Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2021C01223:front:0:p19
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2021C01223
Segment Type: other
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Character Range: 50669–53498

(Nugget) Coombs was appointed Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia in 1959, retiring in 1968.

    Following his retirement from the RBA, Dr Coombs served as the Chancellor of the Australian National University between 1968 and 1976, and was instrumental in establishing the Centre for Resources and Environmental Studies at the ANU in 1973. [16]  He also served as Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Affairs (1968-1976) and Chairman of the Council for the Arts (1968-1974). [17]

3.7.2            Bim Hilder
The expansive wall enrichment in the main entrance foyer was designed and installed by local artist Bim Hilder.  It is made up of many separate small parts of beaten copper and bronze.  It incorporates a 150mm piece of quartz crystal uncovered by geologist Ben Flounders in South Australia's Corunna Hills together with other semi-precious stones.

    Vernon Arthur (Bim) Hilder (1909-1990) was born at Parramatta, NSW, the son of watercolourist JJ (Jesse) Hilder and Phyllis Hilder.  In 1927 Hilder enrolled in evening art classes organised by the Royal Art Society of NSW, after starting and abandoning a commercial art course at East Sydney Technical College the previous year.  During the 1920s he worked as a carpenter, including several years working on houses for Walter Burley Griffin at Castlecrag, a theatre designer, undertook shop window displays and designed and constructed film and puppet sets.

    Hilder continued to exhibit watercolours and etchings and in 1962 began part-time teaching at East Sydney Technical College's art school.  In 1962 he won a competition for the design of a 'wall enrichment' at the Reserve Bank of Australia Head office building.

He first exhibited his sculptures in 1945. His main works appear to be in the commercial display field and his works are represented in the National Gallery of NSW and the University of New England.[18]  Hilder was a foundation member of the Society of Sculptors and in 1978 he was made a Member of the British Empire for services to art.

Figure 9 -View of the wall enrichment, designed by Bim Hilder, located in the ground floor foyer of the RBA building c1964.
Source: Reserve Bank of Australia Archives D10/86761

3.7.3            Margel Hinder
Margel Ina Hinder nee Harris(1906-1995)[19] won a national competition in 1962 for the design of the sculpture located at the Martin Place entrance to the Head office building.  The 7.9m high free-standing sculpture in the Martin Place forecourt is welded sheet copper on a stainless steel structural frame with molten copper decoration.  It is unnamed and has no 'banking' significance other than being a work of public art to compliment the architecture of the building. The sculpture The original design maquette is also located in the Bank.[20]

    Hinder was born in New York,