THERE was cause for celebration at the Port Fairy bluestone company, Bamstone, after they were awarded both the Silver Gilt Show Garden and Best Construction awards at the 2022 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

Bamstone partnered with Mark Browning Landscape Design to win the awards for their design titled ‘Aud’- a unique garden dedicated to Mr Browning’s mother Audrey.

The award was among the leading accolades for the major event and was announced on March 30.

Bamstone owner and managing director, Michael Steel said his family’s business was pleased to be recognised at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show 2022.

“It’s great, it’s good to support the landscape industry and especially our clients and the landscapers in general,” he said.

“It’s an important part of our yearly program to be involved in the International Flower and Garden show and showcase our landscape products.”

Mr Steel said it was great to finally show ‘Aud’ after two years of COVID-19 restrictions prevented the show from occurring.

“The event was postponed for two years in a row, so this is the stone’s second trip to Melbourne,” he said.

“Mr Browning’s garden had over 50 tonnes of Port Fairy’s Bamstone bluestone which we had rebuilt.

“We always give the designers a brief to try and make a showstopper, and to create something that’s unique.

“The recycled stone walling (in Mark’s design) is a new product that we make … there were also some natural steps and stepping stones.”

The family business, Bamstone, was established in 1975 after Don and Yvonne Bartlett discovered the natural basalt stone source along the coast of Port Fairy and saw potential in the strength and beauty of the bluestone.

The Bartlett’s erected a quarry over the site of the stone and established their extracting and processing company, which is now a third-generation business.

The talents of Bamstone were also highlighted in the Victorian Parliament this week by Western Victoria MP, Bev McArthur, who praised their extraordinary work.

“I know that they are proud to be a family business, a Victorian business and an Australian business,” she said.

“They have pride in their product and in the way they do business, and as a result, the wider community has great pride in them.”

Ms McArthur said Bamstone was based on a philosophy of respecting the natural product and not exploiting it, which solidified their positive reputation in the landscaping sector.

“What Bamstone does so well is to show that mining and the use of natural products more generally is not by definition damaging or exploitative,” she said.

“As with the previous four exhibitions as well as the Chelsea Flower Show in London, Bamstone’s attention to detail, commitment to the brief, and openness to experimentation of different uses and formats of their fabulous bluestone was exceptional.

“The products Bamstone delivered yet again surprised the construction industry with how creative and diverse Bamstone products truly are.”

Presented by Bamstone, ‘Aud’ garden was set amid plantings that otherwise defied 60s and 70s Melbourne, including natural stone walls, stone steppers, and organic shards of sawn Bamstone bluestone.