Launceston City Council general manager Robert Dobrzynski said yesterday that Richard Mulvaney had been appointed Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery director and would take up the position early next month.

Mr Mulvaney will replace Patrick Filmer-Sankey, who was sacked in controversial circumstances in August.

The council terminated Mr Filmer- Sankey's contract several months before it expired after a report found that he had not fulfilled his managerial responsibilities when complaints of bullying and harassment had been made by staff.

Mr Mulvaney has 25 years' experience in cultural heritage and museum management. Before taking up his current position as chief executive officer at the NSW Rail Transport Museum, he was inaugural director of the Bradman Museum in Bowral.

Mr Dobrzynski said he had appointed Mr Mulvaney after an extensive recruitment process that included shortlisting people from a field of 16 applicants.

"There are a number of initiatives such as the realignment of the Inveresk site as a dedicated museum and the refurbishment of the Royal Park site that are in progress which he will take the lead role in," he said.

Mr Mulvaney was looking forward to a job to which he had long aspired, Mr Dobrzynski said. "Our museum is seen as the jewel in the crown in terms of museums around the country because of the broad variety of its collections," he said.

The Launceston City Council is still to decide on the future of the museum natural science head Lisa-ann Gershwin, who was at the centre of the bullying allegations.

Dr Gershwin has revealed that she has been diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome, a form of autism.