only tangible presence that binds the community together,” says Robert.

“Not only is it there to protect and support the community in times of threat, it’s often the place where local sporting clubs and community groups meet and make use of the facilities. Our philosophy has always been that we don’t just build fire stations —we build community assets.”

THE projECT

The 2009 Commemorative Grant will be used to contribute to the cost of installing water tanks in 500 rural fire stations that have been identified as most in need of rainwater storage due to a lack of, or deficient, water supply.

This will mean that there will be an avail-able supply of stored water for firefighting purposes, training, vehicle and equipment cleaning, and ongoing use of the fire station amenities by community groups.

“This project will add significantly to our capacity,” says Robert.

The Sidney Myer Fund grant of $2 million will assist with vital capital works, such as the supply of tanks and pumps at each site. CFA will leverage $400,000 from other sources and will also rely on the capacity and capability of local brigades to perform part of the installation work. CFA also has the support of Green Plumbers Interna-tional, which will provide expertise in the procurement and implementation process. The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) has committed funding for the project and CFA has approached Rotary International (Victorian Districts) for help with the installation efforts.

“The 2009 Commemorative Grant will deliver very tangible benefits to more than 500 rural communities across Victoria,” says Robert.

“Our philosophy has always been that we don’t just build fire stations

—we build community assets.”

13

Access to high quality education in rural Australia is often compromised due to the difficulty in attracting and retaining teach-ers and leaders to regional areas, and the comparative lack of resources and research programs in these regions.

In addition, rural regions face unique chal-lenges, including the issue of sustainability of remote communities and the impacts of climate change, drought and floods.

FLinDErS uniVErSiTy

Established in 1966, Flinders University is located in Adelaide and has an expanding rural and remote presence in South Australia, the Northern Territory and Victoria. The University has a high research profile and a history of developing strong networks with the community, government, NGOs and other Australian and international universities. Flinders School of Education is highly regarded for its professional programs and research. As well as the Research Centre on Educational Futures, the School hosts the Rural Education Forum Australia and has long standing interests in rural and remote education and well-being.

Flinders university CHAir in rurAL EDuCATion AnD CoMMuniTiES


$1 million

Sidney Myer Fund

THE projECT

The 2009 Commemorative Grant will con-tribute to the cost of funding the new Baillieu Myer Chair in Rural Education and Communities within the University for five years. Flinders University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Barber says,

“We believe the university-philanthropy partnership is an ideal model for the establishment of a program to address inequalities in educational opportunities for rural and remotely located young Australians.”

The Chair in Rural Education and Communities will be selected following a national and international search and will be located in the School of Education. The position will have a clear mandate to develop new directions in the study and support of rural education and communi-ties; undertake teaching and research to improve access to high quality, relevant and affordable education for people who live in rural Australia, and provide leadership in the field.

“Education and health are two very relevant issues for rural communities,” says Professor Barber. “The Chair is a very exciting addition to our activities in these fields.

It will help to influence policy develop-ment at a national and state level, and will develop international links to identify and promote best practice in education in rural communities here and overseas.”

The University expects that the Chair in Rural Education and Communities will have a significant and enduring impact.

“We envisage there will be increased reten-tion of students, particularly boys, in rural schools and Vocational Education and Training (VET), together with increased retention of teachers and health prof- essionals in rural and remote locations,” says Professor Faith Trent, Executive Dean, Faculty of Education, Humanities, Law and Theology.

“Among other things, we will have an acknowledged and highly regarded centre for rural education and communities, which will be a source of informed advice for projects and other activities,” she says.

“The Commemorative Grant from the Sidney Myer Fund is a very tangible and significant acknowledgement of the importance of rural education and communities to Australia’s sustainability,” says Professor Barber.

“This is a significant acknowledgement of the importance of rural education and communities to Australia’s sustainability.”


Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating affect an increasing number of people in our community. Despite this, there is still much work to be done to understand the causes and how to best treat the conditions.

THE BuTTErFLy FounDATion

The Butterfly Foundation is a national not-for-profit community organisation that supports people who suffer from eating disorders and negative body image.

The Foundation advocates for prevention programs in schools, high quality eating disorder services in the public sector, public awareness programs, advocacy and research, as well as providing financial support for individual treatment.

