Redan quarries

The Redan quarries were a source of bluestone for many construction projects in Ballarat and other places in Victoria.

Location
The quarries were located in various sites around Redan. These holes have since been filled in. Identified sites include the soccer grounds at the corner of Pleasant Street and La Trobe Street, the park at the corner of Sutton Street and Winter Street, and the large block on the south east corner of Ripon Street and La Trobe Street. Other quarries, still known as the Redan quarries, were outside the area now known as Redan.



Uses of the stone
"We were yesterday afforded an illustration of what our local tradesmen can accomplish. At the workshop of Mr T. Barrett, in Dawson street south, we inspected a number of ornamental clustered columns which he is just completing for St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Geelong. The pillars are of bluestone from the Redan quarry, and are not only artistically cut, but are polished to a degree which we are informed surpasses anything previously done with the same stone. Mr Barrett Informs us that the same stone with a similar polish would have proved even more suitable tor portions of the new Town Hall than the stone which has lately been brought from Tasmania for that purpose at no small expense." "An immense block of stone, intended for the obelisk to surmount the Eureka Stockade monument, was taken by Messrs. Rowsell and Son from the Redan quarries a few days ago. The stone measure 12ft. 6in. by 4ft. 6in., and weighs about six tons."
 * July 1861 - stone for railway construction purposes.
 * May 1871 - decorative stone work for St. Mary's Catholic Church, Geelong:
 * August 1886 - stone obelisk for the Eureka Memorial

Quarry operations
The quarries were in operation for many years. In November 1860 the railway contractors, Williams and Little, were in trouble for blasting for stones too close to someones tent in Redan: "Lawrence V Williams & Little, for blasting stone near the tent of the prosecutor. Mr Cuthbert appeared for the prosecution and Mr Walsh for the defence. Mr Walsh produced a license received from Mr Sherard, a Crown Lands Commissioner, to quarry stones on the ground alluded to, which is situated near the Redan. They had offered the defendant £40 to remove, and he refused. The Bench said they could not interfere, as permission had been given by the Crown Lands Commissioner. Mr Cuthbert thought he had no power to give permission to quarry the stones alluded to. The prosecutor deposed to the facts of the case, and said several pieces of stone from the blasts had fallen on his house, and they were in great danger in the locality. Alexander Smith, engineer of the railway works under the contractors, deposed to taking out the license produced for procuring stones. They had taken every precaution to prevent accidents and damage. Mr Cuthbert-If the complainant lost his life now, would you compensate him? Witness-Oh, in the usual way of law. (Laughter). The Court said they had no jurisdiction, and dismissed the complaint."

In July 1861 there was dispute over possession of the quarries: "M'Clusky v M'Kay-This was a complaint brought under the provisions of the New Land Act. Mr Cuthbert for complainant and Mr Randall for defendant. The former proceeded to say that Messrs Williams & Little, the railway contractors, had taken out a licence to quarry for stones in a certain piece of Crown lands. They placed the defendant in possession of the quarry, and when he got notice to leave he kept possession of the quarry. The nominal plaintiff in the case was a police constable, but the real complainants were Messrs Williams & Little. Constable M'Clusky deposed that on Tuesday last he saw Mr Smith, the agent of the railway contractors, in the quarry. Defendant refused to give him up possession, and witness asked him for his licence. He said that he had not got one. Messrs Williams & Little had taken out a licence for the quarry. To Mr Randall-The quarry was on the Redan, on the way to Sebastopol. He saw several quarries defined in a map now produced. Thought the one now in dispute was in the municipal reserve. A. Smith deposed that he was agent to Messrs Williams & Little, and had possession of the quarry in dispute for some time. He placed the defendant there to work, and gave him tools. He had a licence for the quarry, and now produced it. He took out the licence for the quarry in which he placed defendant at work. On Tuesday he went to get possession of the ground, when defendant told him to stand off, and refused to give up possession. The result of this was that they were now short of stone for railway purposes. Told the defendant he had no right to take out a licence. The Bench said the question now was, had the defendant any title. Mr Randall cross-examined the witness at considerable length, and after some discussion the Bench called on Mr Randall to show the defendants' title. He said the quarry in dispute was a municipal reserve, and gazetted as such. The defendant had applied to the Council for a licence to quarry stone on the reserve. The application was sent in by defendant on the previous day. The Bench said then there was an end of the case. The Gazette was here produced, proclaiming the ground in dispute a municipal reserve for a quarry. Mr Cuthbert said he would withdraw the case. Mr Randall applied for costs. The Bench refused to grant them, and the Court adjourned."

