Bill Brisbane OAM - 15/12/1922 - 12/7/2010

The Gallery loses a great friend

After his retirement in 1992 Bill Brisbane threw himself, with all his accustomed energy and enthusiasm, into a range of other activities. Always a strong advocate of community programs and engagement, Bill continued in various roles within the Scouting movement while also becoming involved with Wollongong City Gallery as a committee member of the Gallery Society. When the Gallery moved to its present location Bill, with his committee, nominated to incorporate the Society to form the Friends of Wollongong City Gallery. He was elected Treasurer and held this position until December 2009 when he tendered his resignation at the age of 87. Bill and his wife Joan were founding members of the Foundation and from November 1992 Bill held a Director’s position on the Board until December 2000.

Bill was a passionate campaigner for the Gallery, organizing many fundraising events and functions. Bill and Joan brought their sporting and scouting friends to these events in the hope that they would discover the wonders of the art world that the Brisbanes enjoyed and loved so dearly.

As Treasurer, Bill came to the Gallery once a week to attend to the bookwork which he did by hand and included invoicing, receipting, payment of bills, banking, auditing / bookkeeping and reporting. The room in which Bill worked was affectionately called “Bill Brisbane’s Office” and the name remains to this day.

Bill believed that the role of the Friends of Wollongong City Gallery was not only to fundraise but to introduce the broader community to this wonderful Gallery.

He will be greatly missed and will always be remembered as a true gentleman…….