• 1838 Coronation of Queen Victoria
    1838 Mar WC Yuille's camp at the Black Swamp
    1838 Aug White settlement of the Ballarat district
    1839 WC Yuille homestead site chosen on Yarrowee
    1851 Feb 8 Black Thursday
    1851 About the beginning of August a Mr Hiscock found gold in a gully near Buninyong.
    1851 Aug 21 Gold discovery at Poverty Point
    1851 Aug 25 Golden Point named when gold was discovered in that area. This was the
    beginning of the great gold discovery that became The Ballarat Diggings.
    1851 From the end of August till September a number of parties arrived at Golden Point
    1851 Sep 4 Geelong Advertiser report of gold discovery
    1851 Sep 10 Messr Esmond and Cavanagh washed out 50 lbs of gold and this was the
    first gold sent down by escort to Geelong.
    1851 Sep 19 Police Camp established near Magpie St hill
    1851 Sep 20 First gold licence issued
    1852 First house built by David Meek, cnr Mair & Lydiard
    1852 Post Office moved to cnr of Mair & Lydiard Sts
    1852 Proclamation of Township of Ballaarat
    1852 Jan 17 W.S. Urquhart's survey map of Ballarat
    1852 Jul Police Camp moved to Camp Hill
    1852 Aug 25 First Township land sale
    1853 Jul 1 Thomas Bath opened the Ballaarat Hotel (Craig's)
    1854 Christ Church building commenced
    1854 Apr 5 Gold claim extent 12ft x 12ft for one man
    1854 May 19 Post Office opened cnr Mair & Lydiard Sts
    1854 Jul 12 Bentley's "Eureka Hotel" opened
    1854 Oct 7 Death of James Scobie
    1854 Oct 17 Burning of Bentley's Hotel
    1854 Nov 11 Ballarat Reform League formed
    1854 Nov 29 Eureka Flag first raised on Bakery Hill
    1854 Nov 18 Bentley's Trial
    1854 Dec 3 Eureka Stockade
    1855 Mar 4 First Wesleyan Church in Lydiard St opened
    1855 Mar 4 St Paul's first church opened
    1855 Sep 22 The Star first published
    1855 Nov 10 P Lalor & JB Humffray elected to parliament
    1855 Dec 8 Ballarat proclaimed a Municipality
    1856 First Ballarat Council election
    1856 Gaol building commenced at southern end of Lydiard Street
    1856 Apr Temporary Council building completed in Sturt St
    1856 Aug 11 Hospital opened in Drummond St
    1856 Oct 24 Streets being metalled in Township
    1856 Dec 3 First electric telegraph from Melbourne to Ballarat
    1857 Walter Craig bought Bath's Hotel
    1857 May 5 Ballaarat East Municipality proclaimed
    1857 Jul 1 Union Bank opening in Lydiard St
    1857 Sep 13 Christ Church, Lydiard St opened
    1858 Ballarat Botanical Gardens begun
    1858 Jan 20 Wesleyan Chapel in Lydiard St opened
    1858 Jun 9 Welcome Nugget unearthed
    1858 Jul 17 Opening of the Gas Company Works
    1858 Aug St Paul's Church built in Humffray St on Bakery Hill
    1858 Nov 21 Ballarat's first water pipeline from Yuille's Swamp
    1858 Dec 19 Post Office building in Sturt St opened
    1859 Apr 12 Botanical Gardens planting commenced
    1859 Sep 24 Town Hall burnt down
  • 1860 Barkly Street Church built
    1860 Western Fire Brigade Foundation Stone laid
    1860 Feb 20 Ballarat Benevolent Asylum opened
    1860 May 20 First recorded football match at Green's paddock
    1860 Aug 16 City Hall 1st Foundation Stone laid
    1860 Aug 28 Brick Police Barracks completed
    1860 Sep 28 Mechanics Institute Foundation Stone laid
    1861 Nov 20 Ballarat Rowing Club established
