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Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades acknowledges the Wadawurrung people as the Traditional custodians of the land on which we operate. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and to all of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who live and work on Wadawurrung Country. We acknowledge their unceded sovereignty over Wadawurrung Country, and the ongoing hardship and trauma as a result of colonisation. The history and continuous culture of the Wadawurrung people is an important part of our shared story.

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Rare Trades Centre05 11 22 23

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Rare Trades Centre Leather 84

The Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades - 383 – 389 Bradshaw Street, Ballarat VIC 3350

Leather Plaiting

Bill Webb is travelling all the way from Queensland for the Lost Trades Fair and joining us for a special leather plaiting workshop at the Rare Trades 
Centre. 
 
Learn the basics of leather plaiting with instruction from Australian Leather Plaiting Champion, Bill Webb. 
 
 In this 3-day workshop you will learn to work with Kangaroo leather – the strongest leather in the world. You will cut and prepare the leather and select 
appropriate pieces for your project. Bill will teach you traditional plaiting techniques that he has been using for 50 years. 
 
You will have a choice of projects to work on: a dog collar or dog lead, a hat band, a belt, or a small whip. 
 
At the end of the workshop, you will take your finished products home with you.

Restoration Square

Introduction to Leadlight Restoration

Learn to restore a leadlight panel with leadlight artist and restorer, Brian Sims.

Hammer and Tongs 1

Forge Your Own Blacksmithing Tools

Matt Mewburn from Eveleigh Works is travelling all the way from New South Wales for the Lost Trades Fair and joining us for a special weekend of 
blacksmithing workshops at the Rare Trades Centre.

4 bents farthingale hoops300

Make a Sixteenth-Century Farthingale

Learn how to make a sixteenth-century Spanish farthingale with dress and material culture historian Dr Sarah Bendall.

Gilson Adornment Images 2

Wadawurrung Weaving - Wrapped and Coiled Sisal

Learn traditional string bag weaving techniques with Wadawurrung woman, Tammy Gilson. 
 
A string bag is a type of carry bag traditionally made and used by Wadawurrung people. In this workshop, you will make a string bag or ballang as it is 
known to Wadawurrung using jute and plant fibre. 
 
You will learn techniques including rope-making through hands-on practice under Tammy’s tuition. The finished ballang will be personalised with 
adornments such as feathers, possum fur, gum nuts and shell.

Robert Hayes Headshot

The instructors you'll engage with are an amazing and eclectic bunch.  Get to know them before booking your workshop.

Wood Bench Room