The City of Ballarat’s heritage advisory committee chair Samantha McIntosh said the awards were driven by the National Trust of Victoria as a way of embracing and promoting Ballarat’s heritage.

“It’s a fabulous initiative (of the city) that’s been exceptionally successful and has grown every year,” she said.

The awards recognise those who have demonstrated excellence, innovation and best practice in heritage areas including built heritage, historic collections, historical research and heritage skills. 

The council received 27 nominations, and the winners will be announced at an official ceremony in May. 

Cr McIntosh said the adaptive reuse of a heritage building was one of the five categories featured and both finalists were “fabulous examples” in their own right.

She said the Old Learmonth Bakery and Blacksmith was in a state of neglect before its new lease on life as a house.

“It was really waiting for someone to love it and find a new use,” she said.

“There are still people who wander past and tell their memories of getting a pie or a cake.”

Cr McIntosh said Taylor and Stirling at 22 Sturt Street was another exciting example of the category.

“I love that one because of its upper level reuse – it’s a great example of activating our CBD,” she said.

ADAPTIVE REUSE OF A HERITAGE PLACE

Old Learmonth Bakery and Blacksmith, 337 High Street, Learmonth 

Taylor and Stirling, 22 Sturt Street, Ballarat 

NEW WORKS/DEVELOPMENT WITHIN A HERITAGE AREA

19 Nightingale Street, Newington 

1712 Sturt Street, Wendouree 

CONSERVATION OF A HERITAGE PLACE OR HISTORICAL COLLECTION

Ballarat Memorial Concert Band Collection, Wilkinsons Hall, Barkly Street, Ballarat 

Stone Cottage, 145 Bell Avenue, Mt Helen 

Ballarat Fish Acclimatisation Society, 401 Gillies Street, Wendouree 

SPECIAL HERITAGE SKILLS

Geoff Norwood, Stone Cottage, 145 Bell Avenue, Mt Helen 

Russell Fisher, Ballarat Fish Hatchery, 401 Gillies Street North, Ballarat 

Judy Hearn, A Selection of Special Skills 

Phil Roberts, Ballarat Clarendon College x 2 Volumes 

Anne Beggs-Sunter, Recognising Individual Skills 

HERITAGE INNOVATION

Buninyong Village Heritage Plaques (Buninyong & District Community Association and Buninyong & District Historical Society) 

Under the Southern Cross: A Goldfields Experience (Victorian Interpretive Projects) 

Heritage Walk at Learmonth: The Past Comes Alive (Learmonth & District Historical Society) 

Capture the Vision Project (Ballarat Historical Society) 

Eurekapedia (Ballarat Reform League Inc.) 

Ballarat Dreamtime Aboriginal Cemetery Project (Ballaarat General Cemeteries Trust, Finding 

Futures and Wadawurrung – Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation)

Innovative Use of Multimedia for Family History (Ballarat & District Genealogical Society)