Grant Hill, who grew up in the central Victorian town, is vying for an Oscar as the producer of The Tree of Life.

His mother, Marj Hill, and siblings Mark Hill and Karen Galliker still live in Rochester.

Mrs Galliker said word had quickly spread throughout the town that her brother was up for a major award.

“People will come up to me and say, ‘Is that your brother?’,” she said.

“I was watching Sunrise when I found out (Grant) had been nominated.

“Someone else was watching The Circle and everyone was saying, ‘Was that Grant Hill from Rochester?’.

“I think it is just nice for any town to have local happy news.”

Mr Hill left Rochester and studied law at university before working in antiques.

He completed a film and television course and then began work as a production supervisor on a number of ABC programs.

His portfolio has continued to grow in the years since, receiving his first Oscar nomination for The Thin Red Line.

Mr Hill was a producer of the box office hit Titanic and was an executive producer of The Matrix trilogy.

Mrs Galliker said her brother was proof people from regional areas could be successful on the world stage.

“I was at work last week and a mother said to her children, ‘See kids, if you really want to do something you can do it if you are really persistent’,” she said.

“I think it is just nice for anyone in a small community... (it shows) you don’t have to live in big town, you can come from anywhere and if you work hard and are really passionate you can achieve great things.”

Mrs Galliker described her brother as a “humble man who does not seek out attention”.

Mr Hill spends his time between Berlin and Los Angeles and had planned to visit Rochester later this month. But the Oscar nomination has delayed his visit.

“We will all be here when he comes here,” Mrs Galliker said.

“He has a lot of people to catch up with.”