I won't waste time responding to silly criticisms or distracting banter.. but instead I will draw you a roadmap of How To Do It.
Feel free to criticise it (as opposed to being contructive) as usual.
THIS is how it is done.
1. Talk to the local library that has Toolangi within its Shire and tell them the C.J. Dennis Society would like to establish a C.J. Dennis Collection that is available for public display. What is in it for them is an increased library patronage, credit for supporting such a famous local historic person and the Collection can even be opened by the Library Manager, together with the local council and/or Member of Parliament. Certainly make the local MP and mayor aware of what you are intending. Likely he or she will say "If there is anything I can do to help you....". Hand out honorary life memberships to people if they really help you. They cost nothing after all.
2. Seek out and approach patrons or a Patron who is very well off financially and is looking for something charitable to support that is Australian, noble, tangible and will last into the centuries ahead. I am thinking about famous but ordinary people, with an entrepreneurial flair.... I (personally) know several. Those type of people as a starter I would favour.. they are positive and broad-thinking types as a rule... not just negative critics.
So... saying that funding is just not available or that the Society is poor is a non-argument.
Funding is there if one is prepared to put in the time to look for it. You want your collection to reside where people can access it. Not locked away in some Canberra vault ... it is the people's poetry after all.
3. Then...Call for donations from C.J. Dennis Society members. Anything at all from framed reprints of things, or scans on high quality paper which can be made to look spectacular. Not too hard? I recently did that to a Lawson booklet and the result was great. The item is amazing and will outlive me, several centuries over. Use your artistic imagination if the wallet restricts you. An old map of Toolangi perhaps that shows Arden.. nicely mounted. Blow-ups of old B/W photos which I find brings them to life. Shame about the ones just missed ... although a smart and devoted Den fan could likely track them down without much trouble. And get copies.
4. Your question Bob... I am happy to answer it. In the event that this approach to preservation is seized upon, even grudgingly, then as I said before I will donate at least my first edition Ginger Mick. Further I will bequeath my entire C.J. Dennis collection to this hopefully prestigious Collection established by the Society. It's dollar value?.. I don't care but knowing it is in a good home along with other related material and being looked after for public enjoyment will be sufficent. That may set a useful precedent. As I said, we are custodians and not owners. Now what concrete thing are you going to do Bob?? That does not include "celebrating" Den, I mean real stuff that costs or an offer of your time to manage this exercise perhaps?... and yes you are right, I crawl occasionally... but only to selected people!
5. Consider material that might be loaned to the Society's collection. Seek it out. It might be done on a permanent basis, or for a couple of years just to get things going. What I would do and I have found this approach works brilliantly is to place an advert in the paper(s) saying "C.J. Dennis ephemera desperately wanted for new CJ Dennis publicly-displayed historical collection. Donations or Loans greatly appreciated. Contact The C.J. Dennis Society ph " Then stand well back because you will be answering a lot of phone calls.
Look.. I am not here to make friends especially. If it happens then great, but if not I lose little sleep.
As you know I have various dislikes.. such as crudity in any poetry. When I see it I go in hard against it and if that loses me the friendship of those who enjoy vulgarity in poetry, well so be it.
Same in this case.... you have to be a go-getter and want such vital things done. Australia's literary heritage is just so important. It must be preserved by dedicated enthusiasts... hopefully Dennis Society members. No buck passing. It MUST!
If the Federal Governmnt has nothing better to with its Poetry money than endorse panty-poems, now the The C.J. Dennis Society can show them how better to spend their $80,000 tax free. Well I think so, even if others don't.
To list all the beaut things the Society does has nothing to do with what I am saying.
If the Society distances itself from any interest or responsibility in preserving and/or displaying Dennis precious historic material even by proxy as happened then I will give it a gentlemany kick.. and if that is not to someone's liking... well stiff cookie.
Among all the good things the Society does that everyone fell over themselves to list, it also has a responsibility in my view to preserve original photos/documents/books/art relating to Den. That is not ephemeral. Otherwise change the name to The C.J. Dennis Club... as I think the term Society carries with it an inherent prestige that has to be earned, not assumed.