The National Trust declared 2006 the Year of La Trobe, recognising the key role of Charles Joseph La Trobe (left), Superintendent of the Port Phillip district of New South Wales from 1839 - 1851 and Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria 1851-1854.

Several books on La Trobe were launched during 2006 including his diaries, an examination of his life and a study of his garden.

Charles La Trobe had a civilising vision for Victoria and was responsible for many of the key cultural aspects of Melbourne - its library, university, museum, hospital and extensive parklands - but it is only in 2006 that a statue has been erected to acknowledge his legacy following a campaign led by the La Trobe Society and the Trust.

Pictured: Dr Charles La Trobe Blake from Liverpool Hope University, with the new statue of his great-great-grandfather in the forecourt of the State Library of Victoria.

His home, La Trobe's Cottage is now a National Trust property available for booked group tours and open on Sundays as advertised. The cottage has been relocated from its original site at Jolimont to Dallas Brooks Drive, South Yarra, but contains many pieces which belonged to La Trobe and his family.

Pictured: During a recent visit to Australia Dr Charles La Trobe Blake, the great-great-grandson of C J La Trobe, plants a rose at La Trobe's Cottage, part of a plan by the Trust to re-create aspects of the garden.

The Trust’s touring exhibition of La Trobe’s watercolour paintings A Sketcher of No Mean Pretensions: Charles Joseph La Trobe, the Governor and the Artist is touring regional Victoria.

La Trobe’s artistic work documents the landscape and architecture from his travels throughout Switzerland, North America, Mexico and parts of Eastern Australia during the 1800s.

It is at Latrobe Regional Art Gallery (phone 03 5128 5700 or email lrg@latrobe.vic.gov.au) from 25 November 2006 to 14 January 2007 and Art Gallery of Hamilton (phone 03 5573 0460) from 21 February to 25 March 2007.

The National Trust is very grateful to The Gordon Darling Foundation and the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria and the Community Support Fund for their support of this project.

La Trobe cards ($3.50), bookmarks ($2) and the exhibition catalogue ($8.95) are available at the exhibition venue or from Tasma Terrace, 4 Parliament Place, East Melbourne, phone (03) 9656 9800.