ANU's glass act: University makes trophies and music for Australian of the Year awards

The making of the Australian of the Year awards

Australian of the Year winners were on Wednesday night clutching trophies made in Canberra - in the ANU Glass Workshop. And they listened to music composed by the School of Music as part of the ceremony at the National Arboretum Canberra.

The handing over of the trophies was the culmination of months of work by the glass workshop's production manager Catherine Newton who made 36 of the glass trophies, 32 for the state and territory finalists and four for the national winners.

ANU Glass Workshop head Dr Jeffrey Sarmiento and production manager Catherine Newton with the trophy. Picture by Elesa Kurtz

She followed the original design created by former head of the glass workshop, Richard Whiteley, which referenced Australia's multi-faced society, its blue skies, the star of the federation and the Southern Cross.

The trophy references Australia's multi-faceted society, blue skies and the Southern Cross. Picture by Elesa Kurtz

For the first time this year, Australian glass was used to create the awards. In previous years, they had been made using glass sourced from New Zealand

"Each award, after it comes out of the kiln, takes about 10 hours to cold work. So that's the process of shaping it and then bringing it up to what we call a full polish, so that's like a super-smooth, shiny surface," Mrs Newton said.

"And because the awards have been made out of lead crystal; lead crystal is a lot more optically beautiful and clearer than other glass. So when they are shiny, they are very shiny."

Dr Jeffrey Sarmiento, head of the ANU Glass Workshop demonstrates how the trophies start as molten glass. Picture by Elesa Kurtz

Each category of trophy was distinguished by a hint of colour - red for Australian of the Year, yellow for Young Australian of the Year, green for Senior Australian of the Year and blue for Local Hero of the Year.

"I feel really privileged that these people have got something that I've made," Mrs Newton said.

"And to know my hands have touched all the awards that they get to hold and cherish and [they] definitely deserve.

"It's been really special. Like, my kids went to school with [2022 ACT Australian of the Year] Patrick Mills and I made his award and that was kind of a little Canberra connection."

Wednesday night's ceremony also featured music composed and performed by the ANU School of Music as 2023 Australian of the Year Taryn Brumfitt, Senior Australian of the Year, Professor Tom Calma, Young Australian of the Year Awer Mabil and Local Hero of the Year Amar Singh received their trophies that started in the glowing heat of the ANU workshop.