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This project is a compilation of letters by early Ballarat Pioneers. If you have a letter to contribute please contact us. Ballarat's goldrush heritage and architecture are unique. None of the grand European cities have the qualities that Ballarat offers. A unique blend of nationalities and personalities sketched this city's Victorian colours and panoramas. By the 1920's Ballarat had experienced many setbacks. There was the decline of gold and the loss of industries such as the Phoenix Foundry and McKay's Works. Ballarat had weathered a depression, loss of population, the 'ravages of War, pestilence, droughts and famine'. In 1920 Ballarat stood commercially and financially on a sounder basis and with higher hopes than ever. The City of Ballarat held a Golden Jubilee Dinner in September 1920. This coincided with many old pioneers writing their memories of the early days on Ballarat. According to Ballarat City correspondence, less than seventy years previously there was 'not a house, street or road, where this Beautiful City now stands'. This reminiscence is by a letter writer who is unknown. It was found in Ballarat City Council correspondence. It has been left it in its original form as it retains quaint phrases and characteristics of the writer. BALLARAT 1860 AND 1920 In the year 1860 nine years after 'the Gold broke out' I first made its acquaintance. In the previous nine years much had been done both below and above ground. Instead of primeval Bush the Boroughs of Ballarat East and West had been established. Many buildings erected (mostly of wood) but the Hospital and Benevolent Asylum; substantial buildings were in existence and many of the present shacks had been formed and erected for the most part with quartz, the glare of which was very trying to the eyes. The original buildings including the Town Hall in the West (now the City) have nearly all disappeared. From the junction of Bridge St, Main Road and Victoria St up to Lyons St these are scarcely any of the original buildings remaining. They have given place to the present structures. In those days [1860] there was no Railway and no Railway bank from West to East. The site of the Western Station was a high hill. It was cut down to form the embankment. Lydiard St didn't exist beyond Mair St and to get as far as the present Railway gates a deep Ravine had to be crossed with the Gnarr Creek at the bottom of it. To get to Soldier's Hill was no easy matter. However the early pioneers had simply done wonders during the nine years they had worked on Ballarat. That is the way it was spoken of them. The Gas Company existed, two years old, but was not flourishing. It has made up for lost time since. The price of Gas was 40/- a thousand cubic feet. Some of the Coal used was Boghead Channel Coal imported from Scotland. Other ingredients sometimes used in the manufacture were Casks of Resin and Gumleaves. Gas was very good in those days, 22 candle power. There was water services to the houses but a supply was brought from the Swamp [Lake Wendouree] to stand pipes in Sturt St opposite the Bank of Australasia and was distributed by Water Carts to the residents at 2/6 and 5/- a load. The carters paying 1/- a load for it at the stand pipes. These few circumstances will show how great the advancement has been during the last sixty years. What did Ballarat look like in those days? I remember going to the top of Black Hill, probably in the front of March and viewing the landscape o'er. Well from Brown Hill through the town to Sebastopol not a green thing was to be seen. No trees on Golden Point or Mount Pleasant and Black Hill flat and White flat were a wilderness of miners holes and heaps of tailings. The adjacent ground covered with dry stumps. First gardens in Ballarat were not to be seen. The whole prospect presented was miserable and cheerless in the extreme. Contrast this with the beautiful Ballarat of today. Perhaps the most beautiful City in Australia. In those old days there were no Trains or Trams, no Water Supply, no sanitary service, no Gas Grillers, no IXL Stoves, no Telephones, no Lake and Gardens but on the other hand Bacilli microbes had not been thought of, there were no Rats, no Sparrows, no Black birds or starlings and no Codlin Moths and no Trades Hall. If the public spirit and enterprise of the founders of City should be inherited by the citizens of today what will Ballarat be in fifty years time? The late Dr Hudson once said to me on his return to Ballarat after a sojourn of five years in England and the Continent 'Ballarat! It is one of the finest places in the World.'