In November 1866 the council was asked for permission to mine under the quarry reserve: "From J. D, Hartland, on the part of the Western Independent Company, asking leave to mine under the Council's Redan Quarry Reserve. The letter was referred to the works committee."

In September 1877 the quarries were put under council control: "Quarries— The Redan quarry reserves have at last been placed under the control of this council, the order having been gazetted on 7th instant. I suggest that regulations for management be prepared, and referred to a committee to be appointed for that purpose. Referred to works committee, to drew up regulations"

Local control did not work for the quarries, as the council were not in control of the licenses, and so they discussed the return of the reserves back to the government in September 1881: "A deputation, comprising a number of men connected with the quarries, waited upon the City Council yesterday, for the purpose of protesting against the control of the quarry reserves being handed over to the Government. It will be remembered that in 1877 the council obtained the control of the quarries, in the hope of being able to remedy the nuisances arising from the manner in which they were worked, but it was subsequently discovered that the control did not authorise the issue of licenses to quarrymen, without which no real power could be exerted. Consequently the council have recently been debating whether it would not be better to ask the Government to again take charge of them. The members of the deputation objected to this being done, and urged that the exorbitant fee of £25 charged by the Government for an annual license would have a most injurious effect. It was pointed out by some of the members that the wages of Quarrymen were sufficiently low as it was, from 4s to 5s a day. Cr. Major Smith stated that his sympathies were with the men. The mayor pointed out that the great danger existed in the fact of the holes being left in a dangerous and unprotected condition, rendering the council open to damages in the event of any accident occurring. The deputation eventually retired, but their representations appeared to have some effect, as the clause subsequently read in connection with the works committee’s report, recommending that the Government should be invited to resume control, was referred back to the committee for consideration."

In October 1881, the City Council met with the quarrymen to discuss problems with the operations, especially about fencing around the holes, and who would be responsible for fencing the abandoned holes: REDAN QUARRIES. Pursuant to arrangement several members of the City Council, namely, Crs Major Smith, Lewis, Salter, Morrison, and Hickman, accompanied by the city clerk and clerk of works, visited the quarries at Redan yesterday in order to confer with the quarrymen with the view of having the quarries placed under better control. The Crown lands bailiff had suggested that the quarries be placed under the control of the Government, but the council seems disinclined to comply with the suggestion. A goodly number of quarrymen assembled to meet the councillors. The first quarry inspected was the one situated at the western end of Latrobe street. Mr Hughes explained the position of the quarry, and said it was going to be fenced in. Mr Rowsell pointed out some fencing that had been done, and the feeling seemed to be that a fence should be run across the open space near the street.

