Mountie historians awarded for storytelling

TWO years in the making, Mount Pleasant History Group’s Discover Historic Mount Pleasant initiative has been celebrated by the Ballarat Branch of the National Trust Victoria.

Winning the Greg Binns Award for outstanding community contribution to heritage for their suburban heritage walk which tells the story of Mount Pleasant through a brochure and signage.

MPHG president Max Duthie was honoured to accept the “prestigious” gong on behalf of the Group’s committee and broader members.

“This project exists to tell the story of Mountie; the oldest suburb in Ballarat, and as a local group, we will continue to do so,” he said.

“We have used a series of free-standing historic signs around the suburb, supported by a brochure detailing 30 historic locations. Funding such a project was a big hurdle, but we were assisted in this through an Engaging Communities grant from the City of Ballarat,” he said.

“Lots of hard work went into the project during 2018 and the first half of 2019, until the brochure was launched in May 2019, and the first sign was erected in July 2019. The final sign, a mural depicting Shop Corner on Cobden and Barkly streets, complete with a classic ‘Mountie Tram’ was launched in February 2020.”

Mr Duthie has championed those who have been integral to the project, and to the fabric of the vibrant Mount Pleasant community.

“I pay tribute to Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre’s Kate Owen, who… provided leadership and guidance, as well as a wealth of support to the group throughout the project, providing a link to City of Ballarat. Her enthusiasm and professional approach kept us all going,” Mr Duthie said.

“Neither the Discover Historic Mount Pleasant brochure, nor the standing historic signs erected around Mountie, would contain the images and text that they do without the input of Dr Bill Garner.

“An accomplished historian and author, Bill was the consultant historian to MPHG from the beginning of the group and throughout the life of the project. He researched and gathered much of the information and images that form the bulk of both the brochure and signs, aided by myself and other proof-readers.”

The tram mural was the vision of Bernadette Duffy, and graphic artist Peter Lambert designed the brochure and signs.

Recently, MPHG was also a finalist in the community section of the Keep Victoria Beautiful Awards.

COVID-19 restrictions permitting, MPHG meetings are being held at the Ballarat Observatory, a Mount Pleasant icon.

MPHG encourages people within 10 kilometres of Mount Pleasant to enjoy the Discover Historic Mount Pleasant trail and the Mount Pleasant Reserve’s seniors exercise equipment as part of their outdoor iso activities.

Visit facebook.com/MPHGB.