    1861 Burke and Wills perished
    1861 Feb 1 First part of City Hall opened
    1861 Oct 1 Last issue of Ballarat Times
    1861 Dec 26 Ballarat East Town Hall Foundation Stone laid
    1862 Kirks Reservoir obtained by both Councils
    1862 Lester's Hotel in Sturt St
    1862 St Paul's Anglican Church red brick tower built
    1862 Feb 18 Ballarat Gaol walls completed
    1862 Apr 11 First train from Geelong
    1862 Dec 10 Ebenezer Church Foundation Stone laid
    1863 Christ Church in Lydiard St completed
    1863 Gate Lodges built at the Gardens
    1863 Union Hotel in Sturt St built
    1863 Jul 27 Report of cutting down of Camp St Logs tree
    1863 Oct 21 Eastern and Western Municipalities declared Boroughs
    1863 Nov 8 St Patrick's Cathedral opened
    1864 Ballarat East Fire Station tower erected
    1864 Apr 4 St Paul's Church subsided
    1864 May 6 First Rowing Regatta on Lake Wendouree
    1864 Jul 1 Ballarat College founded
    1864 Aug 14 St Andrew's Church opened
    1864 Dec 29 Post Office building (present)opened
    1865 First steamer placed on Lake Wendouree
    1865 Jan 11 Main Road fire destroyed 60 premises
    1865 Feb 11 Shenandoah Grand Ball at Craig's
    1865 Apr 23 St Paul's Anglican Church rebuilding in front of the tower opening
    1865 Jun 11 Opening of St Peter's C of E
    1866 Jul 8 Ballarat & District Orphan Asylum opened
    1867 Jan 8 Mining Corner buildings removed
    1867 Jun 10 First issue of the Courier
    1867 Aug 26 Burke & Wills monument second Foundation Stone laid
    1867 Nov 4 Burke & Wills monument completed
    1867 Nov 20 Alfred Hall completed across Yarrowee
    1867 Dec 9 First Royal visit, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh
    1868 Clarendon Ladies College founded
    1868 Court-house south of the gaol opened
    1868 Rowing course at Lake Wendouree created
    1869 BBH Prince Alfred Wing Foundation Stone laid
  • 1870 Mitchell's Building built in Sturt St
    1870 Aug 1 Ballarat Acclimatisation Society formed
    1870 Aug 9 Withers first edition published
    1870 Sep 9 Ballaarat proclaimed a City
    1870 Oct 26 School of Mines opened
    1871 Town Hall tower built
    1871 Ballarat Town Hall completed
    1872 State Savings Bank built
    1872 Jan 8 Lydiard St Wesleyan Sunday School opened
    1872 Aug 23 Borough of Ballaarat East proclaimed a Town
    1873 Jun 30 Sunnyside Woollen Mill commenced production
    1875 Gill's Lake View Hotel built
    1875 Jun 7 Academy of Music (Her Majesty's) opened
    1875 Dec 18 Launch of first commercial PS Wendouree
    1876 Queen's College founded
    1876 Jul 31 First football match played on Saxon Paddock
    1877 Gong Gong Reservoir built
    1877 May 29 Ballarat Yacht Club formed
    1879 Crown-shaped Rockery built at the Lake
    1880 Apr 1 Galloway Monument presented
    1881 Congregational Church built
    1881 Tunbridge Building in Lydiard St built
    1881 View Point jetty completed
    1881 Jun 29 Royal visit Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence & Prince George, Duke of
    York (George V)
    1883 Oct 15 Wendouree Rowing Club formed
    1884 Ballarat Football League formed
    1884 Gabled extensions to the Fernery built
    1884 Lydiard St Wesleyan (new) Church opened
    1884 St Andrew's Kirk spire erected
    1884 May 24 Stoddart Statues unveiled