Mr James Woods, who was the principal spokesman, on behalf of the quarrymen generally, said that the street had never been properly opened up. Cr Salter asked what there was to prevent new comers interfering with the quarries already at work. Mr Hughes said he thought that few would dare to do so. Mr Woods said that the quarrymen did not interfere with each other. Cr Lewis explained to the quarry men that the matter had been initiated by the Crown lands bailiff. Mr Rowsell said that the district had got the benefit of the quarrymen not having to pay licences, as if they had to pay, such an additional charge for the stone would have had to be made. Cr Salter said that so long as the quarrymen made regulations for themselves, and fenced in the quarries, the council did not wish to interfere with them, but the council did not wish to be responsible for accidents occurring through the quarries not being fenced. Major Smith intimated that whether the quarries were in the hands of the Government or not, the council would be equally responsible for accidents. A map of the quarries was then produced, and inspected. Mr Woods intimated that the quarrymen were agreeable to fence in the quarries they were working. Some demur was here taken to a proposition that the quarrymen should fence in the abandoned quarries; and Major Smith said that so long as the quarrymen were willing to fence in the quarries at which they were working, the council should meet them in a friendly spirit, and pay half the cost of fencing in the abandoned quarries. The quarrymen should not be driven away from the district. The town clerk said that all the council required was that the quarrymen should respect the regulations of the land by protecting the quarries with fencing.

The councillors then went on to visit other portions of the quarry, and it seemed that some fencing was necessary along the road side, southerly of the Chinese’ gardens, and also on the easterly side of the road at the same place. A consultation was also held with the quarrymen as to the depositing of spalls in particular places, and it seemed as if all will be amicably arranged. The councillors now know fully how to deal with the matter. At the conclusion of the business Major Smith invited all present to a hotel adjacent to “liquor up,” and it need scarcely be said that the invitation was willingly accented. The customary beverages were hastily quaffed, and as the councillors and representatives of the press drove off, the quarrymen gave a series of ringing cheers for Major Smith.

Following the drowning of Patrick Dineen and John Thomas Letcher in March 1884, the Mayor agian raised the problem with the quarries in his report to council: "The Mayor of the City yesterday submitted to the City Council the following suggestive report:—'“I observe with much regret that an accident by drowning has occurred at an old quarry hole at Redan. This may revive the trouble of the quarries. They are all on Crown lands, over which the council cannot exercise any control. The Local Government Acts empower the council to fill up or fence in any dangerous place within one foot of a proclaimed street at cost of the owner, but the only owner is the Crown, whose officers fail to exercise any authority. In the case of this particular hole, its dangerous state was some time ago remarked, with a view to remedy it, but the residents of the locality objected to it being enclosed, as it was a convenience for watering their live stock, Some years ago the council urged the Department of Lands to make over the control to the council. The Department conceded it, but on gazetting, it was printed 'Quarry Reserves'' and, moreover, did not confer the only means of exercising control by issue of licenses; thus it became a dead letter.”"

Abandoned quarries
After the stone was extracted, the abandoned holes often filled with water, and were a great danger to the community. There are many reports of deaths from people falling into the holes. A death in January 1895 put pressure on the City Council: "Another fatality of New Year’s Day, the drowning of a lad in the Redan quarry hole, shows once more the necessity of filling in the more dangerous quarries. The attention of the authorities has been again and again directed to the question, but no effective action has been taken. As the Redan quarry is not enclosed children have free access to it, and often amuse themselves by fishing in it for crayfish and playing around it. Eight or nine fatalities have occurred there already. How many more will be required to bring about the settlement of the vexed question as to who should be responsible for removing or lessening the dangers of these spots and to spur them on to action?" "Cr Shoppee drew attention at the meeting of the City Council yesterday to the case of drowning at a Redan quarry hole on New Year’s Day, and stated that he had been given to understand this was the eighth fatality that had occurred there from the same cause. He moved, “ That in consequence of the insanitary and dangerous condition of the quarry hole in Market street (now Park Street West), the attention of the Minister be again called to the fact that another case of drowning occurred on the 1st inst.; and that he be asked to have the hole filled up in accordance with section 298 of the Health Act, and that the Boards of Health be requested to assist this council in the matter.” The motion was seconded by Cr Cooke, and agreed to."

In August 1896 the Minister for Lands visited the quarries to see the problem at first hand: "VISIT TO THE REDAN QUARRIES AND GARDENS. The Minister then visited the Redan quarries, which the City Council, in the interests of public health, desire to have filled in. Mr Best offered to grant the land to the council on condition that they put it in proper order."

