We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the place now called Victoria, and all First Peoples living and working on this land. We celebrate the history and contemporary creativity of the world’s oldest living culture and pay respect to Elders — past, present and future.
Please be aware that this website may contain culturally sensitive material — images, voices and information provided by now deceased persons. Content also may include images and film of places that may cause sorrow.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain culturally sensitive material — images, voices and information provided by now deceased persons. Content also may include images and film of places that may cause sorrow.
Some material may contain terms that reflect authors’ views, or those of the period in which the item was written or recorded but may not be considered appropriate today. These views are not necessarily the views of Victorian Collections.
Users of this site should be aware that in many areas of Australia, reproduction of the names and photographs of deceased people is restricted during a period of mourning. The length of this time varies and is determined by the community.
Reuse of any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander material on this site may require cultural clearances. Users are advised to contact the source organisation to discuss appropriate reuse.
Untitled image
Can you reuse this media without permission? No (with exceptions, see below)
All rights reserved
This media item is licensed under "All rights reserved". You cannot share (i.e. copy, distribute, transmit) or rework (i.e. alter, transform, build upon) this item, or use it for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. However, an exception can be made if your intended use meets the "fair dealing" criteria. Uses that meet this criteria include research or study; criticism or review; parody or satire; reporting news; enabling a person with a disability to access material; or professional advice by a lawyer, patent attorney, or trademark attorney.
Please acknowledge the item’s source, creator and title (where known)
Have a question? Contact Lake Bolac & District Historical Society
Swagman, travelling through the Lake Bolac district. These 'swaggies' often had regular, seasonal 'runs' which they would follow, returning to the same hamlets and farms at the same time every year to ask for minor chores in order to earn a meal or to obtain some flour, tea and sugar. After both wars, the numbers of swaggies increased as returned soldiers, who couldn't settle to (or couldn't find) regular employment, took to the roads.
Una and Eva Knight at their family home, "St Mary's", on the east bank of Lake Bolac.
Lake Bolac State School, No 854. 22/09/1933. Miss Dorothy Baker (teacher) and Grades 3/4. Students, back: Eric Robertson, Margaret Kinnersley, Arthur Osborne. Front: Geoff Meek, _________ , Jock Hucker, Miriam Meek, _________ .
Alice and Eva Veale of Lake Bolac
Carting hay at "Wyvern", McInnes' of Lake Bolac.
James Murray (Sn) of Lake Bolac
Vic Peters of Lake Bolac with horse-team and plough
Wickliffe, circa 1900. From the Big Hill at the north end of town looking west. Bluestone hotel centre right and Gales cottage.
Mr WH Clarke & Mrs Clarke, Mrs Moreton & Mr JK Moreton of Boswell Park, Lake Bolac.
Josiah and Mary Park, (1867) of Lake Bolac.
Thomas and Dorothy Peters with sons Horace and Victor. !910. Lake Bolac.
lake bolac, peters
The Misses Howlett of 'Wynawang' Wickliffe, 1963. Pillars of the Wickliffe Presbyterian Church.
wickliffe, howlett, wynawang, presbyterian
Mr and Mrs Howlett of 'Wynawang', Wiuckliffe, with daughters, Margaret and Frances (Fanny). Circa 1900.
wickliffe, 'wynawang', howlett.
The Bassett family home at 'Eloora', Lake Bolac. The original house was burned down in the 1944 fire and this was the replacement building.
lake bolac, bassett, 'eloora', 1944 fire
'Eilyer' homestead, built 1871. Run by Albert Austin, Albert Sidney Austin, Ronald Austin, Derrick Austin, his daughter, Kaye Blackburn, then Michael Blackburn.
'eilyer', austin, blackburn
When 'Bolac Plains' was subdivided in 1846 Henry Gibb took up the northern end and he named the property 'Eilyer'. 'Eilyer' was bought from the estate of Henry Gibb in 1864 by Josiah and Thomas Austin. Gibb had been killed the year before when he fell from a horse. At the time of purchase, 'Eilyer' was 30,000 acres in size. It was later divided up and the second section become known as "Myuna". Ownership of 'Eilyer' has remained in the same family for over 150 years: Thomas and Josiah, Albert, Ronald, Derrick, Kate (Blackburn), Michael (Blackburn).
bolac plains, gibb, myuna, austin, blackburn
Crossroads at Lake Bolac, 1963. Junction of the Ballarat/Hamilton and Ararat/Mortlake roads. Starting centre left, the large building on the south-east side of the Ballarat road is Goodall's garage. Next door is the original Bush Nursing centre, then Dalgety's, the Bakery, the Milkbar and on the corner is the Bank of New South Wales building, Elder's, Green's drapery shop and the Lake Bolac Memorial Hall. On the traffic island in front of the Hall is the War Memorial and across the Woorndoo road is the Hotel (with the maroon roof) with stables behind. Across the road again is the Stanbury's General Store with their large warehouse behind.
lake bolac, 1963, goodall, bush nursing, dalgety, elders, green, bank of new south wales, stanbury.
Aerial view of Lake Bolac township, looking towards the north-east, taken circa 1968. The freshwater lake is top-right, the salt-lake is centre-left. The Presbyterian church, bottom right, is surrounded by Cyprus trees on the Woorndoo/Mortlake road. The hotel and general store are opposite each other on the crossroads of the Mortlake/Ararat and Ballarat/Hamilton roads and the sporting complex is behind the store next to the salt lake. The Primary School, No 854, is between the footy oval and the Ararat Road, centre left.
lake bolac, freshwater lake, salt lake, presbyterian church, hotel, general store, sporting complex, primary school, no 854.
