Bill Loader honoured with Forbes Medal in Heritage Week

The late Bill Loader has been recognised with the Forbes Medal as the community celebrates Heritage Week. The award shone a spotlight on the way Mr Loader embraced the town and made a significant contribution to preserving, protecting and celebrating Forbes’ heritage before his passing earlier this year. “Adaptive reuse” was an oft-repeated phrase and one of the projects recognised with the Medal was his vision for the Camp Hill water tower. Graham Hall, council’s heritage advisor, said Mr Loader had sketched out plans to transform the water tower – no longer suitable for its original purpose and capacity – into a feature. “(The water tower) is not listed as a heritage item but it was identified in the heritage study,” Mr Hall said. “It dates from 1906 and is a fairly early example of a riveted iron construction.” Mr Loader’s design kept a smaller water tank inside and had a spiral staircase winding around a central lift, both of which took visitors up to a viewing platform. From there, with windows cut into the tank, visitors would have a view over Forbes. An oversized tap attached to the side of the tank and landscaping in the park completed the design. Another of Mr Loader’s plans was for the upper storeys of shops in the CBD – which previously would have been lived in by families who had the store downstairs. The nomination also highlighted his work to design new development sympathetic and complimentary to the heritage streetscape. “He was a great asset to Forbes, he came with a wealth of ideas,” Mr Hall said. Nominees for this year’s Forbes Medal were diverse and Mr Hall acknowledged the judges had a difficult time selecting a Medal recipient. The nominees for the 2026 Forbes Medal were: The Reject Shop – for conservation of the heritage façade of the Art Deco building during the store’s renovation. Gum Swamp Wildlife Refuge – for the new bird hides, which have been refurbished by the Forbes Arts Society and the signage around the area. Lachlan Vintage Village Visitor Information Centre – Matt Hearn – for the renovation of the former Trigalana Woolshed, then Lachlan Vintage Village. Lake Forbes interpretive signage telling the stories of locations including Johnny Woods Crossing and Bates Bridge. The heritage art awards returned and Forbes heritage committee chair Cr Michele Herbert said this competition invited community members to reflect on the rich heritage of Forbes and express it creatively – capturing the moments, people and places that have shaped who we are. “We were delighted by the variety and depth of responses,” Cr Herbert said. “What stood out most was the way these entries captured the heart of Forbes: its resilience, its creativity and its strong sense of community.” Cr Herbert recognised and thanked all participants for their entries, which were invited in categories of art, literary, photography and video. “Thank you for telling the story of our town, past, present and future,” Cr Herbert said. Heritage art award winners were: Junior category Art: Ayla Morrison, St Laurence O’Toole Catholic School Video: Georgia Nixon for “My Favourite Places in Forbes” Photo: Oliver Hodge for “Vampire Jet at Sunset” Open Art: Susan Dingwall for “Branding Time” Photo: Michelle Mahlo for “Lachlan Street, Forbes” Writing: Karen Ritchie for “The Sanctuary”