3 August 2017 – Media Release
The presentation ceremony for the Cumberland Local Heritage Awards was held on Wednesday 2 August, with Year 6 student Veronica Maroun taking out the prestigious ‘Keeper of the Stone’ award, made with a brick fragment from the historic Holroyd Brickworks.
The Cumberland Local Heritage Awards recognises outstanding work in the restoration and preservation of Cumberland’s historic buildings and aims to increase appreciation of Cumberland’s history through the primary school’s ‘Keeper of the Stone’ colouring in competition.
Peter and Robyn Coyle took out the award for ‘Best Maintained Heritage Property’ with their South Granville property while Botanica Holdings Pty Ltd topped the ‘Restoration and Development of a Heritage Property’ category for their outstanding work restoring part of the former Lidcombe Hospital Precinct.
Cumberland Council Interim General Manager Malcolm Ryan said he was delighted with the response to this year’s expanded competition, open to residents of the former Woodville Ward and Auburn Council area for the first time.
“Cumberland Council is the custodian of many historic buildings that tell the story of our local area,” Mr Ryan said.
“The Cumberland Local Heritage Awards recognises those individuals and companies in the community who are showing best practice in conserving and restoring historic buildings.
“Good restoration work is not about freezing a building in time. Rather it’s about communicating the rich history of a structure while ensuring it meets the needs of the community today.
“Fostering an appreciation for Cumberland’s heritage starts at a young age, which is why the school’s ‘Keeper of the Stone’ colouring in competition has pride of place in the heritage awards.
“We want all our residents, from the youngest to the oldest, to be aware of our shared heritage in the area and play an active part in preserving it for future generations.”
