Billionaire trucking magnate Lindsay Fox says his wife Paula was responsible for his decision to donate $100 million to the National Gallery of Victoria for the construction of the NGV Contemporary as part of the new $1.7 billion Melbourne Arts Precinct.

The philanthropic gift is the largest cultural gift for a capital program to be made to an Australian art museum by a living donor. The new project will be named The Fox: NGV Contemporary in recognition of the historic gift.