In July 1897 a deputation met with the Secretary for Lands to follow up on the offer of the land being given to the council to control: "THE REDAN QUARRIES. A request was made to the Secretary for Lands today by a deputation from Ballarat to have the local quarry reserves handed over to the control of the corporation of that City in order that provision might be made to have them fenced in and filled up. The deputation pointed out that it was part of a plan for improving the appearance of the City by tree-planting and other means in the neighborhood of the quarries; that the promise of the fee simple of the land was given to the council by Sir John M'Intyre when he was Minister of Lands on condition that the holes were filled up; and that as the holes were not only unsightly but dangerous, and the receptacles for ail kinds of rubbish, the corporation was anxious to take advantage of the offer. Mr Morkham, in reply, said he thought a temporary reservation of the land for garden or recreation purposes would meet the requirement of the council probably better than permanent reservation or the issue of a Crown grant. He would get a full report from the Crown lands bailiff on the subject, including an opinion as to the legality of present occupation by private persons of portions of quarry lands under residence titles, and when the report was received the Minister of Lands would be asked to decide the matter." In March 1928 a truck driver had a narrow escape when his truck nearly ended up in the quarry: "WHEELS OVER EDGE OF QUARRY. Motorist's Thrilling Adventure. BALLARAT, Friday. — An extraordinary motoring adventure has experienced by Mr. Kellett this evening. He was driving past the old quarries at Redan when a piece of wire over which he ran flew up and became entangled in the steering gear. This caused the truck to swing out of the course and run towards the quarry. The driver promptly applied the brake, but by the time it acted the front part of the vehicle was projecting over the edge of the quarry. It was in this remarkable position when it suddenly burst into flames. The fire brigade was called upon and had to use about 800 feet of hose before it could play water on the truck, which was loaded with firewood. Considerable damage was done before the flames were subdued."

Filling the quarries
The council began filling the abandoned quarries in 1905 as a way of providing unemployment relief, and in September asked the Premier, Thomas Bent, for more funding: "THE REDAN QUARRIES. ANOTHER £150 PROMISED. The first drive was to the quarries at Redan, for the filling in of which a Government grant was recently made, the object, being to afford relief for the many unemployed. The quarries at the lower end of Pleasant Street were visited, and between 50 and 60 men were found at work. It was pointed out to the Premier that there was a very large area, to be filled, and that the estimate of the cost was £1300. The council had at present £1000 towards the cost, viz., £500 Government grant, £300 being spent by the Miners’ Turf Club, and £200 by themselves. The Premier was asked whether he would be disposed to grant the £300 necessary to complete the work. Mr Bent—No. he would not. Mayor Whykes remarked that it would be a decided advantage if the job could be completed. Mr Bent—Well, I won’t give another £300 to give that advantage to Ballarat. I’ll tell what I will do. If you’ll spend another £150 I’ll give £150 and make it up that way. The Mayor-—Thank you. Mr Premier. We will take that offer up."

In October 1905 it was reported: "There are now only half a dozen of the 'unemployed' at work on the Redan quarry works, as nearly all the preliminary portion of the levelling and preparatory work has been done, or at least all that portion which the City engineer considers could be done under the system of relief works. It is intended to let the filling, etc., of the quarries by contract, and those who were previously employed on the works will have the right to tender for the jobs, which will be cut up to suit small parties, so that all who were previously there can be provided for. Tenders have been called so far for three areas. There is still a lot of work to be done in cutting down the heaps at the quarries and filling some of the holes, before an attack is made on the big mullock heap in the Miners’ Racecourse. It is the intention of the council to still reserve a number of areas for the old and infirm 'unemployed,' so that these will not be thrown out of work by the adoption of the contract system. Many of the able-bodied men who have been put off consider themselves aggrieved, as they thought that the whole of the money granted by the Government and the City Council was to be spent in “relief” works. On Saturday morning an impromptu meeting of these men was held at the Burke and Wills memorial, when Mr Scott Bennett, M.L.A., was present, and the aspect of the case referred to above was put before him. Mr Bennett promised to make representations to the Premier on the question."

