A Christmas visitor

Distinguished Canberra historian Lyall Gillespie left his extraordinary collection of books, photographs, Aboriginal artefacts, personal papers and diaries, and more, to the care of his son Neil. As well as managing and undertaking conservation of Tuggeranong Homestead Neil was for many years also a part time archivist / curator of the collection, which was stored at his home. It was 2015 when Neil decided to move to far north Queensland that the Centre was given the opportunity to become the collection's next keeper.

We keep Neil posted on the work being done on the collection and take the opportunity to catch up with him when he is in Canberra. He and other members of the Gillespie extended family who knew and shared activities with Lyall have helped us to understand how the collection was created, where to find some of the hidden 'gems', and the historical context in which Lyall worked. On this most recent visit curator Ken Heffernan was keen to have Neil's views on the significance of different parts of the collection, ahead of the formal 'significance assessment' process soon to get under way.