Bronze cast sculpture of Prime Minister John Curtin and Treasurer Ben Chifley

This sculpture of two Prime Ministers, John Curtin (1888-1945) and Ben Chifley (1885-1951) was made by Peter Corlett (born 1944) and unveiled by Julia Gillard, Prime Minister on 16 September 2011.  Corlett is a leading Australian figurative sculptor, best known for his full-figure portrait sculptures cast in bronze, including the Australian War Memorial’s much-loved sculpture of Simpson and his donkey.  

This sculpture recreates a photograph taken by Don Stephens in 1945 of Curtin and Chifley, then Treasurer, on a walk they often took from Kurrajong Hotel to the Old Parliament House.  John Curtin was Australia’s 14th Prime Minister and Ben Chifley was to become its 16th.  Both of them strongly encouraged Canberra as the new capital of the nation.  

The sculpture has been located as close to the site of the original image as possible.