Ballan Heritage Block Walk
This walk covers historical locations in a block bordered by Stead Street, Fisken Street, Steiglitz Street and Inglis Street in Ballan.
Steiglitz Street
Robert von Stieglitz migrated to Van Diemen's land in 1833. He found his run eight miles north of Bungeeltap - a chain of ponds with grassy banks where he established his station and homestead - Balindyeapp or Ballan.
Stead Street
David Vere Stead arrived in Van Diemen's land in 1829 and later with John Cowie accompanied Batman on his second visit to the mainland in 1835. He finally settled in the Upper Moorabool and named the property Bungeeltap. He later named his section of Bungeeltap East - Emly Park.
Inglis Street
Peter Inglis arrived in Port Phillip in 1840. In 1841 he took up the Ingliston run, and in 1846 also took up the Lal Lal and Warraneeg Runs. He had a lively interest in public affairs, but did not take an active role. In 1862 he was at a meeting of landowners, landholders and householders of the Ballan Road District to elect a Road Board.
Fisken Street
Archibald Fisken arrived in Port Phillip in 1839. He was Ballan's Post Master from 1845 - 1847. He was a pastoralist and stock agent and was Chairman of the Buninyong Road Board and President of the Shire of Buninyong.
Ballan Heritage Block Walk Map
No.1 Court House
Built in 1873 by Thomas Watts. It is made from local bricks which are cement rendered, and has a slate roof. It closed in January 1983. The last court sitting as on the 17th December 1982. It has been the Local History Records Centre since 1987.
No.2 Shire Office
The second Shire Office was built in 1893 on the site of the first Shire Office erected in 1871. Adjoining to the east are the Office buildings opened on 23rd May 1991 for the Shire of Ballan. All are now occupied by the Moorabool Shire Council through the amalgamation of Shires on 6th May 1994.
Plough - On Wednesday 2nd April 1997, the Mayor of the Moorabool Shire, Cr. Del Leggatt, unveiled a Lennard Double Furrow Plough mounted outside he Moorabool Shire Offices. The Plough was donated to the Moorabool Shire by the Banks Family of Bungeeltap as an authentic symbol of the district's agricultural history.
No.3 Inglis Street Nos. 117 and 119
These are two separate buildings with a common verandah. No. 117 started off as J.B. Porter's Hardware Store. In 1944 T. McCulloch attended to boot repairs and saddlery. In 1972 it became Harry and Peg Watson's Newsagent. Ian and Olive Ireland took over the business until Rayner established a Real Estate Agency.
No. 119 dates from 1890 when it was Albert Salter's "Hall of Commerce", a drapery, general store, grocer, dress maker, milliner etc. In 1908 Mr. and Mrs. P. Broad took over and added a residence to the building. It then had a number of owners - D. Crichton, H.R. Chambers (Newsham), Quigley, Bold, Bathurst, Twyerould and Shaw. The State Savings Bank originally operated in his building from 1958 till 1974.
No.4 Shanahan and Dalgety's
In 1904 Tommy Dalton was a Bootmaker on these premises. Later on Bert Simmons took over as a saddler. Jack and Tony Shanahan ran a Dalgety's agency here for a number of years.
No.5 Post Office
The first Post Office with the name of Ballan opened 1st July 1844 with R.W. von Stieglitz as Postmaster. In 1845 the Postmaster was Lewis Walker followed by Archibald Fisken. The Post Office was then transferred to Bacchus Marsh, and after much dissention in the community it was re-established in Ballan in 1850. In 1874 the Post and Telegraph building was erected on vacant land by George Flack. It also served as a residence for the Post Mistress. This new Post Office was completed on the 2nd of March 1911, on an empty flock of land.
The Memorial Fountain was unveiled on the 11th of March 1920 to honour the soldiers who gave their lives for their Country in the 1st World War. Three new plaques to Honour World War 11 service were unveiled on ANZAC Day 1998.
No.6 Commonwealth Bank
In 1869 this was the site of Blake and Co. Timber and Ironmongery business owned by Edward Blake. It passed through a succession of family members until 1944 when it became J.C. Hemingway Hardware and Timber Merchants. In 1974 a new building was constructed for the State Savings Bank which eventually became the Commonwealth Bank.
No.7 Elliott's Bakery/Chemist
This was the site of Elliott's Bakery from 1880 till 1927. The old building was demolished in 1928 and new premises were built. Opening as a Chemist Shop and Modern Pharmacy in 1929 with Mr. R. Cheesman in charge, it has remained a pharmacy, with various owners, to the present.
No.8 McLean Reserve and Aleppo Pine Tree
This reserve was named after A.A. McLean, a former Secretary and Engineer of the Ballan Shire who retired in 1975 after 45 years service. The Aleppo Pine Tree was planted by Mrs. Bolte, wife of the then Premier of Victoria, on the 16th November 1962 at the time of the Centenary Celebrations. The Aleppo Pine is a descendant of the Lone Pine at Gallipoli.