THE projECT

The grant will contribute to the establish-ment of an Australian National Research Institute for Eating Disorders. The Research Institute will play a leading role in deter-mining the future direction of research in the field of eating disorders and body image within Australia.

The Butterfly FoundationAuSTrALiAn nATionAL rESEArCH inSTiTuTE For EATinG DiSorDErS


$1.3 million

The Myer Foundation

CEO and Founder of the Butterfly Foun-dation, Claire Vickery says, “In Australia, many good researchers want to work in this field, but are restricted due to a lack of money, and because traditional Depart-ment divisions tend to inhibit collaboration. Our vision is to create a research institute without walls, which will bring together the multiplicity of disciplines involved in the search for prevention, treatment and cure of eating disorders.”

Eating disorders are extremely complex as they involve both medical and psychologi-cal health as well as community issues and education. As a result, research into why they occur and how they are to be treated crosses many academic and therapeutic disciplines. “The gap between researchers, clinicians and sufferers is huge,” says Claire.

“Eating disorders have not had the profile of other illnesses, like depression, and as a result, it’s been difficult to attract research-ers into the area.”

The Foundation is seeking funding from other sources and is working towards a total budget of $20 million to establish the Australian National Institute for Eating Disorders.

“The Research Institute will be used to establish collaborative research projects between ‘bench sciences’—such as molecular genetics, neuroscience and brain imaging—with psychiatry, psychology and the like, including work with sociologists who attempt to understand community attitudes,” explains Claire. The funding will also be used to host an event for international and Australian research and clinical experts in early 2009 and offer PhD scholarships to entice the brightest minds to the field.

The objectives of the Research Institute include improving the standards in clinical care and treatment for people with an eating disorder, and developing effective support structures and services for families and carers.

“We are delighted to receive the 2009 grant,”says Claire. “Being part of the Comemorative Grants Program highlights the importance of the issue and it will certainly help us to leverage further funding towards the Institute.”

“Our vision is to create a research institute without walls, which will bring together the multiplicity of disciplines involved in the search for prevention, treatment and cure of eating disorders.”


ClimateWorks AustraliaTHE ESTABLiSHMEnT oF CLiMATEWorKS


$4.6 million

The Myer Foundation

“This is an exciting opportunity to convert breakthrough research on climate change into on-the-ground works that deliver solutions.”

Australia has the largest greenhouse emissions per capita in the developed world.

CLiMATEWorKS AuSTrALiA

ClimateWorks Australia is a joint initiative of The Myer Foundation and Monash University. ClimateWorks Australia will provide a focal point for inclusive national leadership to address climate change and its consequences for a sustainable future for Australia. It is a non-profit organisation that will be located at the University’s Clayton campus.

THE projECT

In 2007 The Myer Foundation commis-sioned a comprehensive feasibility study to address the role philanthropy might play in the field of climate change. The study consulted more than 100 of the most senior business, government, philanthropic and scientific leaders. It found that philanthropy has a significant role to play as an honest broker, coming from a position unaligned with commercial or political interest groups.

ClimateWorks Australia aims to contribute to substantial greenhouse gas emissions reductions through facilitating collaborative action within Australia and in the wider international context. It will bring key partners together to deliver projects that drive a cycle of change, resulting in significant emissions reductions.

ClimateWorks Australia’s CEO, Profes-sor David Griggs says the collaboration between The Myer Foundation and the University is a very important aspect.

“It’s a unique partnership,” says Professor Griggs. “ClimateWorks Australia is able to draw on the 5,000 academics that sit within Monash plus the wider scientific community, so actions will be informed by the best available scientific research.”

This relationship between research and action is a key strength of ClimateWorks Australia. ClimateWorks Australia will coordinate cutting-edge, cross-disciplinary research into today’s sustainability challenges, delivering programs that operationalise research and stimulate emissions reductions. ClimateWorks Australia will also play an important role in educating individuals and institutions in sustainability best-practice.

ClimateWorks Australia’s Chairman, Professor John Thwaites says, “This is an exciting opportunity to convert break-through research on climate change into on-the-ground works. ClimateWorks Australia is about delivering solutions to meet sustainability problems.”

ClimateWorks Australia is also closely associated with the ClimateWorks Foundation, a new global philanthropic network designed to combat climate change.

