Earlier this year, Museums Victoria announced the launch of the new competition, with local jewellers encouraged to enter designs for the chance to win one of three major prizes. Entries opened on 6 May and closed on 30 June.
The Major Prize winner is Laura Deakin with the Diggings Ring, collecting a $20,000 prize. The First Peoples Prize winner is Simone Thomson for the piece Boorndup Biik, taking home a $15,000 award. The Emerging Prize winner is Lou Wheeler with their piece, The Safest Investment, securing $8,000.
“This prize supports each winner to bring their concept to life as a finished jewellery piece, which will be acquired into the State of Victoria Gold Jewellery Collection, one of the most significant public collections of Victorian goldfields jewellery,” a statement explained.
The winners were selected by an expert judging panel, including Kimberley Moulton (Museums Victoria), Mark Edgoose (RMIT University), and Rory Hyde (University of Melbourne).
These pieces will be added to the State of Victoria Gold Jewellery Collection and displayed in 2026. The Museums Victoria Gold Jewellery Acquisitive Prize will return in 2027.
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