About Us

Thancoupie’s Bursary Fund was established in 2012 in Cairns, where Thancoupie had close links and lived at her studio in Trinity Beach for more than two decades.

The Fund is a registered public company under the Corporations Act, limited by guarantee.

Governance of the Fund is vested in the Board of Directors listed below. The Directors ensure Thancoupie’s Bursary Fund complies with legislation governing the management, operations and obligations of Australian Charitable Trust Funds as required by the Australian Taxation Office.

Leneen Forde AC – Patron

The Board of Directors was honoured to welcome Ms Leneen Forde AC as the Patron of Thancoupie’s Bursary Fund in April 2013.

Chancellor of Griffith University since 2000,  Ms Forde served as the twenty-second Governor of Queensland from 1992 until 1997. She chaired the Commission of Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions during 1998 and 1999. In January 1993, Ms Forde was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia in recognition of her service to the law, to improving the status of women, and to economic and business development. Ms Forde is a Dame of Grace in the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. She was International President of Zonta from 1990 until 1992, and 1991 Queenslander of the Year.

Mrs Maryann Coconut – Co – Patron

The Board of Directors welcomed Mrs Maryann Coconut as co-patron, in February, 2023. Maryann is a distinguished elder and Thancoupie’s eminent first cousin from Napranum. She is currently a Councillor and former chair of Napranum Council , and member of the Twal Justice Group of elders.
Maryann has a Diploma in Community Development from Macquarie University, is an honorary member of the Western Cape Communities Coordinating Committee and is part of the Cultural Awareness Training team at Western Cape College. A library has been established in Napranum, known as the Maryann Coconut Indigenous Knowledge Centre.

Management – Board of Directors

Jennifer Isaacs AM – is a writer, art consultant and well known through her seminal books on Aboriginal Culture with a life-long family association with Thancoupie.

Paul Matthews –  is a local veterinarian who has been practicing in Cairns for over 30 years, during which time, he has been a strong patron of the arts and active in community engagement.

Anthony Todd Weller – is a Registered Nurse, with a background in Arts advocacy , currently working as an Educator with the National Program Centre for the Australian Nurse-Family Partnership Program.

Belinda Down – has lived in Cairns for over 25 years and worked in regional development all over FNQ; is currently working for Qld Dept Premier and Cabinet for Regional Qld; is a passionate supporter of regional arts.

Val Schier – developed a keen interest in Indigenous arts at Cairns and Torres Strait TAFE and continued this during her time as Mayor of Cairns Regional Council when she played a key role in initiating CIAF.

Avril Quaill – was awarded the QAGOMA Medal, In 2021, for service to the arts.  A Nunukul woman of the Quandamooka nation she was CIAF’s Artistic Director 2011-12, and appointed Director QUAMPI Arts & Culture Centre in 2024.

Rita Moore – is a family representative with extensive community sector experience.

Experts as co-opted – Art practitioners and educators of high professional standing will oversee the application process.