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Walter & Helena Cass Collection appeal

Thank you for your support

Thanks to your generous support, we have nearly reached our $100,000 target to preserve, protect and share the extraordinary Walter and Helena Cass Collection. Our delicate work to conserve and catalogue items will commence later this year. Keep an eye on our website for updates. 

Thank you again – we couldn’t have done it without you!

A story of war, love and social change

This vast collection gives us unique insights into war hero Brigadier Walter Cass, who served at Gallipoli and Fromelles, and led the funeral procession for Sir John Monash. It also reveals his wife Helena’s post-war reinvention from army nurse to socialite, pioneering radio broadcaster and renowned journalist.

This rare treasure trove includes original photographs, military trench maps, stunning Gallipoli watercolour prints, wartime uniforms, love letters, journals and cherished personal possessions. Together, they give us a new, intimate perspective on events that shaped 20th-century Australia.

Vital conservation behind the scenes

Your generous support will enable us to repair and rehouse fragile artefacts, unravel the rich stories buried in these letters, diaries and documents and catalogue all items to make them available for everyone to discover and explore.

Our highly skilled preservation and conservation teams undertake intricate and detailed work.