THE CITY BUILT ON GOLD.
*'Ballarat was not a typical goldfield. The lava
flows that created the fertile western district of Victoria helped to bury the original
streams and reefs so that there was very little surface alluvial gold.
In a tantalizing search for fabulous underground river beds, the youthful migrants
of the 1850's overcame immense obstacles. They were both thrifty and speculative, using
the profits of one bonanza to pursue another- and were probably goaded by officialdom into
the famous Eureka rebellion of 1854.'
* Extract from frontispiece jacket of 'Lucky City, the first generation at
Ballarat': 1851-1901, by Weston Bate,from the collection of the Ballaarat Mechanics'
Institute library.
The History of Ballarat by
W.B.Withers
W.B.Withers was an eminent Ballarat author and historian.
He was also a member of the committee of management of the Ballaarat Mechanics'
Institute.
Lucky City by Weston Bate
Weston Bate has a strong commitment to local and regional history.
This, and other publications by this author are in the collection.
There is a wealth of information about Ballarat in the collection, which may be
accessed my members.
Some publications include:-
 | Dickers Mining Records. This is a series of chronicles detailing the
progress and statistics of the many gold mining companies, and lists the machinery,
assets, and current gold production at that time. |
| Ballarat Star. A collection of this early Ballarat newspaper bound into
volumes which are available for perusal to historians and members in the Mechanics'
reading room. |
| Ballarat Courier. A complete collection of volumes from inception until
today. New volumes are shelved as received. Available for perusal in the reading room. |
| Melbourne Argus. There is a complete collection of this newspaper from day
one until it ceased to be published. |
| Ballarat Punch, for a different slant on the news of the day. |
| Ballaarat Golden City. by John Reid and Jack Chisholm. Both of these
authors have long connections with Ballarat stretching back to the goldfields, and have
produced this book of photographs that have been taken and collected by local photographer
Max Harris, and is an excellent record of the passage of time. Copies of this book are in
the library collection. |
