With the centenary of the landing at Gallopoli approaching, a group of volunteers set out to present the Anzac story - what happened on the global, military stage as well as here in Forbes.

For 18 months they laboured to research and present a new exhibit - in a dedicated new building next to the Cross Street museum.

Margaret Adams said they were driven by a desire to help the next generation realise the enormity of the sacrifice made.

“It wasn’t just something that happened half a world away. It was such a big contribution from a small town,” she said.

The exhibition draws on information available locally and through the War Memorial as well as personal collections such as playing cards that diggers used.  

“It gave us a lot of pride and we learned such a lot,” Mrs Adams said.

Maps, a timeline and a snapshot of each battle are part of the display - some aspects of it being reworked up to seven times to ensure everything was captured and clearly presented.

With education key to the project, local students were also part of it and contributed pictures and poetry.

President Susan Stewart accepted the award on behalf of the museum and said the team had worked very hard to research and present the history.

“We hope it has been a fitting tribute to the men and women of Forbes, both those who enlisted and those who stayed home and knitted socks or made any contribution, whatever that was,” she said.

“It made us very proud.” 

Nominees for the 2016 Forbes Medal included:

Forbes Library building upgrade, Forbes Shire Council

Members, amongst them Forbes’ founding fathers, have gathered to share knowledge in Forbes library for generations.

The building, which stands in the Victoria Square heritage precinct, includes the 1909 School of Arts and 1923 Literary Institute.

Internal and external upgrade works including roof cladding, window panels, painting, lighting and floor covering, were undertaken early 2015.

The work was done in conjunction with heritage advisor Graham Hall. 

Ben Hall Shooting Site interpretive panels, Forbes Shire Council

The place where bushranger Ben Hall was shot might look like any other bit of paddock today, but it is listed on the State Heritage Register.

So 150 years on from his death, locals developed a series of interpretive panels to tell his story.

Council’s heritage advisor Graham Hall said the panels were meticulously researched and designed.

The panels tell the story in parts: the activites of Hall, Gilbert and Dunn, the police and their informant Coneley.

They describe the weapons police used at the time and what the site would have looked like in Hall’s day, as well as the reward poster, ballads and songs about Hall. 

Newspaper accounts of Hall’s shooting and death are on a separate panel which stands at the location Hall is believed to have died, featuring Sub-Inspector Davidson’s evidence at the inquest into his death. 

Restoration of 3-5 Spring Street, Forbes Physiotherapy and Allied Health Centre

The Victorian Italianate style residence was in desperate need of repair when the current owners approached council’s heritage advisor for input.

Mr Hall described the decision to proceed with restoration as “courageous” but they did proceed with oustanding results.

The architect’s brief was “to restore the original building to its 1890s dignity whilst creating a functional multipurpose health centre. Any additions should be slick and modern without pretending to be original.”

The building now functions as a modern, multipurpose health centre.

Closed box eaves have been restored, windows restored to their original shape and rotting timber floors replaced.

Wrought iron valences have been replaced and hall archways reinstated, while additions were put on the side and rear of the building to suit its new purpose. 

Restoration of the Ivel tractor, Forbes and District Historical Society

There are only three Ivel tractors in Australia and Forbes now has one running, thanks to the hard work of a group of local vintage machinery enthusiasts. 

The two-cylinder, 2900cc Ivel was the world’s first successful tractor and just 380 were manufactured. Only eight are known to remain in the world. 

Volunteers at the Forbes and District Historical Society have rescued this one, which was mostly used in Forbes and Gooloogong districts but had been long abandoned, left exposed and even flooded.

The team of four volunteers invested 700 man hours to dismantle it, repair it and get it going again. 

Heritage advisor Mr Hall praised the engineering skill required for the task and said he had been astounded the mission was successful. 

Historic Graves Self-Guided Walk brochure, Forbes Heritage Advisory Committee

For many years, visitors to the town have asked about our cemetery - and no wonder.

Ben Hall is buried there, as is Kate Foster (nee Kelly). Other than that, little information was available. 

The Railways Arts and Tourist Centre identified the need for information and the Heritage Advisory Committee was approached for the task.

Helen Bernardi and Helen Herbert researched the project, Kerry Neaylon took the photographs and produced the graphic design. 

The brochure contains 17 narratives, each numbered, and an aerial view of the cemetery with each denominational section marked out.

Graves featured are numbered and marked on the map and with a discreet but identifiable marker at the foot of each grave.