The Ballarat Avenue of Honour

The Ballarat Avenue of Honour

The Ballarat Avenue of Honour is significant as the earliest known memorial avenue to have been planted in Victoria, and appears to have stimulated similar plantings throughout Victoria in the years 1917 to 1921.

where the Avenue of Honour is located in the City of Ballarat
(Victoria, Australia)

They predominate in Victoria with the greatest concentration in the Central Highlands around Ballarat. These avenues represent a new egalitarian approach in the commemoration of soldiers where service rank was not a consideration and are illustrative of a peculiarly Australian, populist and vernacular response to the experience of the First World War.

They had declined in popularity as a means of commemoration by the time of the Second World War.

The Ballarat Avenue is the longest avenue of honour in Australia and, composed of exotic trees planted along a major road, is a dominant landscape feature in the low farming country with a powerful social message.

Leading into the city is an unusual and imaginative war memorial; a fine arch floodlit by night and 22 kilometres of tree-lined avenues commemorating the men and women of Ballarat who served in the First World War.

On 3 June 1917, the first 1,000 trees in the Avenue were planted by staff from the local textile mill E. Lucas & Co. Just over two years later the final planting took place on 16 August 1919, with a total of 3,771 trees extending over a distance of approximately 22 kilometres (14 miles) along the Ballarat-Burrumbeet Road. It incorporates the Ballarat Arch of Victory .

There were eight plantings in all, which took place sometime between June and August each year and usually consisted of around 500 trees. The trees were planted in single lines along either side of the road at a regular spacing of 35-40ft apart, and set back from the edge of the carriageway approximately 15-20ft. 

Each newly planted tree was protected by a substantial timber guard, to which a plate bearing each soldiers name, rank and unit was attached.

Memorial Wall Project
10m long x 1.8m high wall with bronze plates recording the names and
tree numbers of the service men and women honoured in the Avenue

1993 Memorial Wall Project adjacent to the Arch of Victory officially opened by Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop on May 16th. Erected at a cost of approx. $140,000 the project comprised a 10m long x 1.8m high wall with bronze plates recording the names and tree numbers of the service men and women honoured in the Avenue, and included the relocation of the Memorial Rotunda from outside the Ballarat Golf Club erected in 1938.

the following two images are not mine, first one is from the Creswick Lighthorse Website:

On the 6^th November 2012 the Avenue of Honour and the renovated Arch of Victory in Ballarat
were re-opened and re-dedicated in memory of the Fallen Soldiers it represents. 
We (Creswick Lighthorse) were asked by the Ballarat RSL to take part in the rededication
in full uniform and on horse. 
We kitted up in the grounds of Ballarat High School at 10am for the Parade at 10.30am

The Ballarat Arch of Victory, completed in 1920.
image from the website of the University of Ballarat - Pipe Band

with many thanks to the "Friends of The Shrine", the "Shrine of Remembrance" (Melbourne) and all those involved in creating the Military History Tour of Ballarat that allowed so many of us to gain more knowledge of our Military History.


the following URL's maybe of interest:

• Avenue of Honour
• Creswick Lighthorse
• University of Ballarat - Pipe Band
• Ballarat Genealogical Society
• ABC Ballarat - Arch of Victory re-opening
• Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance
• Friends of The Shrine
• Ballarat RSL

the previous blog post is on the STURT STREET WALKING TRAIL in Ballarat.


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Sturt Street Walking Trail in Ballarat

Sturt Street, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.Sturt Street is Ballarat's main thoroughfare and much of its original architecture remains, with prime corner sites reserved for churches and public buildings.

Some of the buildings of note include the impressive Town Hall (1859), the Ballarat Mechanics Institute (1859) and the old Post Office Building (1864).

The street is also lined with historic monuments and statues.

Boer War Memorial

This poignant memorial commemorates the soldiers who took part in the Boer War in South Africa between 1899 and 1902. The construction of the bronze statue was approved in 1900 and the foundation stone laid a year later. The statue was relocated to the present site and unveiled by Governor General Baron Northcote in November 1906.

