• different cultural attitudes towards wealth
• lack of regulation requiring Australia trusts and foundations to report publicly
• lack of clear and available information about foundation formation
• the dominance of trustee companies in the establishment of foundations

Australia did have similar organisations, such as the Greater Melbourne Foundation of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Fund, operating before the establishment of community foundations. The first “US style” community foundations in Australia were started by the ANZ Bank in the 1980s following a visit by an ANZ staff member to the US. The first Australian community foundation was the Victorian Community Foundation, established in 1983, followed by the Queensland Community Foundation in 1986. However, following a restructure at the Bank, and various internal policy decisions, both foundations were “recreated”; the Melbourne Community Foundation was created as an independent entity in 1987 and in Queensland the Public Trustee Office was given both the Board of Advice and the name for the Queensland Community Foundation.