Committee and Staff

Committee and Staff

A contemporary visual artist with an interest in DIY (community-driven) culture, Kerrie has started and supported various artist-run initiatives since 1985. Her artworks are held in key public and private collections throughout Australia, she is represented by Anna Schwartz Gallery and has lived in Footscray since 1995.

Kerrie first became involved with the Living Museum in 1993, becoming captivated by its experimental philosophy of ‘inclusive museology’ as Australia’s first ‘eco-museum’ and its interdisciplinary and multicultural work environment which then included Aboriginal cultural advisors, an archaeologist, historian, scientists, horticulturalists and a media team. She moved to Footscray then began to design collaborative projects with the Museum that connect people, art, history and the environment including the Pioneer Women’s Shelter (1997) and Pipestacks Sculpture (1999) in Pipemakers Park; the Museum’s portable outreach exhibitions Still Here, with Uncle Larry Walsh (1996), and Pobblebonk, animals of the Maribyrnong River Estuary (2005).

Poliness left the Museum in 2007 and produced the exhibition Volcano Dreaming (2009) with her life-partner, and the Museum’s former Director (1997 – 2007), Peter Haffenden. Kerrie was invited to re-join the Committee in 2012 and continues to help coordinate the Museum’s artist in residency, education and exhibition programs. She has been a committee member of West Space since 2014 and is a member of several environmental groups including the Grassy Plains Network (since 2018) and Friends of Buckley Park (since 1999).

She currently works as an artist independently on a range of public art and exhibition projects and completed a practice-led PhD with the Centre for Ideas, at the VCA, University of Melbourne in 2019 which connects art, science and eco-museology.

A contemporary visual artist with an interest in DIY (community-driven) culture, Kerrie has started and supported various artist-run initiatives since 1985. Her artworks are held in key public and private collections throughout Australia, she is represented by Anna Schwartz Gallery and has lived in Footscray since 1995.

Kerrie first became involved with the Living Museum in 1993, becoming captivated by its experimental philosophy of ‘inclusive museology’ as Australia’s first ‘eco-museum’ and its interdisciplinary and multicultural work environment which then included Aboriginal cultural advisors, an archaeologist, historian, scientists, horticulturalists and a media team. She moved to Footscray then began to design collaborative projects with the Museum that connect people, art, history and the environment including the Pioneer Women’s Shelter (1997) and Pipestacks Sculpture (1999) in Pipemakers Park; the Museum’s portable outreach exhibitions Still Here, with Uncle Larry Walsh (1996), and Pobblebonk, animals of the Maribyrnong River Estuary (2005).

Poliness left the Museum in 2007 and produced the exhibition Volcano Dreaming (2009) with her life-partner, and the Museum’s former Director (1997 – 2007), Peter Haffenden. Kerrie was invited to re-join the Committee in 2012 and continues to help coordinate the Museum’s artist in residency, education and exhibition programs. She has been a committee member of West Space since 2014 and is a member of several environmental groups including the Grassy Plains Network (since 2018) and Friends of Buckley Park (since 1999).

She currently works as an artist independently on a range of public art and exhibition projects and completed a practice-led PhD with the Centre for Ideas, at the VCA, University of Melbourne in 2019 which connects art, science and eco-museology.

Tony lives between Melbourne (Braybrook) and Hanoi, Vietnam. He has been a member of the Committee of Management for the Living Museum since 2013.

He is also currently running community cultural development workshops in several arts centres in Vietnam where he uses theatre techniques to teach social skills to disadvantaged youth. This is part of a larger program of cultural exchange projects/ artist residences he is developing between Vietnam and Australia.

After training in Television Production at RMIT TAFE in 1991, Tony completed a B.A. in Community Development and Performance Studies and a Grad. Dip. in Secondary Education at Victoria University, Melbourne (1998-9).

Tony was the Cultural Development Officer at Footscray Community Arts Centre (1995-2000), a Community Development Worker with the Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association (2002-8) and Project Manager at the Quang Minh Buddhist Centre in Melbourne (2009-2012). He has also developed programs and taught drama in Melbourne, then across Vietnam. He was awarded a prestigious Community Cultural Development Fellowship from the Australia Council for the Arts in 2000.

Filipino Australian Melba Marginson has worked in the area of multicultural and women’s affairs since she migrated to Australia 34 years ago. She raised the issues of Filipino women in the Australian public’s agenda in the 1990s, which led to significant policy reforms and legislative changes that increased Australia’s protection of overseas women who became victims of family violence in Australia.

As a result of her pioneering work in this area, she was appointed by then Premiere Steve Bracks as VMC Commissioner in 2000 and served the Commission until 2005. In 2001, she was inducted into the inaugural Victorian Women’s Honour Roll for her work on violence against immigrant and refugee women.