The global challenges we face pay no heed to the boundaries between academic disciplines, or between universities, government and the community.

Meeting the sustainability challenges of the 21st Century requires new forms of collaboration and inquiry that encompass environmental, social and economic dimensions, and that engage all relevant stakeholders. ClimateWorks Australia is committed to just such an approach. It is an excellent example of how philanthropy is marshalling its resources globally to collaborate for the good of the planet.

The Convent Courtyard at the Abbotsford Convent


ABBoTSForD ConVEnT FounDATion

The Abbotsford Convent Foundation was established in 2004, following a seven-year community campaign to save the historic site from inappropriate development. The Foundation is entrusted to realise the community’s vision of a unique arts, education and cultural precinct.

The Abbotsford Convent is steeped in history and interest. For over a century, the precinct housed a closed order of Good Shepherd Sisters, as well as the many hundreds of women for whom they cared. The precinct is unique as it is the last intact 19th Century rural landscape in Melbourne. It creates an “island” surrounded by the Yarra River and indigenous bushland. Today, the unique site is a tranquil oasis located just four kilometres from the CBD. Comprising 11 heritage buildings and surrounded by gorgeous gardens that are filled with people in the summer months, the Convent is a much-cherished haven for artists and the community in Melbourne.

More than half of the heritage buildings have now been restored and are in daily use, with up to 10,000 people visiting the Convent each week. More than 300 tenants occupy the buildings, which host regular festivals, events, classes, exhibitions and community gatherings.

Abbotsford Convent FoundationMErCATor For THE MAKErS


$1 million

Sidney Myer Fund

THE projECT

The project will restore the currently derelict former laundry spaces in the two-storey Mercator building, situated at the eastern end of the Convent. CEO of the Convent, Maggie Maguire, explains that the building will provide a creative space for industrial artists, including welders, ceramists, sculptors, potters, furniture makers and printmakers. “Industrial arts are wet, noisy and messy,” says Maggie. “Until now, they have had very few dedicated spaces in which to produce their work.”

Mercator for the Makers will deliver eight large-scale studios and a new national and international artists-in-residence program. The concept was inspired by the success of the Philip Stokes Studio Glass model, which fulfils a vision for community access with demonstrations, workshops, events and small-scale retail activities. Maggie explains the project is vital to the overall vision of the Convent precinct. “It makes art very accessible,” says Maggie. “The general public can look at the art being made, participate in classes and take it home.”

The artists’ accommodation is a critical element that the Abbotsford Convent Foundation believes will provide unimagined opportunities for creative collaboration.

“As in Europe, this will allow artists to work alongside each other, eat together and exchange ideas. We’re looking forward to seeing what cross-art form works might emerge through this type of collaboration.”

The artists-in-residence program will provide opportunities for learning and cultural exchange, and will help to position the Convent as an arts project of international significance.

The Abbotsford Convent Foundation is in the process of seeking a further $1 million from additional funding partners in order to complete the project. It acknowledges the critical role philanthropy has played in the development of the site to date.

“Without the assistance of the 2009 Commemorative Grant, the Mercator would continue to sit there full of pigeons!” says Maggie. “The arts community is very much dependent on the generosity of philanthropy. The Sidney Myer Fund understands and embraces the vision of the Convent and we’re extremely excited about the project.”

“We are creating a new space where artists can create and collaborate and the community can observe and participate in art-making.”

19

The Tasmanian Midlands is recognised as one of 15 biodiversity hotspots in Australia, and is widely acknowledged as a key conservation priority.

The region contains one of the world’s least protected and most endangered ecosystems: natural temperate grasslands, which have been reduced to less than ten percent of their original extent. Those that remain support an astonishing array of plant diversity, particularly endemic and threat-ened daises, lilies and orchids.

The hotspot contains one of the least reserved bioregions in Australia, with less than four per cent of the Northern Midlands protected in formal reserves. Based on current trends, over half of the remaining valley-floor grasslands in the Tasmanian Midlands will be lost within ten years due to changes in farming practices and land use.

Other conservation assets, including some marsupials and the wedge-tailed eagles, are also suffering due to clearing and lack of vegetation. Private land accounts for 98 per cent of the region. Many landowners are conscious of these issues and are keen to build conservation activities in their farming practices. However, farming is a challenging enterprise here. Wool price fluctuations and drought have placed pres-sures on farmers who cannot contemplate changes to their land useage without external assistance.