There is a booklet available through Ballarat Regional Tourism titled "Ballarat Heritage Walking Trails" and in this booklet is a section on the Sturt Street Statue Walking Trail. It is well worth getting hold of a copy.  Most of the information written here about each of the monuments or statues came directly from that booklet.

special thanks to Phillip Hunting who brought the history to life as he acted out the accounts of a 15th Brigade soldier in front of the Pompey Elliot Statue as part of the Military History Tour of Ballarat held by the "Friends of the Shrine of Remembrance" last week.

One the monuments and memorials along Sturt Street recognises a senior First World War leader who commanded the 7th Battalion at Gallipoli and the 15th Brigade at the Western Front.

Harold 'Pompey' Elliott attended Ballarat College (now Ballarat and Clarendon College) from 1885 and shortly after began military service.

Former Australian Defence Force General Peter Cosgrove helped unveil the statue created by artist Louis Laumen in May 2011.

Sir Albert Coates

This memorial tells the tale of Sir Albert Coates and provides an excellent example of contemporary statuary and commemorates Albert Coates, a doctor who was a Prisoner of War of the Japanese during World War Two.

He became a prisoner of the Japanese and in May 1942 was sent to Burma. Conditions were deplorable, the treatment brutal, and the death rate enormous. In 1944 he became responsible for a major prisoners’ hospital in Thailand.

After the war Coates returned to Melbourne and resumed his distinguished medical career. In 1953 he was made a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, London, and in 1955 received a knighthood.

Peter Lalor
The hero of Eureka

In Sturt Street, between St Andrew's Kirk and St Patrick's Cathedral stands an impressive monument, fashioned in pink granite and bronze. The figure of Peter Lalor is mounted high in the air looking to the east to the diggings where the stockade was located. If he could open his eyes today he would see the huge mast and flag above the Eureka Interpretive Centre. He is dressed in his Speaker's wig and parliamentary robes which cover the stump of his missing arm.

The bronze relief tablets mounted around the base tell the Eureka story.

The south and north panels depict tableaus of Peter Lalor's life, a battle scene in the Eureka Stockade with the Eureka flag flying above and as a member of Parliament.

The western tablet is a memorial to the men (named) who were killed while fighting at The Eureka Stockade, December 3rd, 1854.

Memorial to Australian forces involved in these conflicts:
* Korean War 1950-53
* The Malayan Emergency 1950-60
* Borneo Uprising 1962-64
* Vietnam War 1962-72

A walk along Sturt Street is a great way to get a sense of the story of Ballarat with many good food or coffee shops along the way.

Sturt Street was named after a Police Magistrate who was the brother of explorer Charles Sturt.

The Queen Alexandra Bandstand
in the background and in the foreground,
the back of the statue of
Harold 'Pompey' Elliot

The Alexandra Bandstand is a typical and well resolved example of creative bandstand design; its polygonal form surmounted by a "Moorish" onion dome is representative of bandstands of this period. The bandstand has particularly fine wrought iron detailing incorporating musical motifs and is an important and exotic element of the streetscape of Sturt Street.

Built in 1908 during the heyday of the band movement, it is now one of the few remaining examples of bandstands in Victoria. It serves as a tangible reminder of a highly popular form of entertainment, prominent on the community agenda for many years. The construction of the bandstand and its survival until now also reflects the prominence of music in Ballarat's cultural and civic identity.

There are many more statue's and monuments to discover as you wander along Sturt Street in Ballarat. The above is just a small sample of what you will see!


Ballarat Regional Tourism
43 Lydiard St, Ballarat.

website
facebook page


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up the Wallaby Track ....

The Central Highlands and Goldfields area of Victoria provide ideal cycling and walking conditions. There are some fantastic hill and bush tracks for mountain bikers as well as great options for tourers.

Whatever transport you use to get around the Goldfields area, you will find walking is ideal. The network of National and State Parks all have walks ranging from short loops around the picnic grounds to overnight expeditions like the 18klm Pyrenees Walking Track in the Pyrenees State Forest or the 21 klm Beeripmo Walk in the Mt Buangor State Park.

The premier walk - the Great Dividing Trail, also called the Goldfields Track - traverses the Goldfields from Bendigo to Daylesford where it splits into two legs: from Daylesford to Ballarat and from Daylesford to Bacchus Marsh.

magic scenery wherever you look!