Since the 1990s, Melba has served in Boards and Committees of several non- profit organisations, including Victorian Women’s Trust, Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Coalition, Federation of Ethnic Community Councils of Australia, Network of Immigrant and Refugee Women of Australia, Women’s Health West, to name a few. She was also appointed to a number of state and federal Ministerial Advisory Committees as an expert on multicultural women’s issues.

The impact of Melba Marginson’s achievements in the life of immigrant and refugee women was further recognized when she was named by the Westpac and Australian Financial Review as one of “100 Australian women of influence in 2014” and also nominated for Hesta Social Impact Award in 2014.

In 2016, Health Minister Jill Hennessy appointed Melba to the Board of Northern Health. In 2017, Melba founded ‘The Silent Witness Network’, a multicultural network of people who are passionate about reducing family violence and supporting children who become the ‘silent witnesses’ of family violence within culturally diverse communities.

Melba lives in Maribyrnong and in 2021, she joined the Management Committee of Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West becoming its Treasurer in 2022. Professionally, Melba Marginson worked as Media Officer, Diversity and Settlement Planner, Community Unit Manager, Cultural Diversity Trainer and CEO of women’s and multicultural organisations in Victoria. In her semi-retirement, Melba works as translator/interpreter and cultural consultant.

Tony lives between Melbourne (Braybrook) and Hanoi, Vietnam. He has been a member of the Committee of Management for the Living Museum since 2013.

He is also currently running community cultural development workshops in several arts centres in Vietnam where he uses theatre techniques to teach social skills to disadvantaged youth. This is part of a larger program of cultural exchange projects/ artist residences he is developing between Vietnam and Australia.

After training in Television Production at RMIT TAFE in 1991, Tony completed a B.A. in Community Development and Performance Studies and a Grad. Dip. in Secondary Education at Victoria University, Melbourne (1998-9).

Tony was the Cultural Development Officer at Footscray Community Arts Centre (1995-2000), a Community Development Worker with the Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association (2002-8) and Project Manager at the Quang Minh Buddhist Centre in Melbourne (2009-2012). He has also developed programs and taught drama in Melbourne, then across Vietnam. He was awarded a prestigious Community Cultural Development Fellowship from the Australia Council for the Arts in 2000.

Filipino Australian Melba Marginson has worked in the area of multicultural and women’s affairs since she migrated to Australia 34 years ago. She raised the issues of Filipino women in the Australian public’s agenda in the 1990s, which led to significant policy reforms and legislative changes that increased Australia’s protection of overseas women who became victims of family violence in Australia.

As a result of her pioneering work in this area, she was appointed by then Premiere Steve Bracks as VMC Commissioner in 2000 and served the Commission until 2005. In 2001, she was inducted into the inaugural Victorian Women’s Honour Roll for her work on violence against immigrant and refugee women.

Since the 1990s, Melba has served in Boards and Committees of several non- profit organisations, including Victorian Women’s Trust, Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Coalition, Federation of Ethnic Community Councils of Australia, Network of Immigrant and Refugee Women of Australia, Women’s Health West, to name a few. She was also appointed to a number of state and federal Ministerial Advisory Committees as an expert on multicultural women’s issues.

The impact of Melba Marginson’s achievements in the life of immigrant and refugee women was further recognized when she was named by the Westpac and Australian Financial Review as one of “100 Australian women of influence in 2014” and also nominated for Hesta Social Impact Award in 2014.

In 2016, Health Minister Jill Hennessy appointed Melba to the Board of Northern Health. In 2017, Melba founded ‘The Silent Witness Network’, a multicultural network of people who are passionate about reducing family violence and supporting children who become the ‘silent witnesses’ of family violence within culturally diverse communities.

Melba lives in Maribyrnong and in 2021, she joined the Management Committee of Melbourne’s Living Museum of the West becoming its Treasurer in 2022. Professionally, Melba Marginson worked as Media Officer, Diversity and Settlement Planner, Community Unit Manager, Cultural Diversity Trainer and CEO of women’s and multicultural organisations in Victoria. In her semi-retirement, Melba works as translator/interpreter and cultural consultant.

Alex Ettling is a social historian based in Melbourne, Australia. His historical practice incorporates writing, graphics and audio, frequently working in collaborative environments. In 2023, Alex was a co-editor of the book ‘Knocking The Top Off: A People’s History of Alcohol in Australia’. He has had made a number of appearances on ABC radio, writers festivals and history conferences. Alex has a background in not-for-profit events management, and has for many years been active in various social justice campaigns. He was a co-founder of the Trades Hall Art Studio, and previous to that led a writer’s group out of The New International Bookshop.

An exhibited visual artist, he has worked on intern projects with National Exhibitions Touring Support (Victoria) and the Public Galleries Association of Victoria. Alex holds a Bachelor of Public Policy of Management from The University of Melbourne, and in this career pathway has worked in the sustainability sector with the Pacific Salmon Foundation in Vancouver, The Department for Communities in Western Australia, and was a policy analyst for Creative Victoria.

Alex has been organising an oral history program since 2018, with a focus on marginalised voices. He began his association with the Living Museum in 2019 and has been a community representative on the committee of management since 2023.