The Horse Trough - George Bills and his wife Annis left a bequest to provide water troughs for horses etc. in any country in the world. The Ballan Trough was installed in 1931.
On this site was Cousen's butcher shop c.1855 and weatherboard dwelling and outbuildings which were pulled down in 1939 and a new shop built. The Ballan Motor Garage, owned by Harry Linsdell, also on this site, was destroyed by fire (explosion) in 1942. After the garage was destroyed, the block remained until the Reserve was established.
No.9 Site of Railway Hotel
Licence granted to R. Shillito on the 2nd January 1885. Delicensed in 1902, it became a Boarding House run by Mrs. Anne Bull from 21st February 1901. It was later sold to Mr. Lewin who ran a fruit and confectionery shop. Demolished in the 1940's, another house was moved to the site and occupied by Mrs. Rhodes, a benefactor of the Ballan & District Soldiers Memorial Bush Nursing Hospital. Lewin moved to the block on the opposite corner and built a new shop and dwelling.
No.10 Mrs. Graham's House
A Commemorative Tree was planted here on the 6th September 1963 for Mrs. Graham (formerly Teresa McCoppin). A Red Cross plaque was unveiled on 18th July 2005. The tree and Plaque recognise her service as Secretary to the Ballan Red Cross for 49 years.
No.11 CFA
The station opened on the 19th March 1909. The fire bell was placed in position on the 20th July 1910 and funded by public subscription. The Ballan Volunteer Fire Brigade, formed in 1890, became a member of the Bush Fire Brigade Association in 1913. In 1945 the Brigade came under the control of the Country Fire Authority.
No.12 Newsagent
The first Commercial Bank of Australia was established in Ballan in 1867 and transferred to a weatherboard building on this corner in 1873. The weatherboard building was demolished during the 1980s and a new building was erected and occupied by the Westpac Bank until the bank closed on the 21st June 1996. Currently the Newsagents.
No.13 Ballan Hotel
It was built in 1856, by George Flack. The licence was held by his family for many years. The stables were used by Cobb and Co. coaches as a changing station.
No.14 Fraser's Corner
In 1854 it was the site of Ballan's first police station and lockup which was formerly Cooke's Blacksmith shop and dwelling. This site was also D.K. Fraser and Co. General Blacksmith and Wheelwrights established in 1866. It also included a two storey bluestone residence. In 1929 it was given a facelift and became Reg Welsh's Motor Garage, later becoming various other establishments until the building was demolished in 1989. The new buildings were designed to complement the existing streetscape.
No.15 Red House
This is the original building constructed in 1913 by Mr. H.R. Chambers for his drapery business which opened in 1914 and continued until sold to R. Gates in 1944. His business closed in 1966 and there have been various tenants since.
No.16 Shops
This block of shops commenced as the Freemason's Hotel, a two storey brick building built by William Pung in 1866. Adjacent was a six roomed cottage. The Hotel was sold to Mr. Bull in 1884, and became Bull's Victoria Hotel. It was delicenced in 1902 and then became various Coffee Palaces, (Goslings, Sim's and Rae's) till 1938 when it was purchased by H.R. Chambers who remodelled the building and removed the top storey. It was later replaced by the current shops.
No. 17 The Avenue (No. 122)
This property, named the 'Avenue', was built in the late 1850's by James T. Foote for Arthur Musgrave, an early solicitor in Ballan. In the early 1940's it became the home of the Fagg Family and remained so until 2006.
No.18 Skin Inn
Established in Ballan in 1974 by Wendy and Rod Harrison, when sheep skins were a very profitable business.
No.19 Hudson's
This was the site of the Great Western Hotel built by William Southwell in 1850. It became Walter Duncan's store from 1867 to 1874 when it was purchased as an Hotel by John Hanrahan in 1875 and remained in the family for over 80 years. The licence was transferred to Andrew Frank Hudson in January 1947 and the building was demolished in 1962 for a new building. This saw the demise of many earlier small business premises on the site, such as Eddy's Tailor Shop, Bert Simmon's Saddle Repairs, G. Kirk's Book and Stationery Shop and McNally' Barber Shop.
No.20 St. Brigid's Church and School
The original church, called St Agnes, was erected in 1858 and served as a school until August 1963, when it was destroyed by fire. The present St Brigid's Church was blessed and opened on 2nd June 1912 and in October new iron gates, made and presented by Mr. E. Wheelahan, were erected. The new school in the Church grounds was opened on the 8th March 1964. This beautiful Church was sadly destroyed by fire early in the morning of Wednesday 8th April 2009, just three years short of its Centenary.
No. 21 Wheelahan
Wheelahan's blacksmith shop, established in 1892, was moved to this site.
A copy of this brochure is available from the Bacchus Marsh Visitor Information Centre, 215 Main Streeet, Bacchus Marsh.
Brochure produced by the Ballan Shire Historical Society with the assistance of the Vera Moore Foundation and the Royal Historical Society of Victoria.
Location
Cnr Steiglitz Street and Stead Street, Ballan 3342 Map