Later in October 1905 the council argued about the best way to fill the quarries. They had received government funding to provide unemployment relief but were finding this too inefficient. They decided instead to call for tenders, but when these were called, they rejected all the applicants, and returned to having the city engineer take over the filling: THE REDAN QUARRY WORKS. "RELIEF” VERSUS "CONTRACT." TENDERS DEALT WITH. At the City Council meeting yesterday Cr Brokenshire said that there had been complaints that a large sum of money had been spent—over £20 -at the quarry relief works in paying Waller and Co. to use earth scoops. He would like to know if that was so. The Mayor said that there had been nothing of the sort done. Cr Brokenshire should not listen to these tales. Cr Brokenshire said that if there was a misunderstanding it should be cleared up. The Engineer remarked that all that was done by Waller and Co. was to plough the ground to loosen it for the men. Cr Pearse asked if it was the intention of the council to throw the work open to Brokenshire said that he did not think that it was ever intended that the usual contractors should be allowed to mop the whole job up. The Mayor said that the Premier had distinctly said that the money was granted without any restriction whatever. Cr Shoppee—That was so.Cr Brokenshire said it was never intended to give this work to the contractors, who would simply employ their own men and cut the unemployed out of the work.

The Mayor said that it had been found that many of the unemployed were not doing the work properly, and the money was simply being swallowed up. The committee of the council was thereupon called together, and it was decided to call for tenders, reserving a few areas for the inefficient workers. Cr Shoppee asked if four or six men could club together and tender, so that a few mates could work in a party. The Mayor said he recognised the difficulty in allowing the ordinary contractor to compete, as with the appliances he could simply monopolise the job. Cr Brawn said that he, as one of the committee handling the work, recognised that it was being done at so slow a rate that it would cost ????e the money voted for it. The Mayor—Three times. Cr Brawn —The committee went into the matter thoroughly and decided that the only way to conserve the money was to have the work done by contract. Cr Brokenshire thought that that the scoops should be debarred. Cr Pearse thought that this could not be done. The council had got the freehold of the quarry on condition that they were kept in a sanitary condition. This was not being done, and if more expedition was not shown the money would be all gone before the holes were half filled.

Tenders were subsequently opened for the work. Four tenders were received, all from contractors and a lengthy discussion ensued. Eventually it was decided to not accept any of them. The engineer stated that he had a trial strip taken out, and priced it, with the result that he found that the work could be done for from 8½d to 10d per cubic yard. The council who in committee on the question resolved that the unemployed should be offered the work if they would form parties of from 3 to 6 men to take up various areas, and that they be offered from 10d to 1s per cubic yard at the option of the engineer.

A month after these discussions, the death of Albert Holyoak, aged seven, who drowned in November 1905 put more pressure on the council. The coroner called for the council to take action, and council agreed to seek more financial assistance from the state government was sought to complete the work: "The state of the quarry hole at Redan where a little boy name Albert Hollyoak was drowned while cray-fishing on Wednesday last, was brought, under the notice of the finance committee of the Citl Council yesterday. Cr Pearse urged that the hole should be drained, and after a short discussion the matter was referred to the mayor and the engineer for report." "The desirability of completing the work of filling up the quarry hole in Pleasant Street was suggested to the Premier last night by Mr H. Scott Bennett, who pointed out that if the work was going to be carried out more financial assistance would be needed. The Premier said that he would give the matter every consideration."

