For 2019, we hosted two events for the Australian Heritage Festival:
Our 2nd annual OPEN event in October 2019 featured 5 more Beaumaris homes, including a recently built home designed with a mid-century aesthetic. Over 650 attendees were again impressed by the quality and diversity demonstrated in our local design vernacular.
The popularity of our events demonstrate the appetite in the community for Mid-Century Modern architecture and design and proved how important it is to preserve and appreciate the unique streetscape of Beaumaris.
Unfortunately we’ve also had a rollercoster ride as we lost an irreplaceable gem by Chancellor & Patrick at 27 Mariemont Avenue. And the bitterest moment was when our community was betrayed by Bayside City Council when in April 2018 they completely backflipped on their own heritage study, the centrepiece of their own 2017 Heritage Action Plan. In vetoing the study and a traditional heritage process, Bayside Council’s Voluntary Nomination Heritage scheme has been a political farce and in choosing this path Council have even admitted that they fail to meet their statutory obligations.
Therefore Beaumaris Modern, with support from the National Trust, Heritage Victoria and other advocacy groups, have renewed their efforts to fight for the protection of our most significant heritage.
Whilst there is now a huge groundswell of interest in these Beaumaris classics. But unfortunately, owners & developers without any knowledge of mid-century design, have demolished many of these beautiful homes, not understanding their long-term value nor potential for sympathetic renovation.
So now, along with alerting people of properties for sale, we are also keen to share information about mid-century architecture. Through celebration and education, we hope to save as many of these properties as we can. And in doing so, bring like-minded people together to share their passion for mid-century architecture. The tide seems to be turning with 2018 & 2019 seeing a number of significant MCM homes purchased by sympathetic buyers and others nominated for protection.
We are indebted to our wonderful members and our committee, who have worked tirelessly to organise all our events and speak at Counci meetings and VCAT.
We are all united in our passion for celebrating, educating and promoting the importance of preserving the mid-century architecture of Beaumaris.