Local CBD organisations win at the 2024 Melbourne Awards

The Beruk exhibition, Travellers Aid Australia, and the Koorie Heritage Trust Stage II by Lyons, Greenaway Architects and Architecture Associates, were among the recipients of this year’s Melbourne Awards, held on November 9.

The annual event honours individuals and organisations that have made outstanding contributions to the city’s growth and culture, and it also includes the prestigious Melburnian of the Year and Young Melburnian of the Year awards.

The awards recognise achievements across eight key areas that are vital to Melbourne’s evolution, in the categories of Aboriginal Melbourne (ganbu guljin), Access and Inclusion, City Design, Arts and Events, Community, Knowledge and Innovation, LGBTIQA+, and Sustainability.

The Beruk exhibition was presented with the Aboriginal Melbourne (ganbu guljin) award for its public showcase highlighting the powerful stories of returning to Country, told through the works of Wurundjeri artist William Barak. 

“This award, like the repatriated priceless cultural items that featured in the exhibition, belongs to the whole Wurundjeri community,” Uncle Bill Nicholson from the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation said. 

The exhibition saw two of William Barak’s artworks welcomed home after being bought back for $600,000 at a New York auction in 2022, including a painting titled Corroboree (Women in possum skin cloaks), and a parrying shield.

A trailblazer in his community, Barak was influential in fighting for the rights and freedom of his people, land, and the survival of Coranderrk in the post-colonial era.

“For First Nations people to see our elders and ancestors, our cultures and histories, and our stories and languages elevated in a modern, cosmopolitan city like Melbourne (narrm), brings a special sense of pride and accomplishment,” Uncle Nicholson said. 

“The Beruk exhibition was offered in spirit of shared place by my people, the traditional owner of Melbourne, and we thank the City of Melbourne for this acknowledgement.” 

Travellers Aid Australia, with locations throughout Victoria, including Flinders Street Station, was awarded the Access and Inclusion award for its innovative efforts to improve access to Melbourne’s transport network for individuals facing travel-related challenges. 

“Every day we ensure that people can access, participate, engage in a lot of the things that we all take for granted,” Elias Lebbo said. 

“The more of us that participate in making Melbourne a more accessible and inclusive city, the greater the city becomes.”

The Koorie Heritage Trust Stage II, designed by Lyons, Greenaway Architects, and Architecture Associates, won the City Design award for its modern and captivating approach to celebrating and showcasing Aboriginal art and culture.

“It’s a project that as architects, means a huge amount to us. Its monetary value is not extreme, but its cultural value is beyond words,” Samuel Hunter from Architecture Associates said. 

“In 2019, there was a debate down at Federation Square when Apple were going to move in, and the Yarra building was going to be demolished. It was a moment in time where the city decided what culture looked like – that it wasn’t commercial culture, it wasn’t culture through commodification,” Mr Hunter said. 

“It was a very important moment for our city, and that’s why this project, beyond just the fit-out, is worthy of this award.”

The Melbourne Awards also honoured Rebecca Scott OAM, a co-founder of Melbourne-based social enterprise STREAT, as Melburnian of the Year, for her exceptional leadership in helping young people in Melbourne secure meaningful jobs and housing, while also tackling climate-related challenges.

The not-for-profit has helped more than 500 young people secure employment in the hospitality and horticulture sectors.

STREAT has also seen1,500 others benefit from its outreach initiatives and gain new skills through short courses and practical training programs.

“I’m so humbled and chuffed to receive this award, especially as a scruffy kid who grew up in the countryside of New South Wales,” Ms Scott said.

“There’s so much unfinished business here, and that’s where I love to put on my metaphorical gumboots and get out into the mud. I want us all to see we’ve got this one precious little life where we get the opportunity to co-create this city as our home,” she said.

“Together, we can make Melbourne kinder, fairer and greener.” 

The Young Melburnian of the Year award was presented to Alex Dekker, the 24-year-old founder of local not-for-profit Alex Makes Meals, in recognition of his innovative work addressing food insecurity across Melbourne.

Alex Makes Meals evolved from a one-man mission in 2020 to now providing more than 3,000 nutritious meals each week to vulnerable individuals and families across the city.

“I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition,” Mr Dekker said. “Alex Makes Meals is about so much more than just providing food; it’s about fostering connections and helping people find stability through community support.”

“Since embarking on this journey, I’ve been continually inspired by those who have transformed my small contribution into a meaningful resource for Melbourne’s most vulnerable,” he said.

“This award reflects the tireless dedication of our volunteers and supporters, who have made this mission possible every step of the way.” 

Other winners included Blender Studios in West Melbourne, which received the Arts and Events award, while the Lort Smith Animal Hospital in North Melbourne was given the community award. 

Orygen won the Knowledge and Innovation category, while Queer Town picked up the LGBTIQA+ accolade, and Urban Tree Recovery received the Sustainability award. •