SHOWCASING THE WORLD’S FINEST PROPERTIES AND THE STORIES BEHIND THEM

How things are made
in Australia
by Kate and Jack Lennie

Jess Cameron-Wootten, head cordwainer at fine leathercraft brand Wootten, expertly demonstrates how to work a last with traditional tools and methods, in the same way his father taught him. (Tamika Petersen @tamikapetersenphotography)

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In the 1850s, Ballarat was a noisy, chaotic, sweating gold rush town. Now it’s a calm global center for a different sort of searching. A hub of creativity and artisanal excellence populated by makers and artists, and a UNESCO Creative City since 2019. Kate and Jack Lennie – publishers and podcasters of We Are Makers – report on how a collective effort to conserve art and craft skills is breathing new life into Ballarat and the people who live there.

Ballarat is the third largest city in Victoria, 70 miles north-west of Melbourne. More precisely, it’s situated on aboriginal Wadawurrung land, which archaeological finds determine as occupied for the past 25,000 years. That kind of heritage wasn’t critical in Ballarat evolving into a creative epicenter for modern sensibilities, but it wasn’t an obstacle either. Australia is a country, like others, reflecting on its own origin story.

At the city’s Sovereign Hill – an engaging interactive open-air museum that transports visitors back to the gold rush days of the 1850s ­– an important addition came into being in 2022. The Australian Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades has a singular mission: “to ensure the language of ‘making’ in Australia… remains alive and accessible to future generations.”

If intrigue has ever pushed you to wonder how something, anything was made, this is a place to scratch that intrigue’s itch.

Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades Ballarat Australia

The Rare Trades Centre, as it’s known, has a roster of craftspeople who teach the intricacies of their craft during hands-on courses over a weekend or on programs that last several weeks. (Kate Lennie)

It’s not the only place in Ballarat fostering an environment where independent makers and artisans thrive. As a worldwide voice in the craft and making space, We Are Makers were invited to the city in the spring of 2024 to witness an event showcasing Ballarat’s creative evolution. Craft Lab 24, part of the Ballarat Heritage Festival, brought together 18 of the region’s most talented makers. Their work was displayed, dialogues engaged, connections fostered. The event was the culmination of a year-long program offering guidance, portfolio reviews and professional photography to help these makers elevate their practice to new heights – and reach new audiences.

 

The Australian Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades has a singular mission: "to ensure the language of ‘making’ in Australia... remains alive and accessible to future generations."

The kickoff? A ticketed dinner where guests dined on pieces specially handcrafted for the occasion by the exhibiting makers – plates, glasses and napkins, each as individual and unique as the artisan who made it. Over the course of the dinner, we sat with the mayor of Ballarat and influential local leaders, discussing the business of craft and the craft of business and how those two might best intersect. The bonus? Being presented with the handcrafted pieces we dined from.

From bootmakers to furniture designers to ceramicists and beyond, Craft Lab 24 was a celebration of high-quality people-made objects fused contemporary techniques with time-honored traditions. It was also a fantastic opportunity to meet these makers in person and purchase unique, locally crafted, one-of-a-kind works. Craft Lab 25 runs 17-25 May this year.

Crop of female hands holding a hand-made dinner plate at a set table

Kicking off the Ballarat Heritage Festival with a grand communal dinner – The Great Takeaway – sets the tone to come. With a spirit of sharing among creatives, attendees get to leave with the handmade tableware they’ve dined from.  (Josh Waddell/Far Flung Films)

The kickoff? A ticketed dinner where guests dined on pieces specially handcrafted for the occasion by the exhibiting makers – plates, glasses and napkins, each as individual and unique as the artisan who made it.

Meet the makers

An innovator within Ballarat’s thriving creative community is Steph Wallace, a ceramic artist who creates stunning sculptural pieces from the very soil Ballarat sits on. Working with top-tier interior designers, Steph’s unique works of art sit in some of the world’s most extraordinary homes. Her commitment to craftsmanship and her ability to blend traditional techniques with modern sensibilities have made her one of the most sought-after ceramicists in Australia.

Ceramic artist Steph Wallace works the land she inhabits on Wadawurrung country in Ballarat, investigating both its physical nature and the complex cultural manifestations played upon it by external human agendas. Her explorations walk a political edge, her pieces reaching arresting aesthetical heights. (Steph Wallace/@steph.wallace.art)

Ballarat’s creative resurgence is energized by its commitment to supporting its local makers. These artisans are using their skills to nurture sustainable businesses, attracting attention from domestic and international markets. One such is Jess Wootten, a local bootmaker whose family legacy and dedication have made his exquisitely crafted footwear highly sought after. Alongside his wife Krystina and their small team, Jess produces around 400 pairs of bespoke boots each year, all crafted by hand in the brand’s Ballarat workshop to each customer’s exact specifications. 

The Wootten team are as much craftspeople as they are custodians of the craft, from the leatherwork to the machines that help them execute their designs. They’ll drive thousands of miles to pick up old machinery before restoring it, just to improve a specific stitch by 5 percent in its durability. These are craftspeople pursuing excellence. And that transfers to the couple’s home, once a dilapidated miner’s cottage. Jess and Krystina have sympathetically rebuilt and extended their property using traditional techniques, and once a year they open it to customers for a garden party

Jess Wootten cordwainer at Lost Trades Fair Ballarat Australia

Boots made for walking in. Jess Wootten and Krystina Menegazzo apply skills that are the antithesis of mass manufacture and so preserve a heritage and a way of thinking that extends far beyond the materials of their craft. (Tamika Petersen/Inkdfoto)

Another standout Ballarat maker is Bryan Cush, the Irish-born founder of Sawdust Bureau. A trained architect, Bryan’s frustration with the slow pace of monumental projects led him to redirect his focus towards cabinetry and furniture. With over 15 years of global experience in architecture, Bryan combines his design expertise with a passion for sculptural craft and local indigenous timbers.

The result is a distinctive range of custom-designed furniture that brings beauty and functionality to any space. Influenced by Scandinavian and Japanese craft traditions, as well as modernist and brutalist architecture, it reflects Ballarat’s ability to attract and nurture world-class talent.

The IN CLOVER table in leatherwood and Tasmanian oak is a collaborative piece by Bryan Cush, the maker behind Sawdust Bureau, and Australian architect John Wardle. (Pier Carthew)

Ballarat is a sparkling gem in the world of arts and crafts. With its vibrant creative community, its strong support for artisans and its rich cultural history, this former mining town is becoming one of the world’s most exciting destinations for those who appreciate the value of craftsmanship and artistic heritage.

Craft Lab 25 takes place 17-25 May 2025, with the Great Takeaway on 22 May.

Topics in this article

  • Reporter: Kate and Jack Lennie
  • Kate and Jack Lennie —as founders of the We Are Makers magazine and podcast—have dedicated every waking minute since 2019 to telling the stories of makers, artists and craftspeople, connecting them with global audiences and giving them the recognition they deserve. “It has never been more important to support makers. In a culture cuffed to mass manufacture, we risk losing the skills and magic they bring to the world.

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