© National Portrait Gallery 2025
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196
Mabel Forrest
Biography
Mabel Forrest (née Mills, 1872–1935), writer, was born near Yandilla on the Darling Downs and grew up on various cattle stations in the district, publishing her first poem at age ten.
1 portrait in the collection
Mabel Forrest, 1917
Murray Studio (Brisbane & Gympie)
Portrait, gelatin silver photograph on paper
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased 2012
Delegates to the Constitutional Convention, Sydney 1891, 1891
an unknown artist
Portrait, engravings on paper
Purchased 2009
Dame Mabel Brookes, c. 1955
Sir William Dargie CBE
Portrait, oil on canvas
Gift of Rodney Davidson AO OBE 2014. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
Alexander Forrest
Biography
Alexander Forrest was a delegate from Western Australia at the Constitutional Convention, Sydney 1891.
1 portrait in the collection
Hon. Sir John Forrest GCMG
Biography
Sir John Forrest (1847-1918), explorer and politician, trained as a surveyor and led an 1869 expedition in search of Ludwig Leichhardt.
2 portraits in the collection
Sir James Forrest, 1978
William Boissevain
Portrait, oil on canvas
Gift of Alcoa World Alumina Australia 2005. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
W. A. (Sir John Forrest), 1897
Julius Mendes Price, Vincent Brooks, Day & Son, Vanity Fair Magazine
Portrait, chromolithograph on paper
Gift of Ronald A Walker 2009. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
Shirley Purdie
Contributing artists
Born: 1947, Gilbun – Mabel Downs Station, WA
Works: Warmun, WA
Vagabond #10
Mark Tweedie
Image
Sir Arvi Parbo AC
Biography
Sir Arvi Parbo AC (1926-2019) succeeded James Forrest as chairman of Alcoa of Australia in 1978.
3 portraits in the collection
Memories
General content
The second row of paintings recall stories relating to specific sites, experiences and activities.
The Stories Beneath
Magazine article by Dr Sarah Engledow, 2005
The Alcoa World Alumina Australia gift. 
Dymphna Clark, 1991
Heide Smith
Portrait, inkjet print on paper
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the artist 2005
Sir Arvi Parbo, 1993
Sir William Dargie CBE
Portrait, oil on canvas
Gift of Alcoa World Alumina Australia 2005. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
Sir Arvi Parbo, 1992
Brian Dunlop
Portrait, oil on canvas
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of BHP Billiton 2003
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program