Warrenheip Hills near Ballarat had been framed in a hybrid of 19th century framing elements, gilded with false gold and patinated with washes of paint (see image above). The decision to reframe the painting came in preparation for the exhibition, 'Eugene von Guerard, Nature Revealed', 2011.
The frame chosen to replicate was found on von Guerard's Bush fire between Mt Elephant and Timboon, 1859, in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ballarat. A detailed examination of this frame was made in January 2009.
The final surface patination used the surface of the frame on Melbourne, 1867, by Henry Gritten as reference.
The painting was cleaned in 2010.