The Mornington Peninsula has a rich and distinct heritage, and those who devote so much of their time to its protection and promotion deserve our thanks. So let’s show our appreciation by nominating them for a 2021 Mornington Peninsula Heritage Award.

A joint program of Mornington Peninsula Shire and the Mornington Peninsula branch of the National Trust, the awards recognise projects and people in our community who have demonstrated excellence in preservation, restoration and reuse of heritage places on the Peninsula. While the word ‘heritage’ conjures images of built forms, the scope for the awards goes further to cover landscape, cemeteries, wetlands, interpretive signs, and people who have contributed to the longevity of our heritage.

Our heritage includes public and private places, buildings, gardens and objects. These places are an important part of our culture and environment, and the awards highlight and celebrate our distinct heritage. Categories include:

• Restoration of a heritage place: best-practice heritage restoration work in built form, landscape, wetlands, cemeteries, monuments or heritage gardens.

• Creative reuse of a heritage place: a process that changes a disused or redundant heritage place to a different purpose while retaining its original integrity.

• Sustainability and/or greening of a heritage place: to increase awareness of the contribution to environmental sustainability of heritage places.

• Specialist heritage trade skills: recognition of tradies using specialist and traditional methods and craftsmanship to a very high standard.

• Excellence in interpretive signage: recognition of interpretive signs of a high quality that have contributed to the heritage of the Peninsula.

“This is an opportunity to celebrate some of the exceptional places and people on the Peninsula and I encourage the community to apply,” said Mayor Despi O’Connor. “Community members using their skills and ingenuity to restore and maintain heritage places deserve to have their work recognised. These awards serve to highlight and inspire our community to celebrate the unique heritage of the Mornington Peninsula.”

Branch president Judy Walsh said: “These annual awards present an opportunity to acknowledge individuals, groups and practitioners who have demonstrated expertise in restoration or creative reuse of built and environmental forms of heritage and excellence in interpretive signage. Heritage in its various forms is a cultural asset of the Peninsula and these awards are a contribution to preserving places of significance for the future.”

Nominations are open until July 26. To nominate a person or project, complete the online form at mornpen.vic.gov.au/heritageawards or contact customer service on 5950 1000 or 1300 850 600.