National Trust Heritage award for the restoration of the Malachi Gilmore Hall

The Bathurst & District Branch of the National Trust presented a Heritage Award to Lucy and Johnny East, Malachi Gilmore Hall at Oberon. They were recognised for bringing back to life a State-significant Art Deco building, capturing the memories, and restoring it to its place in the cultural life of the community.

The Malachi Gilmore Hall, located in Oberon, New South Wales, is one of the region's most distinctive and culturally significant buildings. Completed in 1937, the hall was commissioned by the parish priest Father John O'Connell and named in honour of Malachi Gilmore, an Irish immigrant whose bequest supported its construction. Designed by prominent Bathurst architect Neville V. Mulligan, the hall is celebrated for its rare combination of Interwar Functionalist and Art Deco architectural styles - an unusual and striking presence within the town.

The Bathurst & District Branch of the National Trust acknowledged the amazing commitment of Lucy and Johnny East in bringing this unique building back to life. Not just bringing it back to life, but activating it for the community to enjoy, now and into the future. They have also captured its cultural heritage in the "Malachi Memories", short films of heritage tales and an historic photo archive.

Today, the Malachi Gilmore Hall stands as a landmark of Oberon - an architectural treasure, a community gathering place and a reminder of the town's creativity and social history.

Its distinctive style and renewed purpose continue to draw visitors, artists and local residents, ensuring that this remarkable 1930s building remains an enduring part of the region's cultural landscape.