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This article was published on Tuesday, 9 August, 2016. The information contained within may be out of date or inaccurate. News articles and media releases older than 60 days are archived for future reference.

Awards aim to celebrate our cultural heritage

The Awards are held in association with the Greater Shepparton Heritage Advisory Committee every two years. The Awards recognise outstanding contributions to cultural heritage and conservation, research, education, promotion, interpretation, training and awareness-raising within the municipality.

The Awards aim to honour individuals and organisations whose work has promoted and conserved the Municipality’s diverse cultural heritage. They also serve to promote the benefits of cultural heritage and conservation by promoting examples of good conservation practice and guidance, as well as offering the owners or guardians of our heritage recognition of their invaluable work.

The Awards were developed several years ago by volunteers on Council’s Greater Shepparton Heritage Advisory Committee which was formed in January 2012 to act as an advocate for all cultural heritage matters within the municipality.

The Heritage Advisory Committee recommended a biennial Cultural Heritage Awards ceremony to help to raise awareness of cultural heritage issues and to promote good conservation practice and two such awards have since been held.

Greater Shepparton City Council Director Sustainable Development, Johann Rajaratnam says that cultural heritage relates to more than simply architectural significance. “It includes both tangible cultural heritage, such as buildings and landscapes, books, artefacts and artwork, and intangible cultural heritage, such as folklore, traditions, language and knowledge,” said Mr Rajaratnam. “It also includes places of social, historical, technical and spiritual significance.”

“It is vital that we identify and conserve all places of cultural heritage significance to our municipality; whether they are grand nineteenth century homesteads, humble weatherboard cottages or remnants of our early agricultural and industrial pursuits. We must identity these places to ensure that our history is recorded and accessible for future generations, and we must celebrate their significance,” he said.

“To continue this work, Council has provided funding over two financial years to complete a third heritage study, the Greater Shepparton Heritage Study Stage IIC, for our municipality,” said Mr Rajaratnam.

“The members of the Heritage Advisory Committee have been instrumental in researching the history and development of places in this study. This dedication has ensured Council’s budget for this project will double the number of places that were envisaged for inclusion,” he said.

Awards nominations will be open from Monday 8 August and close on Friday 9 December 2016. The winners will be announced at an Awards ceremony on Saturday 22 April 2017.

CLICK HERE For more information Greater Shepparton Cultural Heritage Awards.