Summary heading

CA 1817 Australian Embassy, United States of America [Washington DC]. 

Abolition

 

Creation

Australia and the United States established bilateral diplomatic relations on 8 January 1940, and 2010 marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. Following the establishment of Australian and United States Legations in March and July 1940 respectively, the White House announced the elevation of the Legations to embassy status on 9 July 1946. Australia's first Ambassador to the United States, Norman J. O. Makin, presented his credentials to the US Government on 11 September 1946. The first US Ambassador to Australia, Robert Butler, presented his credentials on 25 September 1946.

There is also an Australian Government Specialist Trade Commissioner at the Washington Embassy who has responsibility for relations with the World Bank and the United Nations.

 

There has also been an Australian Migration Office at the Washington post since 1972. 

Functions and activities

The Embassy has overriding consular responsibility, including specific responsibility for Baker Island, Delaware, District of Columbia, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnson Atoll, Kentucky, Kingman Reef, Navassa Island, Maryland, Midway Islands, Palmyra Island, Texas, Virginia, Wake Island and West Virginia), as well as oversight of the Consulate in Houston. The Embassy also represents Australia at the Global Environment Facility, International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.  

Legislation administered

 

Administrative structure

Ambassadors:

(Aust Counsellor, British Embassy, F Keith Officer, OBE, MC, 03/05/1937-31/01/1940) (Charge d’Affaires ad interim, Australian Legation, 01/02/1940-19/02/1940).

Feb 1940        : Rt Hon Richard G Casey, DSO, MC, EE & MP

May 1942        : Hon Sir Owen Dixon, KCMG, EE & MP

1944            : Hon Sir Frederic W Eggleston, EE & MP

(Post raised to Embassy 11/07/1946)

Sep 1946        : Hon Norman JO Makim, Amb

May 1951        : Hon (later Sir) Percy C Spender (KCVO 1957), (KBE 1952), QC, Amb

Mar 1958        : Hon (later Sir) O Howard Beale (KBE 1961), QC, Amb

Aug 1964        : J Keith (later Sir 1968) Waller, CBE, Amb

Jun 1970        : Sir James Plimsoll, CBE, Amb

Feb 1974        : Sir Patrick Shaw, CBE, Amb

Mar 1976        : Nicholas F Parkinson, Amb

Feb 1977        : Alan P Fenouf, OBE, Amb

Nov 1979        : Sir Nicholas Parkinson, Amb

Aug 1982        : Hon Sir Robert Cotton, KCMG, Amb

Jun 1985        : F Rawdon Dalrymple (AO 1987), Amb

Apr 1989        : Michael J Cook (AO 1990), Amb

Aug 1993        : Dr Don E Russell, Amb

Nov 1995        : John P McCarthy, Amb

Jan 1997        : Hon Andrew S Peacock, AC, Amb

Feb 2000        : Michael J Thawley, Amb

Jun 2005        : Dennis J Richardson, AO, Amb

Feb 2010        : Hon Kim Beazley, AC, Amb

 

Historical agency address

1947-1950       : 3117 Woodland Drive

1951-1954       : 3148 Cleveland Avenue, NW

1955-1969       : 1700 Massachusetts Avenue

1970-present    : 1601 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington DC 

State/regional structure

 

Records created by the agency

 

Additional information

 

End notes

 

Sources

The Federal Guide, years 1946-1961

Commonwealth Government Directory, years 1962-1995

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Apr 2011). United States of America country brief. Retrieved 12 December 2012 from http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/us/us_brief.html.