Heritage Award winners announced

Celebrating Ballarat’s rich heritage was at the heart of an awards ceremony on Friday night, where businesses, groups and individuals were recognised for their work in Ballarat’s heritage space.

The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Heritage Awards, supported by the City of Ballarat, celebrated outstanding practice in the conservation, protection, advocacy and interpretation of heritage across several categories.

Heritage places may include public or privately-owned buildings, infrastructure, monuments and memorials, cultural landscapes, gardens, waterways, trees, archaeological sites and objects.

2025 National Trust of Australia Heritage Award winners

Creative Reuse of a Heritage Place
This award encourages the adaptive reuse of a heritage place – a process that changes a disused or redundant place to a different purpose.

• Award for Excellence: Hotel Vera and Restaurant Babae, 710 Sturt Street, Ballarat
  This adaption of a 19th century residence into Hotel Vera and Restaurant Babe retained the original features of the house, utilised and highlighted the Victorian architecture inside and out, and retained and restored the stables outbuilding.
• Commendation: Boat Shed, 26 Lake Drive, Lake Wendouree
  Saved from dereliction, this restoration retained the integrity of the Boat Shed precinct by re-using the space as a recreation room – similar to bathing boxes at the beach.

New Work/Development within a Heritage Area
This award encourages innovative and/or sympathetic design of new buildings, structures or additions to heritage buildings within heritage precincts or within a cultural heritage landscape.

• Award for Excellence: 511 Doveton Street North, Soldiers Hill
  This restoration of a heritage-listed residence, along with a pavilion-style addition which left the original residence as a stand-alone building, as well as bringing it back from the brink of demolition, is an excellent example of new work to a heritage place.

Conservation of a Heritage Place
This award recognises a best-practice conservation project that demonstrates a holistic understanding of the place.

• Award for Excellence: Michael Slocum, restoration of Cast Iron Heritage Post Boxes
  This project involved the restoration of cast iron heritage post boxes, dating from 1860 and 1920 in 18 locations across Ballarat. The early-surviving post boxes were restored and painted in their original colours. With beginnings as a passion project with no funding, Michael’s work garnered interest from Australia Post which later funded the ongoing restoration of the Post Boxes.

Community Heritage Advocacy
This award recognises outstanding achievement in campaigning to raise awareness for a particular heritage issue or place. Winners must demonstrate a strong commitment to supporting and celebrating community engagement, and encouraging the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage.

• Award for Excellence: Dianne Gow
  As the National Trust of Australia Victoria Branch president for many years, and a key member of the Ballarat Heritage Advisory Committee for almost two decades, Dianne has demonstrated outstanding dedication to the celebration of Ballarat’s heritage.
• Award for Excellence: Save Our Station Ballarat Inc.
  Since its incorporation, Save Our Station Ballarat has demonstrated a continued dedication to advocating for the conservation of the Ballarat Railway Station’s rich heritage.  This has involved tireless commitment to the re-instatement of the Lydiard Street Railway Gates and providing written submissions to Heritage Victoria on various matters requiring Heritage Permits at the station, lobbying politicians, attending Council meetings, hosting public forums and demonstrations, and publishing and distributing literature to inform the public of the significance of this marvelous complex at the heart of Ballarat’s heritage. 

Interpretation
This award recognises interpretation projects that demonstrate excellent communication and generate curiosity and connection to place.

• Award for Excellence: Dr David Waldron for Ballarat Old Gaol Tours and exhibition
  The Ballarat Old Gaol Tours have been a highlight of the Ballarat Heritage Festival since 2016, attracting 2,000-3,000 visitors each weekend. Held within the former Ballarat Gaol, now part of Federation University, the tours explore the rich history of the place, from its role in colonial policing and criminal justice to its connections with the Eureka Rebellion and the Ballarat School of Mines. Supported by extensive research, the tours are beautifully presented with many historical stories explored.

City of Ballarat Councillor Ted Lapkin said the National Trust of Australia Heritage Awards were a celebration of Ballarat’s unique heritage and history.

“Our heritage is both a responsibility and a gift – one we must preserve, share and honour for generations to come,” he said. 

“The projects and people recognised at the Heritage Awards represent the very best of what it means to care deeply about our history – whether through careful restoration, inspired reuse or powerful interpretation.”

For more information about the National Trust of Australia’s Heritage Awards, visit the National Trust website.