In May 1906 the newspapers reported that the material to fill the quarry holes would come from the huge mining mullock heaps at the Miners' Racecourse: "Patrons of the meetings of the Ballarat Miners Turf Club will be pleased to learn that the heap of earth in the centre of the ground which obscures the view of part of the racing is to be removed in the course of two or three months at the joint expense of the Ballarat Miners' Turf Club and the Ballarat city council. The club provides £400 of the expense. The earth will be used to fill up the Redan quarry holes, and a tramway will be specially constructed to take the earth from the course direct to the quarries." "A start has been made with the removal of the huge mullock heaps which for many years have disfigured the Miners' racecourse at Redan. The material, which was raised from the alluvial and other mines that operated in the neighborhood many years ago, is to be utilised in filling in the dangerous quarry holes at Redan, in which a number of persons have been drowned during recent years. The cost of removing the mounds, which contain many thousands of tons of stuff, is being borne by the city council and the Ballarat Miners' Turf Club."

The Minister for Public Works made an inspection in August 1907: "The Redan quarries were next visited, and Mr Cameron was shown the holes filled in by the council and those requiring to be filled. The mayor pointed out that in the interests of human life it was necessary that something would be done, and if the Government would give them some money it would mean work for the unemployed. The Minister also promised to consider this matter."

In June, further funding was provided for filling in the quarry: "The mayor of the city, Cr. Brokenshire, and Messrs. Baird and M'Gregor, .M's.L.A., interviewed the Premier during hi visit to Ballarat on Friday relative to finding work for the local unemployed by assisting toward the cost of filling in the old quarry hole at Redan. The Premier promised to contribute £1000 towards the cost of the work. The ground, when reclaimed, will be used as a recreation reserve by the residents of Ballarat South."

In August 1914 it was again reported that the filling in of the quarries had stopped: "UNEMPLOYMENT. 'The £1000 provided by the Government for the employment of persons out of work at filling in the Redan quarries has been exhausted, and the work stopped. It is a fitting time, I think, to appeal to the Government for another grant, in view of the fact that it is desirable to keep men employed, and this is valuable, improving work.' Mayor Brokenshire in his fortnightly report to the City Council at to-night's meeting."

Deaths and accidents

 * 13 December 1861 - William Bernard Ward (11), drowned.
 * 26 September 1881 - William Fitzgerald, dislocated arm after falling into a quarry hole.
 * 8 March 1884 - Patrick Dineen (8) and John Thomas Letcher (7), were drowned.
 * 23 February 1888 - Mrs Banks, severe head wounds after falling into a quarry.
 * August 1890 - Edward Gartside (58), drowned after falling in at night.
 * 17 June 1892 - Mary E. Johannsen (21), found drowned, believed to be suicide.
 * 14 February 1901 - Ernest McDonald (21), drowned after falling into Ryan's quarry at night.
 * 7 September 1901 - Mary Jane Pratt, drowned, verdict of suicide.
 * 26 November 1904 - Ellen Williams (6), drowned.
 * 15 November 1905 - Albert Holyoak (7), drowned.
 * 2 August 1907 - Isaac Tarrant, killed after falling into a quarry at night while drunk.
 * February 1909 - Headley Paterson (9), drowned while swimming.
 * October 1924 - George Brumby, quarryman, leg broken by falling rock.

Other
"At the City Police Court yesterday, before Messrs J. M'Kay and A. J. Pittard, a middle-aged unmarried woman was charged with offensive be haviour. Constable Hooley, who arrested the defendant, stated that he had been summoned by neighbors, who had been alarmed by the threats of accused to do away with herself. When he saw her she was running up and down the bank of a quarry-hole at Redan, and it appeared when he apprehended her as if she were about to throw herself into tho water, which was 20 feet deep. She was remanded for a week for medical treatment. An other woman, a widow, who had been on remand on a similar charge, was discharged, Dr Jordan having certified that she was fit to be set at liberty. Sergeant Beckman stated that he had made arrangements for the Benevolent Asylum Committee to look after accused until Monday, when her case would be considered by the executive."
 * 29 September 1909 - Elizabeth Ann Vincent was arrested for offensive behaviour and threatening to throw herself into a quarry.

The quarrymen

 * Click here for a list of people known to have worked in the Redan quarries.