Margaret Wallner Seat

Located in the Banks Centre Garden.

About Margaret Wallner

Margaret Wallner was born at Moruya on 27 July 1933 and grew up at Roseville NSW.
Her mother was well informed botanically and spent many hours in the bush with her children, thus began the love of bush which remained with Margaret until her death.

Margaret had prolonged chemotherapy in 1991-92, which hastened her retirement from Medical Practice, and, during this period, she decided to become a volunteer Guide at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra. In spite of the great demands the training made upon her during this period of debilitation, Margaret succeeded in completing the course.

Following her recovery Margaret became very involved with the Botanic Gardens, obtaining and giving a great deal of pleasure during the next 6 years until her death in August 1998.

About the Artist: David Appel

In his own words:

I was born 3/5/71 in Canberra. Margaret Wallner was my aunty. I've studied Fine Arts in Sydney and Tasmania and spent some years focussing on Recycling. In Tasmania I helped set up a recycling Co-op called Resource work Co-Op Pty-Ltd, and I made and designed furniture from recycled materials in Canberra recently under the business name of Spunkyjunk. I have been selling from The Terrace in Kingston and stores in Sydney and doing other personally commissioned works such as beds and gates. The Gates of Casey House in Yarralumla were designed and built by me.

I'm currently studying in Newcastle to become a Design and Technology High School Teacher [August 2001].

The family commissioned me to build the chair since my Aunty was always so supportive of me. The Gum leaf theme was chosen after seeing some enormous gum leaves she had collected with her grandchildren in Perth some years back that they had kept.

The wood is an arid zone Casuarina, common name 'Desert Oak'. It is an enormously weather resistant and stable wood, it's got a gorgeous red colour and I was lucky enough to be able to get some of it from a local woodworker of international fame - Tom Rennie at Radcliffe near Queanbeyan 'Bowning Creations'. He cut and dried the wood himself in the Northern Territory and gave me plenty of good advice about its properties and my design as well as letting me use his workshop. Hopefully the chair will be comfy, durable and a delight to look at for all parties.

It will be kept oiled by family members.

Updated 25 June, 2002