Jane and Steve Wilson’s acquisition and conservation of Lamb House, Kangaroo Point, attracted significant media and public scrutiny. At the time of purchase, the prominent heritage-listed property was close to ruin. Public interest in its rescue and in its future was high. A dedicated Instagram account proactively took the lead, sharing the conservation process and the thinking behind it with an engaged community. The account’s storytelling revealed the expertise, care and investment required to rescue a nationally significant building. It shared details from the property’s comprehensive conservation report, including the commitment to return ‘Home’ to its original use as a family residence.

The outcome: evidence that a well curated social media account can advocate for a cause or a process, and can generously share, educate and be part of an exchange, all the while mitigating the risk of being misunderstood.

Achievements
  • The account attracted more than 9.5k followers, with many writing to thank the clients and the project team for the effort and investment to save ‘Home’.
  • It shared the client’s rationale clearly and proactively, so that an engaged community felt informed and had the opportunity to share in the process.
  • The account has contributed to building an audience which is supportive of the work completed, has some understanding of the investment and expertise required, and understands ‘Home’s future use as a private residence.
Process
  • Creative video and photography by Alex Chomicz revealed the many artisans and experts involved and created a visual diary of the conservation process. The account shared historical detail about the architect, the builder and the Lamb family and the storytelling even led to the return of materials which had been taken from the property over the years.
  • Our team curated the account content, blending storytelling and documentation with advocacy for the client’s commitment to reactivate ‘Home’ as a family residence.
  • The clients understood that the social media platform could support a conversation, and it became also a place for community members to offer historical information and photos that supported the work.