Lady Franklin Gallery

There's been a bit of publicity in Tasmania recently about a fight to 'save Ancanthe'. This unusual building styled after a Greek temple was commissioned by Lady Jane Franklin, wife of then Governor Sir John Franklin and after whom our little town is named. It opened in 1843 and originally housed Tasmania's first museum. Lady Jane also left 400 acres in trust as a botanical park. The building has been leased to the Art Society of Tasmania since 1948.

I drove past it on the way to a walk on some Mount Wellington tracks and saw on the sign that it would be open later that afternoon, so I stopped to peek inside on the way back. When I visited, there was one exhibition in place and another being constructed by a Art Society volunteers. It is in a very picturesque setting, nestled in peaceful Lenah Valley underneath Mount Wellington. However the site has been threatened by a planned housing subdivision behind the gallery and negotiations are ongoing. For more information, visit the Saving Ancanthe action group's Facebook page.