212

Two finely modelled glazed ceramic kangaroos

25cm high

The story of the Kangaroos from China
In 1972, Hedley Elliott was in China for the Canton Trade Fair where he visited the Guangzhou Zoo. At that time Emu Bottom Homestead, was licensed as a Private Zoo and Hedley gave this involvement as the reason he wished to visit the Zoo.

As he was shown around the Zoo he commented to the Zoo officials that the animals the Zoo had marked as ‘Kangaroos' were actually ‘Wallabies'. In further conversations with the officials, Hedley indicated that when he returned to Australia he would endeavour to arrange to have two Australian Kangaroos sent to the Guangzhou Zoo. In return, if it was possible, the officials of the Guangzhou Zoo offered an exchange of two Pandas.

This was later rescinded by the Revolutionary Committee of the Guangzhou Zoo and the offer was changed to two spotted Leopards.
On his return to Australia, Hedley set about arranging for two Kangaroos to be sent to the Guangzhou Zoo. There were many hurdles to overcome to arrange the export of these Australian native animals but eventually the two kangaroos were despatched and safely accepted by the Zoo.
Subsequently, a box arrived addressed to Hedley at Emu Bottom Homestead which contained two porcelain Kangaroos with the information that these figures had been sculpted based on the Australian kangaroos he had sent. This was the first time a pottery artisan in China had sculpted kangaroos.

The Guangzhou Zoo then arranged for two Chinese black bears to be sent to Hedley and when they arrived they were sent to the Melbourne Zoo . They were named after two of the Elliott children namely Julian and Joely- and lived at the Zoo for quite some time.
As the Guangzhou Zoo hoped one day to be able to obtain some Koalas, Hedley arranged for Manna Gums to be sent and they have survived well at the Zoo to this day.

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July 9, 2023 11:00 AM AEST
Armadale, Australia

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