The Royal Society of Victoria have announced that two new Trustees of the Royal Society of Victoria have been appointed by Governor-in-Council (the Governor and Premier of Victoria) as of 1 March 2022.
The Governor-in-Council have appointed Dr Gillian Sparkes AM FAICD, Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, and Professor Tim Entwisle, Director and Chief Executive of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, as Trustees governing the use and upkeep of the land and buildings of The Royal Society of Victoria's heritage site in Melbourne's CBD.
Dr Gillian Sparkes states “It is an honour to be appointed as a Trustee of The Royal Society of Victoria. The history of the site is fascinating, dating back to 1859. It has been and will continue to be a place to meet, learn and debate contemporary scientific and cultural issues. I look forward to working with Tim and existing Trustees, Dr Alan Finkel AC and Prof Lynne Selwood AO.”
Caption: (from left) Dr Gillian Sparkes AM and Professor Timothy Entwisle
The land and buildings located at the heritage site at 8 La Trobe Street, Melbourne is a symbol of the importance of science and technology in our lives and of the Royal Society of Victoria’s continuing role in the promotion of science and scientific endeavour for the benefit of all Victorians.
The main function of Trustees is to act as the landowners of the Royal Society’s grant on behalf of the Crown, and to ensure The Royal Society of Victoria is fulfilling the functions supported by the Crown Grant of 1883 in deriving value from the property, whether that be intangible or financial. There is a critical responsibility to ensure that the buildings do not fall into dilapidation, always an issue front of mind as The Royal Society of Victoria approaches funding bodies to address both the accessibility and ongoing stability of the main, heritage-listed building.