Ballarat’s hidden architectural past uncovered at Ballarat Heritage Festival

A remarkable architectural archive, hidden for decades in a suburban shed, will be brought to light as part of the 2026 Ballarat Heritage Festival.

The Coburn Collection, featuring thousands of original drawings, sketches and renderings by prominent interwar architect Herbert Leslie Coburn, will go on public display in a special exhibition during the festival, aligning with this year’s theme, Hidden Histories.

Stored for more than 30 years in bags and cardboard tubes before being brought to the attention of the City of Ballarat, the collection has since undergone extensive preservation and digitisation, with around 2,000 fragile works carefully recorded.

Coburn’s grandson, Peter Coburn, said the family always understood the importance of preserving the plans, despite the challenges of storing such a large and fragile collection.

“We hoped the collection would one day be fully appreciated as a historical record,” he said.  

“They were out of sight, but never out of mind.”

The exhibition will primarily feature high-quality reproductions of the digitised drawings, complemented by a small selection of original drawings and sketchbooks.  

Displayed thoughtfully, the exhibition aims to contextualise the breadth of Coburn’s work, highlighting his talent for design.  

The collection invites you to follow the creative journey of Herbert Coburn, from rough pencil sketches through to exquisite final watercolour renderings.

Mr Coburn said he's delighted his grandfather’s collection has received the attention it deserves.

“The digitising process commenced by the City of Ballarat is a brilliant idea,” he said.  

“It allows the collection to be accessed by the public without damaging the quite fragile original pieces.”

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the discovery and preservation of the collection was an extraordinary outcome for the city.  

“This is a rare opportunity to see the work of one of Ballarat’s most influential architects up close, from early concepts through to finished designs,” she said.

“While Ballarat is often recognised for its Victorian-era streetscapes, the Coburn Collection highlights a different chapter in our city’s development and the role Coburn played in shaping it.”

Born in Ballarat in 1891, Coburn began his architectural training at just 14 years old. He went on to become one of the city’s most prolific architects, credited with more than 200 projects across Ballarat and Western Victoria including Civic Hall, Ballarat College and the Ballarat Base Hospital.  

Best known for his Art Deco style and distinctive geometric detailing, Coburn’s work represents a shift from the ornate Victorian-era architecture commonly associated with Ballarat.  

The collection also includes ambitious, unrealised proposals, among them designs for a new civic centre that explored multiple potential sites across Ballarat, revealing the scale of civic planning being considered at the time.

Above: One of Herbert Coburn's proposals for a new civic centre in Sturt Street that includes a Town Hall and art gallery.

Local resident and President of the National Trust of Victoria (Ballarat Branch) Dianne Gow, who lives in a Coburn-designed home, said she loves its architectural details, quirky character and attention to detail.

“My Coburn home always gives me joy,” she said.

“The internal features are really special. Even today, the layout, room sizes and quality of light make it a very liveable home.”

In addition to his architectural work, Coburn was deeply involved in civic life, serving as a City of Ballarat Councillor and Mayor in 1945, and advocating for major projects including Civic Hall and improvements to the Lake Wendouree precinct.

Coburn passed away in 1956, the same year Civic Hall officially opened – leaving a lasting legacy that continues to shape Ballarat’s built environment.

The Coburn Collection offers a rare window into that legacy, revealing both well-known buildings and previously unseen designs, and inviting visitors to experience a different perspective on the city’s architectural identity.

The exhibition will be on display at Town Hall during the Ballarat Heritage Festival from 21-24 May.

For more information and to view the full program of events, visit the Ballarat Heritage Festival website.