Bush Heritage AustraliaTASMAniAn MiDLAnDS LAnDSCApE projECT


$2 million

Sidney Myer Fund

BuSH HEriTAGE AuSTrALiA

Bush Heritage Australia aims to protect Australia’s unique biodiversity by acquiring and managing threatened land, water and wildlife of outstanding conservation significance. The organisation also builds partnerships to support conservation management on land in private ownership.

THE projECT

The Tasmanian Midlands region has a total area of approximately 640,040 hectares, of which 3.5 percent is currently under conservation management. Based on current science for these landscapes, an appropriate conservation management target is ten percent. Thus, the project aims to secure approximately 41,000 hectares for conservation over the next ten years.

Bush Heritage Australia’s CEO, Doug Humann says, “The project provides an encompassing solution to a complex issue—that of meeting conservation and pastoralist needs.” The project is a collaboration between Bush Heritage Australia, the Tasmanian Land Conservancy, which aims to protect Tasmania’s biodiver-sity by acquiring land and working with private landowners to establish private protected areas, and the Tasmanian Government. The partners also hope to leverage funding from other sources.

The 2009 Commemorative Grant will contribute to two aspects of the

project: the acquisition of property for conservation reserves, and the establishment of a perpetual trust fund that can be used to enter into “alliance” conservation agreements with landowners.

The alliance agreements are a new concept, involving an upfront payment in recogni-tion of an exchange of property rights (such as the right to clear forests) and an ongoing performance-based payment for quality management of biodiversity resources.

“The alliance agreements allow the conservation NGOs to enter enduring partnerships with landowners, which provide long-term security to both parties and a process for adapting, supporting and rewarding conservation management over time,” explains Doug.

The project will ensure that the Tasmanian Midlands retains its unique and diverse conservation assets for the foreseeable future, and importantly will help to build a community partnership between conservation organisations and landowners.

“This will not only directly enhance the viability of farms in the Midlands, but will allow for the exploration of ‘eco labelling’ for farm products, making conservation management an increasingly attractive aspect of farm management”.

“The project has the potential to provide a new model for conservation management on private property across Australia.”

“The project provides an encompassing solution to a complex issue—that of meeting conservation and pastoralist needs.”


Grassy white gum woodlands leading down to silver tussock grasslands in the Tasmanian Midlands. photo: Matthew newton

21

In an unprecedented philanthropic gesture, the 2009 Commemorative Grants Program will give 37 Australian non-profit organisa-tions up to $100,000, unsolicited, and with few constraints on how the grant is to be used.

The idea arose from the fact that Myer Philanthropy celebrates working alongside community organisations. Many of these organisations have served their communi-ties extremely well, and this grant allows us to recognise and acknowledge that service in a tangible way.

The core purpose of the project is to recognise and celebrate the trust and mutual vision shared by grant makers and grant seekers. The grant recipients will be required to use the grant on reviewing their organisational strength and building long-term viability.

Each recipient organisation has been invited to a forum in which ideas and

knowledge about organisational capacity building will be shared with experts in the field.

The 37 organisations will also take part in a research program in which the wider issue of organisational capacity building will be studied. The research will be conducted by Queensland University of Technology’s Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies and the findings will be reported to the non-profit sector and to the grant maker network in Australia, with the aim of encouraging grants for capacity building in the future.

The Celebrating Our Partners project reflects a view held by all of us in The Myer Foundation and the Sidney Myer Fund that philanthropy is different, and should be different to government and sponsorship support. We can take risks. We can apply a generosity of spirit, and we can choose broadly to whom we give our funds.

Celebrating our partners: philanthropic investment for strong community organisations


$3.6 million

Sidney Myer Fund & The Myer Foundation

“This is heartland philanthropy —helping small community organisations with their core mission.”

The 37 organisations were chosen accord-ing to a set of criteria established by the 2009 Taskforce: the organisation must work within the field of poverty and disadvantage or community; have a budget of less than $2 million; and have received two or more grants from The Myer Foundation or Sidney Myer Fund in the last ten years. An important factor was the extent to which the organisation had acquitted the grants it had received, and how the community it serves has benefited. “A philanthropic grant is only as good as the organisation that receives it,” says Mr Rupert Myer of The Myer Foundation.

