National Trust of Australia (Qld) Launch of The Trust Talks 2025

President, National Trust of Australia, Queensland, Mr Mark Townend AM; Director Heritage, Queensland Government, Ms Xanthe O’Donnell; Chair, Board of Architects of Queensland, Mrs Alice Hampson; Chair, Brisbane Open House, Mr Malcolm Middleton OAM; Board members, executives, staff and supporters of the National Trust of Australia, Queensland; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I begin by acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to any First Nations people here today.

As Patron of the National Trust of Australia in Queensland, I was very pleased to receive the request from Mr Noel Langdon, as the Trust’s Head of Heritage and Environmental Services, to host a morning tea here at Fernberg and launch the 2025 series of Trust Talks.

Graeme and I are delighted to welcome you all to one of Queensland’s most treasured heritage buildings. Since becoming custodians of this historic home in late 2021, we have embraced every opportunity to advocate for its preservation and to invite Queenslanders to explore its rooms and discover its rich history.

I am particularly pleased that so many of you have been able to travel from regional centres for today’s launch because it allows me, through them, to acknowledge and thank their communities for the important contribution they make to preserving our heritage and history statewide.

It’s doubly pleasing that today’s launch enables Government House to be part of the National Trust’s Australian Heritage Festival, joining the impressive tally of more than 60 exhibitions, workshops, performances, talks and guided tours being held in April and May in museums, galleries, heritage sites, and historic houses and gardens across Queensland to celebrate our past.

Today, we are unashamedly showcasing our own program of guided tours here at Government House, and in keeping with the 2025 Heritage Festival theme, Unearthed, I do hope you are all able to join our volunteer guides later this morning to explore this unique house and discover some of its fascinating history.

The story of Fernberg is Queensland’s history in microcosm, and it was Queensland’s first woman governor, the Honourable Leneen Forde, who first recognised the importance of sharing this story with the community by opening the house to public tours, guided by volunteers.

I’m proud to say that each of the succeeding five Governors has continued Governor Forde’s commitment to ensuring that Government House is a house for all Queenslanders and, three decades on, our visitors program attracts more than 20-thousand people each year.

Some visitors, like you, are invited to Morning or Afternoon Teas, Receptions, or formal Dinners. Others come here to be invested with Australian Honours and Awards; but most of those 20-thousand visitors are curious everyday Queenslanders who respond to the many opportunities we now offer for the public to discover more about Government House and the role of the Governor by joining a free guided tour or attending a community event.

Hundreds of them visit on Open Days and thousands more bring their children and grandchildren here in December to see our Christmas lights.

We also have busloads of school children, groups from Probus and other clubs, as well as those who join Graeme and me for walks through the estate as part of the wellness program we have established in partnership with Health and Wellbeing Queensland.

It’s a very busy and successful public engagement program.

Supporting patronage organisations by hosting events such as this is one of the great joys of my time as governor, and Graeme and I are looking forward to joining you in the Investiture Room shortly to hear from today’s two speakers, but first, I am delighted to officially launch The Trust Talks for 2025 and look forward to watching the Trust in Queensland take members beyond the horizon of heritage to embrace fresh themes of conservation, history, culture, and the environment.

Thank you.