Locals named finalists in heritage awards

Two local volunteers have been named finalists for the 2023 WA Heritage Awards.

26 individuals and projects are in the running from up and down the state, picked from 35 nominations for this year’s awards program, which celebrates and acknowledges the best contributions and outstanding practice in heritage conservation, adaptive reuse, promotion, tourism and interpretation.

Six Western Australians have been recognised in the individual award categories for their voluntary or professional commitment to the heritage sector. Among them is Busselton local Anne Faithfull. The third generation funeral director was nominated posthumously for her work in preserving Pioneer cemetery.

When she noticed its increasing deterioration, Anne worked with the City of Busselton to coordinate work, including fence repairs, conservation and restoration works, clearing of gravesites and the repair and reinstallation of damaged timber crosses.

Anne worked with local historian Judith Murray on interpretive signage that details the cemetery’s history and information about notable people buried there. She spent countless hours researching and cross-checking the old Busselton Cemetery inventory to build a comprehensive map of grave locations, making it easier for locals and visitors to find specific gravesites.

Joining Ms Faithfull on that list is Dunsborough local Margaret Baxter. She’s spent her retirement working to ensure the town’s history and its stories are preserved, valued and shared for years to come.

As chair of the Dunsborough Historical Society, she collects, archives, restores and displays historical documents and photographs. She is a guest speaker at various events, organises visits to regional heritage sites, and is currently fundraising for permanent premises for the society and its collection.