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Australian jewellery designer Margot McKinney is unlocking her archives in an illuminating new exhibition at Museum of Brisbane. WORDS RHONDA OXNAM I HAD HEARD about the legendary ‘green door’, I had seen photos of her magnificent creations and I was understandably excited to meet Margot McKinney OAM, the face behind the iconic McKinney Jewellery name. As we chat ahead of the opening of her World of Wonder: Margot McKinney exhibition at Museum of Brisbane (MoB) several things become evident. Firstly, she is incredibly proud of her Australian heritage and the legacy of her McKinney ancestors. She is also extremely grateful for the support of her parents and her husband Peter, who have had a huge influence on her success. Secondly, despite her international reputation and celebrity clientele, she is very approachable, personable and down to earth. And, naturally, she is truly gifted when it comes to creating her covetable and collectable pieces of jewellery. But let’s backtrack a little, to the late 1800s when her great grandfather left Ireland to seek his fortune in the Australian goldfields. “He wasn’t very successful in his quest for gold so he decided to head back to Brisbane,” Margot explains. “The train stopped in Toowoomba, which was very small in those days, and because it was delayed longer than anyone had anticipated he decided to get off and have a haircut. “He soon discovered that there was no barber in the town but there was an empty shop so he signed a lease on it there and then, got back on the train, came to Brisbane, bought all the things he needed and, notwithstanding he had never cut anybody’s hair before, went back and opened a barber shop. “It was quite incredible because he had 12 chairs and at the back of this big, grand barber’s shop, he had an area where, if you came in from the country, you could have a shower and get changed … that was very ahead of its time.” The following McKinney generations built on his legacy, expanding into selling luxury products and accessories.
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