Some collections are more publicised and some more intelligently interpreted than others.
Yet the perception that museums can and should be public repositories for family clothing relics persists. Some custodians of smaller collections continue to be woefully ignorant about the fragility of dress and still use their garments for 'historical' parades and fancy dress. The National Trust of Queensland is currently developing a costume policy but only as an adjunct to a larger management strategy for its properties. In comparison to other heritage items dress has an exceptionally poor standing at both a national and regional level. Items known to have been worn in Australia that have survived in institutions for whatever reason, shape our view of the appearance of earlier Australians.