“This isn’t names-on-the-wall philanthropy. This is heartland philanthropy—helping small community organisations with their core mission.”


Selected organisations:

1. ACTion For CoMMuniTy LiVinG ViC

2. AGED AnD CoMMuniTy SErViCES AuSTrALiA ViC

3. ArTS ACCESS SoCiETy ViC

4. ArTS projECT AuSTrALiA ViC

5. ASyLuM SEEKEr rESourCE CEnTrE ViC

6. AuSTrALiAn CounCiL oF SoCiAL SErViCES ViC

7. AuSTrALiAnS For nATiVE TiTLE & rEConCiLiATion ViC

8. CASE For rEFuGEES WA

9. CoLLinGWooD CHiLDrEn’S FArM ViC

10. CoMpASSionATE FriEnDS ViCToriA ViC

11. CoTTAGE By THE SEA QuEEnSCLiFF ViC

12. DEAL CoMMuniCATion CEnTrE ViC

13. DEprESSionET ViC

14. FEDErATion oF ETHniC CoMMuniTiES CounCiLS oF AuSTrALiA ACT

15. FiTzroy LEArninG nETWorK ViC

16. FounDATion For AuSTrALiAn AGriCuLTurAL WoMEn ViC

17. HoTHAM MiSSion ViC

18. HouSinG For THE AGED ACTion Group ViC

19. inDiGEnouS EnTErpriSE pArTnErSHipS QLD

20. inTErnATionAL SoCiAL SErViCE ViC

21. LorT SMiTH AniMAL HoSpiTAL ViC

22. MuMBuLLA FounDATion nSW

23. nATionAL Sorry DAy CoMMiTTEE ACT

24. oTiS FounDATion ViC

25. puBLiC inTErEST ADVoCACy CEnTrE nSW

26. rEFuGEE & iMMiGrATion LEGAL CEnTrE inC ViC

27. rEinForCE ViC

28. riDinG For THE DiSABLED ASSoCiATion oF AuSTrALiA ViC

29. roSS HouSE ASSoCiATion ViC

30. SprinGVALE inDo-CHinESE MuTuAL ASSiSTAnCE ASSoCiATion ViC

31. TASMAniAn CoMMuniTy FounDATion TAS

32. TrAVELLErS AiD SoCiETy oF ViCToriA ViC

33. urBAn SEED ViC

34. WELFArE riGHTS uniT ViC

35. WinGECArriBEE CoMMuniTy FounDATion nSW

36. yoTHu yinDi FounDATion nT

37. youTH EnTErpriSE TruST QLD

23

2009 Commemorative Grants Taskforce

Sidney Myer —Convenor Andrew Myer Carrillo Gantner AO Anna Spraggett Sally Lindsay Baillieu Myer AC —Advisor Lady Southey AC —Advisor

Sidney Myer Fund Trustees

Carrillo Gantner AO —Chairman Sally Lindsay Andrew Myer Sidney Myer

The Myer Foundation Directors

Carrillo Gantner AO —President Martyn Myer AO —Vice-President Sidney Myer —Vice-President Stephen Shelmerdine AM—Vice-President Joanna Baevski Samantha Baillieu Sandy Clark Simon Herd Rupert Myer AM Maree Shelmerdine Lady Southey AC Anna Spraggett

The Myer Foundation Members

Dashiell Gantner Neilma Gantner —Life Governor Vallejo Gantner ZiYin Gantner Kerry Gardner Kate Herd Natalie Herd Jessica Lindsay Jonathan Lindsay Sally Lindsay Timothy Lindsay Andrew Myer Annabel Myer Baillieu Myer AC —Life Governor Edwina Myer Emily Myer Helena Myer Jonathan Myer Laura Myer Louise Myer Lucy Myer Patrick Myer Sarah Myer David Shelmerdine Kate Shelmerdine Laura Shelmerdine Lily Shelmerdine Matthew Shelmerdine Tom Shelmerdine William Shelmerdine

Sidney Myer’s widow, Merlyn, later Dame Merlyn Myer, · society. Philanthropy has been a part of...

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Transcript of Sidney Myer’s widow, Merlyn, later Dame Merlyn Myer, · society. Philanthropy has been a part of...