Geelong Historical Society Honoured at 2025 Heritage Awards
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We are proud to inform members that the Geelong Historical Society has received the Heritage Interpretation and Promotion Award “celebrating excellence in heritage” at the 2025 City of Greater Geelong Heritage Awards. The presentation took place on the evening of October 15.
Presented at a well-attended ceremony, hosted by the Urban Design and Place team, the award recognised our website as a vibrant celebration of Geelong’s rich heritage. It was seen as an accessible hub for sharing the region’s history with the wider community.
Society President Harry Roberts reflected on the Society’s journey since the challenges of the COVID lockdowns. With membership declining and publications disrupted, the Society had to embrace a renewed vision, guided by three pillars: Community, Participation and Communication. The website became central to this vision; not just a repository of historical material, but a platform for dialogue, discovery and connection.
Designed to be bright, welcoming and informative, the site now blends traditional scholarship with modern multimedia communication. It serves both as our public voice, advocating for heritage and promoting events, and also as a private voice to members, sharing resources, organisational updates and information on Society ambitions.
In attendance at the awards evening were the Society’s President, Vice-President and Secretary, along with several members including David Rowe, Jennifer Bantow and Linda Carr. David was the compere for the event. He has a long association with our Society, which continues, and he will be our first monthly presenter in 2026. Jennifer was recognised in 2024 for her outstanding contribution to heritage over many years, when an award was named in her honour; The Jennifer Bantow OAM Heritage Award. This award celebrates excellence in specialist trades, architecture or conservation practice.
The 2025 recipient was Geoff Saunders, whose architectural work in Geelong spans more than 45 years. His transformation of the Dennys Lascelles Woolstores and the Woolstores facing Western Beach Road was especially highlighted.
As the only community group recognised on the night, we were honoured to stand alongside architects and homeowners who have invested so much in restoring and commemorating Geelong’s urban heritage. The award affirms the value of volunteer-led heritage work and encourages us to continue building an inclusive, respectful space for historical engagement.
We thank the City of Greater Geelong for this recognition of our work, and we thank our members, contributors and visitors for helping us bring Geelong’s stories to life.
On a personal note, it has been a privilege to help bring the Society’s vision to life through the website. I want to especially acknowledge Harry’s leadership in steering the Society forward during a difficult time, and for embracing new ways to connect with people who care about our region’s history. His trust in me made this project possible. The Society has built something that’s not just informative, but inclusive and welcoming — a space where history lives, and community grows.
