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."
 * May 1871 - decorative stone work for St. Mary's Catholic Church, Geelong:

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. "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 the early 1900s the Ballarat Council was seeking ways to fill the holes.

Filling the quarries
The quarries were filled in the 1900s as a way of providing unemployment relief: "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."

In November 1905 the death of Albert Holyoak, aged seven, put more pressure on the council. The coroner called for the council to take action, and 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 points ed 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 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

 * 8 March 1884 - Patrick Dineen (8) and John Thomas Letcher (7), were drowned.
 * 17 June 1892 - Mary E. Johannsen (21), found drowned, believed to be suicide.
 * 15 November 1905 - Albert Holyoak (7), drowned.
 * 2 August 1907 - Isaac Tarrant, killed after falling into a quarry at night while drunk.
 * 29 September 1909 - Elizabeth Ann Vincent was arrested for offensive behaviour and threatening to throw herself into a quarry.