Joan Spiller, Secretary of the Museum’s Committee of Management, has combined Board Directorships with consultancy over the past 30 years. Her current focus is NFP Directorships. She is Deputy President of Commonwealth Study Conferences (Australia), and Secretary/Treasurer of the Mietta Foundation.

Arts Industry experience includes Directorships of Australian Art Orchestra (Chair, 10 years), Mietta Song Recital Award (Founding Committee), Georges Mora Foundation (Inaugural Chair), West Space Gallery, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Foundation Trust.

Past long-term Directorships in other fields include Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Monash IVF, Monash Ultrasound for Women, Monash Reproductive Pathology and Genetics, Victorian Rehabilitation Centre and Flower & Samios Architects (Chair).

Her earlier career in public sector management and policy included appointments as Australia Post’s head of Operations, and senior executive positions in Health. Consultancy work covered Construction, Communications, Health Care, Education and Defence.

Born and raised in the western suburbs, she retains close ties.

Alex Flux is a local resident who has been involved with the Living Museum since early 2023. She is currently completing a masters degree in cultural heritage and museum studies at Deakin University.

Having previously studied design for theatre, she has a keen interest in storytelling, and the way people connect with the past, present and future. With a work history that includes digitisation of historic material, records management, and working with local communities on co-design initiatives, Alex feels a true affinity with the vision and purpose of the Living Museum of the West.

Rebecca holds a Master of Art Curatorship from the University of Melbourne and has worked in the arts sector for over a decade. She has extensive experience with museum collections and public programs, and a strong interest in socially engaged and site-responsive practices.

Her work spans research, curation, and filmmaking, with a particular focus on collaborative projects exploring Deaf history, language, and visual culture. She has presented her work nationally and internationally, including at the Wellcome Collection (London), Federation Square (Melbourne), and the National Museum of Art (Lithuania). Rebecca is especially interested in community-driven practices and creative approaches to archival and historical research.

Alex Ettling is a social historian based in Melbourne, Australia. His historical practice incorporates writing, graphics and audio, frequently working in collaborative environments. In 2023, Alex was a co-editor of the book ‘Knocking The Top Off: A People’s History of Alcohol in Australia’. He has had made a number of appearances on ABC radio, writers festivals and history conferences. Alex has a background in not-for-profit events management, and has for many years been active in various social justice campaigns. He was a co-founder of the Trades Hall Art Studio, and previous to that led a writer’s group out of The New International Bookshop.

An exhibited visual artist, he has worked on intern projects with National Exhibitions Touring Support (Victoria) and the Public Galleries Association of Victoria. Alex holds a Bachelor of Public Policy of Management from The University of Melbourne, and in this career pathway has worked in the sustainability sector with the Pacific Salmon Foundation in Vancouver, The Department for Communities in Western Australia, and was a policy analyst for Creative Victoria.

Alex has been organising an oral history program since 2018, with a focus on marginalised voices. He began his association with the Living Museum in 2019 and has been a community representative on the committee of management since 2023.

Joan Spiller, Secretary of the Museum’s Committee of Management, has combined Board Directorships with consultancy over the past 30 years. Her current focus is NFP Directorships. She is Deputy President of Commonwealth Study Conferences (Australia), and Secretary/Treasurer of the Mietta Foundation.

Arts Industry experience includes Directorships of Australian Art Orchestra (Chair, 10 years), Mietta Song Recital Award (Founding Committee), Georges Mora Foundation (Inaugural Chair), West Space Gallery, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Foundation Trust.

Past long-term Directorships in other fields include Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Monash IVF, Monash Ultrasound for Women, Monash Reproductive Pathology and Genetics, Victorian Rehabilitation Centre and Flower & Samios Architects (Chair).

Her earlier career in public sector management and policy included appointments as Australia Post’s head of Operations, and senior executive positions in Health. Consultancy work covered Construction, Communications, Health Care, Education and Defence.

Born and raised in the western suburbs, she retains close ties.

Alex Flux is a local resident who has been involved with the Living Museum since early 2023. She is currently completing a masters degree in cultural heritage and museum studies at Deakin University.

Having previously studied design for theatre, she has a keen interest in storytelling, and the way people connect with the past, present and future. With a work history that includes digitisation of historic material, records management, and working with local communities on co-design initiatives, Alex feels a true affinity with the vision and purpose of the Living Museum of the West.

Rebecca holds a Master of Art Curatorship from the University of Melbourne and has worked in the arts sector for over a decade. She has extensive experience with museum collections and public programs, and a strong interest in socially engaged and site-responsive practices.

Her work spans research, curation, and filmmaking, with a particular focus on collaborative projects exploring Deaf history, language, and visual culture. She has presented her work nationally and internationally, including at the Wellcome Collection (London), Federation Square (Melbourne), and the National Museum of Art (Lithuania). Rebecca is especially interested in community-driven practices and creative approaches to archival and historical research.