Ms Deville’s blog, Vintage Current, details the renaissance in glamour and recycled clothing that has swept the fashion world. She and her colleague Hunter Boyle will host the Vintage Current Fashion Fair at the Heritage Weekend, bringing vintage clothing vendors and dressmakers to Ballarat. 

The theme of this year’s Heritage Weekend is ‘curiosity’, and mayor Des Hudson says that Ballarat is built on a heritage of people seeking – whether it’s gold or a better life.

“It’s a celebration of how Ballarat has evolved over 160 years. A lot of activities are about celebrating the built form of Ballarat, our heritage buildings; as well as the people and how the culture has changed over the decades.

“It’s about drawing on people and their stories over time. We want people to stay in the region and explore the broader tourism experience. We are launching a heritage program that has fashion as a central part. And beards will be a big part of it – if you think back about how many people were recognisable by the size and quality of their beards. Great leaders of our city, in our photos and paintings, they all had great beards.

“We want to bring people to Ballarat, fill up the accommodation, fill up the restaurants and cafes, and bring Ballarat to life culturally.”

Aside from fashion and the Great Beard show, the Ballarat Heritage Weekend will explore steampunk and steam trains, the hidden streets and stories of Ballarat. Most of the events will be free.