HISTORIC TOWNS AWARDS ANNOUNCED

Maldon (above), Beechworth, Wandiligong and Casterton have taken out honours at the Provincial Victoria Historic Towns Awards announced on 1 September by the Minister for State and Regional Development, John Brumby.

Making the announcement at the 150-year-old Penny School (right) in Maldon, Mr Brumby said the Awards recognised Victorian towns that had strived to retain their unique characteristics.

National Trust Deputy Chair, Anthony Knight, said Victorians’ passion for heritage was demonstrated in the large number of nominations for the Awards.

“The National Trust was delighted with the number of nominations received and the quality and detail of the applications,” Mr Knight said.

“Representatives from the judging panel visited every town nominated and feedback from locals confirmed that Victorians are passionate about heritage and paying tribute to the towns, cities and communities that have helped define Victoria’s unique heritage character.

“Country towns and communities have played an essential role in Victoria’s development and it is essential that heritage preservation is promoted so we can continue to conserve our vital towns and communities.”

The Provincial Victoria Historic Towns Awards are an initiative of the National Trust in Victoria as part of its 50th birthday celebrations being held in 2006.

Supported by the Victorian Government and The Weekly Times, the Awards aim to promote good heritage planning and appropriate new development in regional Victoria, recognising towns that have strived to retain their heritage. Launched in April in the historic town of Buninyong, a total of 63 nominations were received for 43 towns.

Winners were successful in the following categories:
• Maldon - Town with the most intact heritage streetscape character - with Camperdown, Clunes and Port Fairy highly commended.
• Beechworth - Town that has best interpreted its heritage for visitors - with Chewton and Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement Museum highly commended.
• Wandiligong, Oriental Crossing over Morses Creek - Public landscaping project most sympathetic to the historic character of the town – with Yackandandah, for new works to old stone kerbs, gutters and footpaths, and associated streetscape works, highly commended.
• Casterton - Best heritage event for the Annual Landmark Kelpie Muster, incorporating the Kelpie Festival and Working Dog Auction - with Dunolly, for the Dunolly Rush, 150 Days of Celebrations to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the discovery of gold in Dunolly 2006, highly commended.

Nomination forms appeared in The Weekly Times and were available from the National Trust website. Individuals, businesses, government authorities, professional bodies and community organisations were encouraged to nominate. The judging panel was made up of heritage experts, the editor of the Weekly Times and a representative from Tourism Victoria.

The judges also decided to award special commendations to towns deserving of recognition for their uniqueness or for the work being done by the community in preserving the heritage of their towns.

Towns to receive special commendations were:
• Nyah West, north-west of Swan Hill on the Murray River, most unusual in the fact that almost all buildings in the town date from the 1920s.
• Lockington, for the Lockington and District Living Heritage Complex, whose members are to be commended for their work in recording their history, preserving important artifacts, and providing a community venue, as well as attracting the younger members of the town to an interest in their heritage.
• Yallourn North, for the Old Brown Coal Mine Museum run by the Yallourn North and District Historical Society, which has so admirably recorded the history of the town, the local industry and the SEC in the area.

“On behalf of the National Trust, I would like to thank all Victorians who have helped us celebrate our 50th birthday by nominating their towns,” Mr Knight said.

“I encourage everyone to join with us in saving the heritage of this state by becoming a member of the National Trust - membership is vital to ensure we can continue conserving Victoria’s heritage for future generations to enjoy.”

ALL ENTRIES

Most intact heritage streetscape - see list of entries

Town that has best interpreted its heritage for visitors - see list of entries

Public landscaping project most sympathetic to the historic character of the town - see list of entries

and

Best heritage event - see list of entries

The Provincial Victoria Historic Towns Awards are an initiative of the National Trust in Victoria as part of its 50th birthday celebrations being held in 2006. Supported by the Victorian Government and The Weekly Times, the Awards aim to promote good heritage planning and appropriate new development in regional Victoria, recognising towns that have strived to retain their heritage. Launched in April in the historic town of Buninyong, a total of 63 nominations were received for 43 towns.

Nomination forms appeared in The Weekly Times and were available from the National Trust website. Individuals, businesses, government authorities, professional bodies and community organisations were encouraged to nominate. The judging panel was made up of heritage experts, the editor of The Weekly Times and a representative from Tourism Victoria.

Towns nominated were:

Ballarat, Beechworth, Bendigo, Beulah, Buninyong
Camperdown, Casterton, Cavendish, Chewton, Chiltern, Clunes
Dunolly
Harcourt, Harrow
Inglewood
Koondrook, Koroit, Kyneton
Lancefield, Learmonth, Leongatha, Lockington
Maldon, Malmsbury, Merrigum, Mount Alexander Shire, Murtoa
Noorat, Nyah West
Port Fairy
Queenscliff
Rushworth, Rutherglen
Sale, Smythesdale, St Arnaud, Stawell, Swan Hill
Talbot
Wandiligong, Walhalla
Yackandandah, Yallourn North