Jeanne Pratt at home

Jeanne Pratt AC (b. c. 1936), born to Jewish parents in Poland, came to Australia as a three year old. The family settled in Sydney, where she attended the academically-selective Sydney Girls’ High. She began an arts/law degree at the University of Sydney, but left to begin work as a journalist at the Daily Telegraph. In Melbourne she met Richard Pratt, whose father owned a business providing packaging to fruiterers. They were together until he died in 2009, nurturing their business, Visy, toward its current position as the world’s largest privately-owned packaging, paper and recycling company. They established the Pratt foundation in 1978. In 1981 Jeanne purchased Raheen in Kew from the Catholic church. Through hosting charity events there, she and the Pratt Foundation have raised more than $800 million for various causes. Over time she has served as co-chair of Visy, vice-president of the Carlton football club, chair of Opera Foundation Victoria, a director on the board of the Melbourne Theatre Company and a council member of the National Gallery of Australia, amongst other involvements. She was Victorian of the Year in 2013. Currently a director of five Visy companies, she continues to donate generously to various causes.

Alana Landsberry, who has photographed a great many famous Australians for a host of publications including the Australian Women’s Weekly, made this portrait of Jeanne Pratt inher home, Raheen, former residence of Melbourne’s legendary Archbishop Daniel Mannix.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Alana Landsberry and Bauer Media Australia 2019
© Bauer Media Pty Ltd