Preserving Frankston’s unique heritage

Published on 22 July 2024

Heritage plays a vital role making Frankston City a place where people love to live, work and visit.

Our heritage contributes to the city’s distinctive character and tells the story of our past.

In 2020, Council introduced the Local Heritage Preservation Grant (LHPG) Program. The program has a total funding pool of $40,000 annually to support works that conserve and enhance places of heritage significance in the municipality.

Individuals, community groups or organisations who own or manage a property in a Heritage Overlay can apply for financial support for the following works including preservation, repair, restoration and enhancement.

Rev Claudia Mauracher, from St Paul’s Church Frankston, said the congregation was rapt to receive a grant to restore the triple gable roof on both sides of the church.

She added the church members, who also contributed funds towards the project, were excited when the works were complete.

Designed by important ecclesiastical architect Louis Williams, St Paul’s is architecturally significant as a fine example of an Arts and Crafts Style church with bold massing, stylised gothic detailing and an imposing tower. Extensively damaged by fire in 1957, the church was rebuilt to a sympathetic design, also by Louis Williams.

Joyce Welsh also received a heritage preservation grant for exterior painting at her historic Frankston house, which was originally built in 1924 for Russell and Mabel Grimwade, and designed by one of Melbourne’s best-known architects, Harold Desbrowe Annear.

Mrs Welsh said exterior paintwork had deteriorated and the grant had made a huge difference, adding: “It was a tremendous help.”

The house, known as Westerfield, is a distinctive and complete design which embodies Annear’s interpretation of Southern European (French) provincial villa themes which were then popular, in combination with his continuing love of the half- timbering of Northern European Medieval architecture.

Applications for Local Heritage Preservation Grants are now open and close on 31 August.

You can find more information including the grant program guidelines,here.