Located in central Victoria, west of Melbourne, this 270 kilometer trail passes through what was once the richest gold mining area of the world. The trail design itself is very unusual as it has three arms, which meet at the historic town of Daylesford. This means that if you walk this as a through track, you will only complete two of the arms.

Smaller sections are also designed to be accessible to day trippers.

The Goldfields Trail - is a multi-use track through the historical Goldfields region of Victoria to the north-west and west of Melbourne. The trail passes along the southern most parts of Australia's Great Dividing Range. The trail combines goldrush heritage and natural beauty. Its a pathway to the Goldfields hidden treasures!

The community managed trail has four major tracks, each of which is in turn separated into thermic walks that can be easily accessed for a day or shorter walks. Many sections of the trail are suitable for the casual stroller and there are some very rugged parts as well, such as the Lerderderg section.


The Wallaby Track (92klm) formerly known as Federation Track, runs from Buninyong, via Ballarat, Creswick and Mollongghip to Daylesford.

so much to see! so much to do!

 

most of the above information comes from the above book as well as the following URL's:

1. The Goldfields Track - Wallaby Track

2. The Goldfields Track - Wallaby Track

for maps and guides click HERE

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Newlyn Reservoir in the Central Highlands.

Been very slack with the blog over the past week or so ...... we have had a few things on, then this past week I was housebound due to illness!  Couldn't believe it, have not been sick like this for well over 6 years. I was going stir crazy being 'locked up' for the entire week and missing out on all the wonderful fun events that were in our diary. Not a good week to be sick that's for sure.

So yesterday JF took pity on me and took me out for some fresh air. We only traveled about 90 klm over a two hour period, but it certainly lifted my spirits!

We drove north of Wallace up to Mollongghip, which is about 17.5 klms NE of Ballarat and then over to the Newlyn Reservoir.

Located about 11 kms from Creswick on the road to Daylesford.  This is probably the number one fishing location in the district. Reports of fish taken from Newlyn Reservoir are often found in local and Melbourne papers. There are Redfin of all sizes, brown and rainbow trout up to about 3 kilograms. There are BBQ sites (take your own wood) and a playground for children, so it is a good spot for the whole family.

It is a delightful area just to stop for a picnic, read a book, go for a walk or even fish if that's your preference!

This is a suggested day trip if you are around the area at anytime and some of the following images will certainly entice you to take the journey I hope.

The following websites will be of interest to those that enjoy fishing:

BruceSmith Newlyn Reservoir

Ray Long Newlyn Reservoir

check back again soon for further travels around the Central Highlands of Victoria.

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Springtime at Springbank!

above:  the plants above are growing at St Michaels School in Springbank.

   ST MICHAEL’S SPRINGBANK

The first Catholic church (a wooden structure) was erected at Springbank in 1865 at a cost of four hundred pounds. In 1888 when Archbishop Carr visited the parish, he emphasized that the church should be replaced by a brick or stone structure.  On July 17th 1898 a meeting was convened to make arrangements for a new church, and less than two years later the contractors started work on the new brick building.

On 25th March 1900 Rev Father Cusack celebrated Mass in the old church, after which the congregation of over 1000 persons went in procession to witness Archbishop Carr lay the foundation stone for the new church.

On December 15th 1900 Rev. Dean Phelan of Melbourne blessed and opened the new church, although it was not quite completed at this time. The cost of the building was two thousand five hundred pounds and T A Payne was the architect.

Sixty one years passed before another generation of Springbank people finished their church. On 8th May 1961 Bishop A F Fox blessed the sanctuary and sacristy to complete St. Michael’s Church.

In December 2000 the Springbank community were joined by Bishop Peter Connors, past parishioners and other members of the Gordon parish to celebrate their centenary.

St Michael's of Springbank belongs to the
Catholic Diocese of Ballarat.

St. Michael's - Springbank Rd, Springbank

History in the making

The combined churches of St Patrick's Parish in Gordon, Victoria, came together for the celebration of the commissioning of three new coordinators who will oversee the running of the parish.

The coordinators were chosen by a process of nomination and discernment.  The three coordinators are: Lin Bowers (far left), Sue Daly (2nd from right) and John Fabre (far right) as seen in the following article in this weeks "The Moorabool News".

  (image by Leone Fabre)

Bishop Peter Connors led the Mass at St Brigids in Ballan, concelebrated by visiting priest, Fr Shane MacKinlay who offers masses each weekend in the parish.

