Background
The petition signed by Wives and Daughters of Farmers from around the Ballarat region addressed to the Mayor and Council of Ballarat requesting a market to sell their local produce.
Transcription of 1873 Petition
To the Mayor and Council
of the City of Ballarat,
We the undersigned Farmers Wives
and Daughters beg to solicit your aid in
establishing a Market for the Sale of Butter;
poultry, Eggs, Fruit, Bacon and other Farm support the Market by our attendance with the
produce of our Farms and Gardens and remain
most respectfully
Yours &c,
P Hume
Mrs Gordon – Walter Craig's Farm
View the Petition
Farming in the Ballarat Area
The productive hinterland around Ballarat was able to sustain the huge influx of population for gold mining. These photos show the rich red volcanic soil north of Creswick described by Major Mitchell as ‘mammalian hills'. In some places the soil is eight metres deep. Combined with the plentiful water supply from springs, farming was a rewarding occupation.