From Chasing Waves to Framing Memories

25 Years of Craftsmanship in Inverloch

For more than 25 years, locals and visitors have been bringing their most treasured possessions to Ben McMahon at Framed in Inverloch. From family photographs and artwork to sporting memorabilia and historical artefacts, Ben has built a reputation as the person who can frame just about anything.

It wasn't exactly the career path he had planned.

Like many young Inverloch locals, Ben left town in search of adventure, chasing waves and travelling around Australia. Along the way he spent time helping out in his uncle's wholesale framing business in Noosa. What began as a temporary job somehow turned into a profession and eventually led him back home to Inverloch, where he took a leap of faith and opened his own framing business.

"There was no grand plan," Ben laughs. "I bought some pretty ordinary old equipment, had no formal training and just got started."

Twenty-five years later, Framed remains a true local success story.

Step into Ben's shop in the heart of Inverloch and you'll find walls lined with framing samples, works in progress awaiting collection and customers discussing ideas for their latest project. Venture out the back and you'll discover a craftsman's workshop, where traditional skills now sit alongside specialised technology that helps keep the business competitive.

"When I started, everything was cut by hand," Ben explains. "For the first 15 years that was the way we did it. Today you need the technology and equipment, like our computerised mat cutter, but most of the work is still done by hand."

What has never changed is the variety.

Ben doesn't specialise in one particular type of framing because after a quarter of a century, he's framed almost everything imaginable.

"We frame whatever people bring through the door. That's one of the things I love most. Every job is different."

Among the more memorable pieces he's worked on are Roger Federer's Wimbledon-winning shoes and racquet, a 700-year-old Tibetan silk textile and 300-year-old Parisian etchings. Ben does tell us that two of his all time favourites was an Archibald Prize entry and an original Picasso!!

"It's pretty amazing holding something in your hands and thinking it's hundreds of years old," he says. "Those sorts of projects never get old."

For Ben, the real enjoyment comes from helping people visualise how their treasured item can be transformed.

"I love the challenge when someone walks in with something unusual. Together we work out how it could look and then bring it to life." Those people walking in come from every; Melbournians, people from the Valley, the Island and Prom Country are all regular clients and Ben also works with many talented artists who trust him with the precious work.

Perhaps that's why, after 25 years, the job still hasn't become routine.

"There is always something new, something interesting, something you've never seen before."

While the business has evolved, some things remain unchanged. Ben still enjoys his two-minute commute to work, the opportunity to surf and spend time at the beach, and being part of a close-knit community he is proud to call home.

For residents and visitors alike, Framed offers more than custom framing. It provides a way to preserve memories, celebrate achievements and protect pieces of history for generations to come.

Whether it's a favourite holiday photograph, a piece of artwork, sporting memorabilia or a family heirloom, Ben would love to help you create something special.

After all, few people understand the value of preserving memories quite like someone who has spent 25 years doing exactly that.