    1884 Jul Ballarat Fine Art Gallery established
    1885 Post Office tower commenced
    1885 Jun 16 Golden City steamer launched on Lake Wendouree
    1886 Bones Building built in Lydiard St
    1886 May 26 Death of James Russell Thomson
    1886 Aug 27 Eureka Monument presented to Town Council
    1887 City Oval grandstand built
    1887 Withers Revised Edition
    1887 Apr 21 Robbie Burn's Statue unveiled
    1887 Jun 21 Queen Victoria's Jubilee Foundation Stones laid for Mining Exchange, Art
    Gallery & Old Colonists Hall
    1887 Dec 21 Horse-drawn trams commenced on Gardens route
    1888 Old Colonists Hall built in Lydiard St
    1888 Feb 13 Mining Exchange in Lydiard St opened
    1888 Aug 3 Thomson Bequest Statues unveiled
    1888 Nov 30 Anglican Cathedral Foundation Stone laid
    1889 Feb 9 Death of Peter Lalor
    1889 May 24 Wallace Statue presented
    1889 Dec 3 Thomas Moore Statue unveiled
  • 1890 Claxton Memorial Fountain erected
    1890 Lake Pavilion constructed
    1890 May 23 Victoria Park Arbor Day planting
    1890 Jun 13 Opening of Fine Art Gallery building
    1891 Mar 9 Death of J.B. Humffray
    1891 Jul 3 St Peter's Tower Foundation Stone laid
    1891 Aug 30 Nazareth House opened
    1892 Marble lions presented to Town Hall by E. Morey & W. Little
    1892 Jan 14 Death of Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence & Avondale
    1892 Jun 22 Disastrous cyclone, loss of life and immense damage
    1892 Dec 31 66 Hotels closed by Local Option
    1893 Marble lions in the Gardens were presented
    1893 Bank Smash
    1893 Jan 26 Peter Lalor Statue unveiled
    1894 Ballarat Electric Supply Company founded
    1894 Morey Gates presented
    1895 Jan 24 Electric Light illuminates Ballarat streets
    1885 Feb 10 First issue of "Echo"
    1895 Apr 11 Ballarat Golf Club formed
    1896 Shoppee Square in Sturt St proposed
    1897 Bluestone pillars erected at the Gardens
    1897 Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee
    1897 May 10 Severe earthquake shock
    1898 Apr 11 Battle of Ballarat at Victoria Park
    1898 Dec 17 Official trial of Ballarat Melbourne telephone line
    1899 Apr 3 City Oval officially opened
    1899 Apr 3 Hebe Statue in Shoppee Square unveiled
    1899 Apr 3 Her Majesty's Theatre opened
    1900 May 24 Queen Victoria Statue unveiled
    1901 Queen Alexandra Bandstand built in Sturt St
    1901 Jan 22 Death of Queen Victoria
    1901 Jan 31 Edward VII proclaimed King
    1901 Apr 4 City Library Foundation Stone laid
    1901 May 9 Federation - First Federal Parliament, Royal Exhibition Building
    1901 May 13 Royal visit, Prince George & Princess May (King George V and Queen
    Mary)
    1901 May 13 Soldiers Statue Foundation Stone laid
    1902 George Hotel built with 3 storeys
    1902 Yarrowee paved with basalt
    1902 May 24 Queen Victoria drinking fountain presented
    1902 Aug 9 Coronation of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra formerly Prince Albert
    Edward, Prince of Wales who succeeded his mother Queen Victoria
    1904 Aug 23 Power House Foundation Stone laid
    1904 Dec 3 50th Anniversary of Eureka
    1905 National Mutual Building completed
    1905 Aug 18 First electric tram
    1906 Nov 1 Soldiers Statue unveiled
    1907 Jun 14 Art School transferred to SMB
    1908 Nov 10 Moorabool Reservoir construction began