During the celebration, the coordinators each placed a hand on the Bishop's staff, symbolising the act of shepherding God's people.

Bishop Peter spoke of the Body of Christ and the responsibility for the parish being a shared ministry of service, not to be left to the coordinators alone.  He encouraged the parishioners to be involved and to support those who will act on their behalf in the oversight of the parish.  Sr Pam was noticeably relieved that the coordinators were finally selected.

This bold step will ensure the future of the parish, with support provided by the various ministry groups active in the parish, and a part-time (yet to be appointed secretary).  Sr Pam will retire at the end of 2012.

 (the above data from the website of the Diocese of Ballarat)

(image by Leone Fabre)

St. Patrick's Parish, Gordon was established in 1875 and incorporates a church and school in each of Ballan, Gordon and Springbank. The area consists of many small communities including Bolwarrah, Bunding, Millbrook, Mollongghip, Mt. Egerton and Mt. Wallace.

The parishioners are very grateful for the work and support freely given by Sr Pam, who has led the charge to this new structure for St Patrick's Parish.

website of the Diocese of Ballarat

 

cyclists on the road : Rockbank to Ballarat

DRIVE SAFELY

Please be aware there will be 200 - 250 cyclists
on the Western Freeway (M8)
between Rockbank and Ballarat

Saturday 21 July 2012
102nd Buninyong Community Bank 

Melbourne to Ballarat

starting at 10:30am at BP Service Station, Western Hwy, Rockbank

a few of them may struggle 

on the steep hills they will encounter 

(as seen above), 

especially if there is a slight breeze.

Take care and give them plenty of space.

The Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club

presents the 102nd Melbourne to Ballarat Classic 

a 98km handicap ride 

along the Western Highway finishing 

at Lake Wendouree,

 in Ballarat.

DRIVE SAFELY

drive with care and give them plenty of space to ride.

where is Mount Bonan Yowing?

Last weekend we drove from Ballan to Mt Buninyong (Victoria, Australia) via Mt Egerton and Yendon as seen in the following blog posts:

Ballan to Mt Egerton

Mt Egerton to Yendon

Our destination was Mount Bonan Yowing or better known as Mt Buninyong, an extinct volcano that rises to 719 metres (2,359 ft) above sea level. We had not been here for many years and we were anxious to explore this area again.

The views are still magnificent, the weather in winter is still as cold as ever, though I must admit, we were lucky.  Even though the day was cold, we had no rain at all.  It often snows here in July, so it is worth noting to keep away from there over the next few weeks!

The following images show just how beautiful the scenery is from the Mt Buninyong Road:

... and did you know that Mt Buninyong was originally named Mount Bonan Yowing? It is said to derive from an Aboriginal word meaning a man lying on his back with his knee raised. It was from the peak that Thomas Learmonth and a group of squatters first viewed the Ballarat area in 1837.

The road is quite safe, it is narrow and only 'one way', but do take it slowly as there are many walkers and tourists in the area, especially over the weekends.

 

Mount Buninyong, located in Buninyong is one of the more recognizable landmarks in the entire Goldfields region and is used as an antenna site for radio, TV and telephone equipment. The summit has been a minor tourist destination and picnic spot for over 140 years. The major part of the mountain was cleared for agriculture or housing, but widespread protests during the 1980s led to the preservation of native forest cover on much of the upper portion.

When visiting Mt Buninyong or walking the trails, do keep your eyes open for the 'hidden beauty' as seen in the images above. Be it fungi, dead gum nuts, a leaf, a branch of a gum tree or moss on a fallen branch .... there is beauty all around us and we can only see this when our eyes are open.

“You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut.” 

 ― Dr. Seuss

Mt Buninyong is also part of the Ballarat Cycle Classic - Mt Buninyong Classic Challenge of 60 km and in January (usually) the Cycling Australia Road National Championships are held. Though do check Cycling Australia's website for "up to date" events as the Buninyong Cycling website is often out of date.

The following are a few URL's that maybe of interest:

Mt Buninyong

Walks on Mt Buninyong

Mt Buninyong Recreation Reserve

Mt Buninyong LandCare

Museum Victoria's images of Mt Buninyong

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