Heritage Restoration & Conservation
Val May Studio carries decades of experience in heritage restoration and conservation.
The studio’s heritage work includes:
Historic churches
Heritage buildings
Memorial restoration
Traditional stonework
Conservation projects
Recreation and restoration of significant sculptural elements
This experience combines traditional craftsmanship with respect for history, materials and original design.
Royal Doulton Hankinson Memorial Fountain,
Narrandera, NSW
The Royal Doulton Hankinson Memorial Fountain in Narrandera NSW is an exceptionally rare heritage object and one of only two known Royal Doulton ceramic memorial fountains in the world.
Presented to the people of Narrandera in 1922 as a memorial to those who served in the First World War, the fountain represents an important part of Australia’s social, cultural and architectural heritage.
Master Crafts Man Carl Valerius was engaged to undertake the specialist conservation and restoration of the extensively damaged fountain. The project required a combination of traditional craftsmanship, specialist ceramic restoration techniques and careful conservation of the fountain’s original heritage fabric.
Specialist Conservation & Restoration
The restoration involved the careful assessment, repair and reconstruction of both the original Royal Doulton ceramic components and the fountain’s internal water system.
Key conservation works included:
Conservation and restoration of the original Royal Doulton porcelain components.
Expert repair of damaged and deteriorated ceramic elements.
Reconstruction of missing and broken decorative porcelain details.
Careful colour, glaze and surface matching to integrate repaired areas seamlessly with the original ceramics.
Reconstruction and restoration of the fountain’s decorative heritage elements using traditional restoration techniques.
Complete rebuilding of the failed internal plumbing and water circulation system.
Restoration of the fountain’s original water operation and functionality.
Heritage finishing to faithfully recreate the fountain’s original appearance while retaining as much of the historic fabric as possible.
Restoring Heritage for Future Generations
The completed conservation project returned the Hankinson Memorial Fountain to its original beauty and full working condition, while preserving its historic fabric and distinctive Royal Doulton craftsmanship.
This project demonstrates the importance of combining traditional craftsmanship, specialist restoration knowledge and sensitive heritage conservation when working with rare and historically significant objects.
Val May Studio undertakes specialist conservation and restoration projects involving historic ceramics, architectural features, decorative objects, memorials and significant heritage fabric, with a focus on sympathetic restoration, authenticity and long-term preservation.
If you have a significant heritage object or architectural feature requiring specialist assessment, conservation, restoration or reconstruction, Val May Studio can provide the specialist craftsmanship and attention to detail required to protect and restore it for future generations.
Walgett War Memorial Soldier Restoration, Walgett NSW
The studio’s heritage restoration work includes the recreation and restoration of the soldier sculpture for the Walgett War Memorial.
This project preserved an important community memorial and demonstrated specialist skills in historical sculpture, restoration and conservation.
Roxy Community Theatre, Leeton, NSW
Heritage Facade Restoration Following Vehicle Impact - 2024
The Roxy Community Theatre is one of regional Australia’s significant heritage theatres, with its distinctive 1930 Art Deco and Spanish Mission architecture forming an important part of Leeton’s cultural and architectural identity.
Following significant damage caused by a vehicle impact to the historic facade, Valerius Art Australia was engaged to undertake the specialist conservation and restoration of the damaged architectural elements.
The project required careful reconstruction and restoration of the theatre’s original decorative fabric, with every repair undertaken to respect the building’s historic craftsmanship, materials and architectural character.
Specialist Heritage Conservation & Restoration
The restoration involved the conservation, reconstruction and recreation of a range of damaged and missing architectural elements, including:
Conservation and reconstruction of damaged ornamental plasterwork and sculptural facade details.
Hand restoration and replacement of decorative mouldings and architectural features lost in the impact.
Repair and conservation of the theatre’s original heritage slump glass.
Restoration and replacement of damaged heritage ceramic tiles.
Repair and conservation of decorative render and architectural finishes.
Recreation of missing ornamental elements using traditional sculptural and hand-crafted techniques.
Careful colour, texture and profile matching to ensure new work integrated seamlessly with the original historic fabric.
Heritage finishing to preserve the architectural integrity and visual authenticity of the facade.
Restoring the Character of a Landmark
Particular care was taken to ensure that reconstructed and repaired elements were sympathetic to the original 1930 craftsmanship. New work was carefully shaped, detailed, finished and colour-matched to achieve a seamless transition between the restored areas and the surviving historic fabric.
The completed restoration returned the damaged section of the Roxy Community Theatre facade to its original appearance, preserving the distinctive architectural character of this important regional landmark and allowing the broader redevelopment project to proceed towards reopening.
This project demonstrates the specialist skills required to repair, reconstruct and authentically recreate historic architectural elements following significant damage, while retaining the character and integrity of the original building.
Val May Studio undertakes specialist heritage conservation and restoration projects involving historic facades, ornamental plasterwork, sculptural elements, decorative finishes, ceramics, glass and architectural details, working closely with owners, architects, heritage consultants and project teams to achieve sensitive and authentic restoration outcomes.
St John’s Anglican Church Baptismal Font, Wagga Wagga, NSW
Specialist Heritage Conservation & Restoration - 1866
At the heart of St John’s Anglican Church in Wagga Wagga stands its original 1866 stone baptismal font, an important surviving element of the church’s early history.
The font was constructed in 1866 by local stonemason William Buchan, using stone quarried from the Denbigh estate of the Rev. Thomas Hassall. It was dedicated to the 1st Rev wife and children who died not long after arriving.
Over many years of use, however, the font had suffered significant deterioration. The stone bowl had become badly damaged and discoloured, and its condition had reached the point where a separate bowl was placed inside the original during baptisms. When the font was not being used, a cover was placed over it, concealing an important historic feature positioned within the centre of the church.
The restoration provided an opportunity not simply to repair the font, but to return it to its intended purpose and restore its place within the life of the congregation.
Specialist Conservation & Restoration
Val May Studio undertook the careful conservation and restoration of the historic stone font, using specialist materials and techniques appropriate to the original stonework.
The restoration included:
Careful restoration of the damaged stonework around the upper section of the font.
Specialist repair of the original stone baptismal bowl using conservation-grade materials.
Restoration of damaged areas while retaining the original historic fabric.
Application of a specialist breathable sealer to protect the stone while allowing it to continue to breathe naturally.
Restoration of the bowl’s heavily discoloured and damaged surface.
Specialist finishing techniques to return the stone bowl to its original bright, clean white appearance.
Conservation and restoration of the original bronze waste plug and fitting, carefully bringing the bronze back to its original lustre.
Sensitive Restoration of the font as allowed it to once again fulfil its original purpose as a baptismal font for the church and its community.
Restoring a Font - Restoring a Story
The restoration has returned the 1866 baptismal font to its rightful place at the heart of St John’s Anglican Church. No longer concealed when not in use, it is once again functioning as originally intended and has become a renewed source of pride, conversation and connection for the congregation, bringing its craftsmanship, history and stories back into everyday church life.
This project reflects Val May Studios approach to heritage conservation
Preserving original material, respecting traditional craftsmanship and using specialist techniques to restore significant historic objects for continued use and appreciation by future generations.