The clang of hammer on iron has faded from Ascot's 1860s forge, replaced by corrugated iron groaning in the breeze as the ageing sheds sag, split and edge closer to collapse.
Daniel Palm and his family bought the historic property, home to Ascot's former blacksmith shop and post office, two years ago with the aim of preserving its heritage.
In March, the former McGrath family property was officially heritage-listed.
But a massive hailstorm early this year caused significant damage to the forge, accelerating the deterioration of its roof, walls and trusses and leaving parts of the structure dangerously unstable.
"If it falls down, that history is gone," Mr Palm said.
"We're at a really critical point.
'The urgency really is key'
Mr Palm said the property had once been a hub for the local community. The historic forge also has a modern connection with Ballarat's iconic Armstrong Street pizzeria, The Forge, which was named in honour of the owners' grandfather, blacksmith Frank McGrath.
"People used to come here and spend hours just talking around the forges while the blacksmiths were working," he said.
"Our eventual plan is to open this up to the community so people can not only enjoy and appreciate what it is, but also make new memories and new stories here."
Before that vision can become reality, Mr Palm said the immediate priority was to shore up the deteriorating structure before more of it was lost.
"At the moment, the heritage grant funding isn't available to us."
According to the City of Ballarat, no heritage grants were issued in 2024-25, with a new council heritage grant program expected to be introduced following a review of its grants framework.
Mr Palm said the council had been supportive throughout the heritage listing process, but stabilising the deteriorating sheds had now become urgent.
"Another storm could wipe it out," Mr Palm said.
"The urgency really is key, especially as we are coming into summer.
"We do get some really strong summer winds and some summer storms."
Call for community support
Mr Palm said he had been exploring other heritage funding options while also seeking support from the community.
"What we are looking for is in-kind support, sponsorship from corporate organisations, or assistance from organisations if they've got the capacity to," he said.
"We need an engineer to come up with a plan, a builder who's willing to support us in implementing it, and materials providers, whether that's steel or timber.
"We're also looking for archaeologists or historical experts who can help catalogue what's here and identify anything of significance."
To help save the Ascot Forge, contact theascotforge3364@gmail.com.
