Is william ricketts sanctuary open tomorrow

Nestled in the Dandenong Ranges, just 35 kilometres (21 miles) east of Melbourne, lies the eponymously named William Ricketts Sanctuary, a controversial collection of 92 sculptures made by William Ricketts. 

The exhibition displays clay sculptures honouring Aboriginal people and native Australian animals, often referring to Central Australian Aboriginal legends. 

The sculptor, William Edward Ricketts, was an untrained artist who rejected traditional colonial life, preferring to immerse himself in nature and the Central Australian outback where he studied Dreamtime stories and native fauna which inspired his work.

Who Was William Edward Ricketts? 

William Edward Ricketts was born on 11 December 1898 in Richmond, Victoria. He was the youngest son of Arthur and Susan Ricketts, née Jones, who had two daughters and another son before William was born. 

The outer Melbourne suburb that William grew up in was not as it appears today. Ironically, the local Kulin or Woiwurrung name for Richmond, “Quo-yung”, was recorded by Alfred Howitt, the Australian explorer and naturalist, as

William Reynolds Ricketts

American philatelist

William Reynolds Ricketts

BornJuly 29, 1869
DiedOctober 14, 1956 (1956-10-15) (aged 87)
NationalityAmerican
OccupationEngineer
Engineering career
InstitutionsCollectors Club of New York
ProjectsStudent and indexer of philatelic literature; created one of the largest indexes and libraries of such literature in his time
AwardsAPS Hall of Fame

William Reynolds Ricketts (July 29, 1869 – October 14, 1956), of Forty Fort, Pennsylvania, was a philatelist who created the largest index of philatelic literature available during his lifetime. He was considered as the "greatest philatelic indexer of all time." Ricketts was the son of R. Bruce Ricketts and Elizabeth Reynolds Ricketts, for whom Ricketts Glen State Park in Pennsylvania is named.

Collecting interests

Ricketts was primarily interested in philatelic literature and created two indexes: one for postage stamps, the other for philatelic literature. As part of his effort, he amassed one of the largest philatel

William Ricketts

Australian artist

For the American philatelist, see William Reynolds Ricketts.

William Ricketts (1898–1993) was an Australian potter and sculptor of the arts and crafts movement.

Born in Richmond, Victoria, in 1898, William settled permanently in Mount Dandenong, Victoria, in 1934. Although not trained as a potter and never technically superior (his works, large and small, frequently exhibit cracking), the power of his vision of a modern Australia that embraces Aboriginal spirituality and respect for the natural world was his general message throughout his artworks.

His major works include the "Dromana" in the Seawinds Garden, Arthurs Seat, Victoria, and "Gun Brute" at the William Ricketts Sanctuary, Mount Dandenong, Victoria. Many smaller works are in the collection of the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. Photographic records of his sculptures, particularly those from the sanctuaries of Pitchi Richi and Mount Dandenong, which have been vandalised, are held in the archives of Australia's libraries. Ricketts, never rich, supported himself through commiss

Copyright ©oilpike.pages.dev 2025