The King’s Foundation Australia presented with keys to Hillview
The King’s Foundation Australia was presented with the keys to Hillview at a formal reception hosted by Her Excellency The Governor of New South Wales at New South Wales Government House, Sydney, on Monday 14 April.
Located in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Hillview is the former Vice-Regal summer residence of the Governors of NSW and is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register.
Under the custodianship of The King’s Foundation Australia, Hillview will be restored and transformed into a nationally significant heritage-led regeneration project, modelled on the successful transformation of Dumfries House in Scotland.
Dignitaries and guests gathered at New South Wales Government House to mark the occasion and witness Her Excellency, The Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC Governor of New South Wales and Mr Tim Smith OAM, Director of Assessments at Heritage New South Wales, formally handover the keys to Hillview to Dominic Richards OAM, Chair of The King’s Foundation Australia.
Her Excellency told the story of Hillview and its connection to NSW Government House as a formal Vice-Regal residence and expressed her excitement about the opportunity to establish a Dumfries House in Australia and the impact it will have for all Australians.
Dominic Richards OAM, Chair of The King’s Foundation Australia formally thanked the NSW Government and described how Hillview will be conserved and transformed into an education and training hub for the benefit of all the community.
“As an Australian who moved to the UK to benefit from the education at The King’s Foundation, I am delighted that the same opportunities will now be available at home here in Australia.”
Dominic Richards OAM, Chair of The King’s Foundation Australia
The new charity, launched by His Majesty King Charles III during His Majesty’s first Royal Visit to Australia as Monarch in October 2024, will build on almost 35 years of work undertaken by The King’s Foundation to build sustainable communities and transform lives, all inspired by His Majesty’s vision for harmony with the natural world.
The King’s Foundation Australia will now begin the work of restoring the property to its former glory and transforming it into a cultural hub that will provide education and training programmes, events and facilities for all the community to benefit from.
