Yarra City Council is inviting eligible cultural organisations within Australia to formally express their interest in acquiring the Captain Cook Memorial for their collection. The memorial was removed from its location in Edinburgh Gardens following damage sustained in January 2024. In May 2025, Council endorsed its removal from the City of Yarra Collection.
The Expressions of Interest process is designed to ensure the memorial is rehomed with a cultural organisation whose mission, collection policy, and management practices support its long-term care, preservation, and public accessibility. Council remains committed to placing the memorial in a context where it will be meaningfully maintained and made available to the public.
The memorial is anticipated to transition to new ownership by June 2026.
HOW TO APPLY
Eligible cultural organisations within Australia are invited to submit an expression of interest by the due date. Applications must include a current collection policy (or equivalent) and respond to questions that will help Council assess submissions, including:
- The organisation’s purpose and mission.
- The relevance of the memorial to the organisation and its collection.
- Proposed approaches for managing the memorial, including care, preservation, and public access.
DEADLINE
Expressions of interest will close 11:59pm, Sunday 19 April 2026. Please ensure all responses are clear, concise, and address the criterion outlined.
ELIGIBILITY
Cultural organisations within Australia are required to demonstrate a clear interest in related historical materials, consistent with their organisational vision and mission. They must also demonstrate the experience, skills and means to manage historical material.
TRANSFER CONDITIONS
The memorial will be transferred in its current condition. By submitting an expression of interest and agreeing to accept the memorial, applicants acknowledge and accept the item as is, including all existing components and damaged parts. The successful applicant must take possession of the memorial in its entirety and assume all associated transportation and handling costs.
Memorial condition
ASSESSMENT
A panel of independent art and heritage experts will review all expressions of interest applications. A report to Council's Arts Advisory Committee will follow.
EVALUATION
Each response will be assessed against the criteria for the four questions. Each question carries a 25% weighting, and the combined scores will form a total evaluation score out of 100%.
TIMELINE
- Expressions of interest process OPEN Thursday 5 March 2026
- Expressions of interest process CLOSE 11:59pm Sunday 19 April 2026
- Applicants notified May 2026
- Memorial transition June 2026.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Please contact the Visual Arts Officer on 9205 5029 or at Grace.Longato@yarracity.vic.gov.au
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