    1908 Dec 16 Water restrictions
    1909 Sep 28 Coliseum opened
  • 1910 Aug 27 Ballarat High School opened
    1911 King Edward VII Pavilion built
    1911 Feb 17 Ballarat Church of England Grammar School founded
    1911 Mar 3 Death of James Oddie aged 87
    1912 Apr 15 Titanic sank on maiden voyage from England to New York
    1913 Titanic Bandstand built
    1913 Apr 14 Last horse-tram to Sebastopol
    1914 Aug 4 War declared against Germany
    1917 Ballarat Railway Workshops completed
    1917 Apr 4 Back to Ballarat celebrations
    1917 Oct 23 Exceptionally brilliant meteor
    1918 Nov 11 Armistice Day, end of WW I
    1919 Jun 9 Avenue of Honour planting completed
    1919 Aug 27 Fly Fishers Club founded
    1920 Jun 2 Royal visit, Prince Edward, Prince of Wales (Duke of Windsor)
    1920 Jun 3 Arch of Victory opened
    1921 May 25 Amalgamation 0f Ballarat East and West
    1922 Feb 9 Death of C.H. Petersen, Fountain in Sturt St
    1922 Dec 6 Sewerage construction commenced
    1923 Mar 7 Fire destroyed Sunshine Biscuit Factory
    1925 Jul 1 Sewerage scheme in operation
    1927 Jan 28 - Feb 4 Home to Ballarat celebrations
    1927 Apr 29 Duke & Duchess of York (later King George VI) visited Ballarat
    1934 Jul 1 State Electricity Commission assumed charge
    1934 Aug 27 Yuille Cairn unveiled at Lake Wendouree
    1934 Oct 6 Eureka Tile Factory fire
    1934 Nov 1 Royal visit, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
    1935 Oct 31 BBH Eildon House opened
    1936 Mar 24 Burning of the Coliseum
    1937 George V Statue erected in Sturt St
    1938 Centenary of founding of Ballarat Colony of Victoria
    1938 Mar 8 Floral Festival began
    1938 Mar 10-12 Ballarat's first floral carpet displayed
    1940 Prime Ministers Avenue opened
    1945 Dec 6 Royal visit, Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
    1952 Frank Pinkerton Bequest Statue unveiled in Sturt St
    1953 First Begonia Festival held
    1954 Mar 6 Royal visit, Queen Elizabeth II & Duke of Edinburgh
    1955 BBH Prince Alfred tower demolished
    1956 Olympic Games events on Lake Wendouree
    1958 Oct 18 Ballarat Yacht Club House officially opened
    1958 Mar 2 Royal visit, Queen Mother
    1965 Ballarat Gaol closed
    1969 Horse Statue erected in Sturt St
    1970 Nov 29 Sovereign Hill opened
    1971 Ballarat Tramways closed
    1972 Fly Fishing jetty built
  • 1980 Dec 18 Ornamental lamps erected outside Town Hall
    1983 Apr 15 Royal visit, Prince Charles & Princess Diana
    1989 Jul 4 Ballarat Goldfields mine shaft sunk
    1989 Nov 16 Freak hailstorm, damaged roofs and cars
    1990 New lamps in Lydiard Street
    1991 First Ballarat Region Conservation Strategy
    1992 Jan International Scout Jamboree at Victoria Park
    1994 Mar Royal visit, HRH Prince Edward
    1994 Local government amalgamation, City of Ballarat
    1995 William Dunstan VC Memorial erected in Sturt St
    1995 WW II Memorial erected in Sturt St
    1996 May Nerrina Wetlands Project began
    1996 Nov 6 Refurbishment of Town Hall
    1996 Nov 24 Community Adventure Playground built at the Lake
    1998 Jan 1 Merger of SMB, Wimmera TAFE & University of Ballarat
    1998 Mar 27 Eureka Centre opening
    1998 May 29 Preview of Panoramas of Ballarat at Craigs Royal Hotel
    1998 May 30 Launch of Panoramas of Ballaarat at Collins Bookstore, Bridge Mall