A World Apart | Marley Large in Conversation

A World Apart: Rediscovering Tasmania through Art.

A remarkable new publication brings more than 900 works from the Royal Society of Tasmania’s historic art collection into public view
For much of its history, Tasmania was quite literally a world apart. Separated by distance and sea from the great artistic centres of Europe, the island nevertheless attracted an extraordinary succession of artists, naturalists, naval officers, explorers and observant settlers. They recorded a landscape that was unfamiliar to European eyes and a society undergoing profound and often painful change.

Their work survives in one of Tasmania’s most important—and least widely known—cultural treasures: the art collection of the Royal Society of Tasmania.

A major new book, A World Apart: The Royal Society of Tasmania Art Collection, now brings this remarkable collection to a wider audience. Published by the Royal Society of Tasmania, the richly illustrated 312-page volume reproduces 853 images and provides the first comprehensive pictorial survey of a collection containing more than 900 works of art on paper.

Many of these pictures have rarely been exhibited. Some have never previously been reproduced for the public. Together, they offer an exceptionally rich visual account of Tasmania from the 1840s to the early twentieth century.

A visual record of a changing island.

Marley Large is a history graduate of the University of Tasmania. Marley was the executive secretary of the Royal Society of Tasmania between 2019 and 2021 and for the past ten years has been a member of several committees within the society. Since 2016, Marley has been associated with a number of projects for the society including researching the society’s minutes and its archive to inform the apology to the Palawa people and investigating provenance of the artworks in the art collection. She was awarded life membership of the society for her contribution to the outcomes of her research on the Societies art collection. She has been the chief editor of A World Apart, for the past two years after taking over the role from Dr Anita Hansan. In 2025, she became the honorary art coordinator of the society’s art collection. When not occupied with society matters, Marley loves to travel and to visit art galleries, museums, outdoor markets and to enjoy local cuisine. She recognises her passion for history is best satisfied by viewing the art that was inspired by the time and events in which it was created.

Marley will be in conversation with Julie Rimes. Julie has contributed extensively to educational leadership, professional learning, disability inclusion and applied research in a long career in education. She was President of the Royal Society of Tasmania from 2024–2026 and continues to contribute to the Society’s governance and public engagement. Her contribution to education and community service has been recognised through the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women and a range of professional honours.

Join Marley and Julie at the Afterword Cafe.