Aerial view of Lake Bolac after the drought had broken in late 2010. The fresh-water lake is now full, as are the wetlands. Note the edge of the salt-lake in the bottom right, the Industrial Estate bottom left and centre, the golf course, the current footy oval, Bowling Club, tennis courts and swimming pool with the P-12 College through the trees on the bank of the lake. An Archaeologist might be able to discern the original footy oval bottom centre, built on what was once the town Common (below the industrial buildings),and the second oval (above the salt lake.) The houses are spreading along the west bank of the lake beyond the school.
lake bolac, 2010, village, fresh-water lake, salt lake, golf, tennis, bowling, swimming, college,
Lake Bolac State School students in 1921. Back: Laurie park, Eileen Graham, Maisie Lindonh, Nell O'Rorke, Sheila Murray, Lillian Murray, Emily Wileman, Beryl Peters, June Wileman, Alma Eastick, Chris McKenzie, Innes Geddes, Eunice Wills. 2nd Row: Eddie Kinnersley, Ivan Scott, Colin Graham, Marg. Graham, Dulcie Gange, Del Veale, Joy Gange, Faith Murray, Lorna Peters, Edna Cordy, Enonie Park, Mabel Cordy, Greta Sandford, Lin Cameron, Bert Peters. 3rd Row: Claude Balkin, Graham Murray, Mav Peters, Dave Geddes, Ewan Murray, Wal Dear, Len Park, Arthur Knoght, Frank Graham, Leo Balkin, Alan McCrow, Ray Gale, George Wileman, Joe Cook, Hurtle Eastick, Frank Eastick. Front Row: Horrie Peters, Harold Peters, Alex Scott, Jim Peters, Fred Dear, Bill Kinnersley, Dave Pitkethly, Neil Graham (Rusty), Don Graham, Lou Duncan.
lake bolac state school no 854, students of 1921: balkin, cameron, cook, cordy, dear, duncan, eastick, gale, gange, geddes, graham, kinnersly, knight, lindon, mccrow, mckenzie, murray, o'rorke, park, peters, pitkethly, sandford, scott, veale, wileman, wills
Wickliffe, main street, taken from pine tree opposite the hotel. Presbyterian Church on the hill centre-left. 1920's.
wickliffe, main street.
Pupils and staff at Wickliffe State School no 948, 1916. Teacher: Mr John Aldie. Sewing Teacher: Miss Nell Ford. Back: Donald Gale, Jack Cleary, Alan Grimmer, Fred Prust, Geoff McInnes, Jim Farrell, Claude Pagels, Jim Ford, Albert Smith. 2nd Row: Hilda Farrell, Jean McInnes, Mona Wileman, Inez Farrell, _________, Marg Prust, Sid Prust, Ray Grimmer. 3rd Row: Mary McInnes, Eileen Cleary, Evie Jackson, Nell McInnes, mMillie Blacjham, Stella Pagels, Kathie Ferguson, Gertie Pagels, Bill Blackham. 4th Row: Ruby Prust, Nell Grimmer, Keith McInnes ,_________, G Wileman, ___________. Front: Allan Gale, Robert Stuart McInnes.
wickliffe state school no 948. blackham, cleary, farrell ,ferguson, ford, gale, grimmer, jackson, mcinnes, pagels, prust, smith, wileman.
The pupils and staff at the Wickliffe State School, No 948 in 1921. Back: Marg Prust, Inez Farrell, Jean McInnes, Daisy Williamson, Daisy Bowes, Norma McInnes, Nellie Grimmer, Clarice Blackham, Emily Ferguson. 2nd Row: Kath Ford, Bessie Aldridge, Beatrice Farrell, Ruby Prust, Viv Grimmer, Esther Floyd, Elsie Grimmer, Grace Prust, Lucy Bradshaw. 3rd Row: Mollie Egan, Mena Farrell, Ida Lloyd, Frank Turner, Leo Cleary, Charlie Grimmer, Don Grimmer, Gladstone Ferguson, Harry Prust, Lloyd McInnes. Front: Bill Farrell, Stuart McInnes, Don McInnes, Jack Suyenag, Alan Gale, Keith McInnes, Ray Grimmer, Murdoch Ferguson. Teacher, Miss Gwen Evans.
wickliffe state school no 948. aldridge ,blackham, bowes, bradshaw, cleary, egan, evans, farrell, ferguson, floyd, ford, gale, grimmer, mcinnes, prust, suyenaga, turner, williamson.
Pupils and teachers attending the Lake Bolac State School No 854, circa 1908. Back from left: Louis Murray, Mrs J Cameron( Sewing teacher), Boyd Golding, Syd Metherall, Billy Richardson, George Henderson, Bessie Waller, Elsie Park, Isobel Leach, Jessie Leach, Marjorie McMillan, Queenie Cameron ,Mr Pye (Teacher), Vida Golding. Middle: Cliff Murray, Billy Waller, Cyril McMaster, Doris Cameron, Mona McMaster, Rita Golding, Myrtle Golding, Adeline Murphy, Madge Robertson, Kitty Graham, Mary Young, Ann Pitkethly. Front: Alec Murray, Donald Waller, Harry Gale, Les Meek, Eion Murray, Fred Blackham, Les Gale, Fred Walker, Bollie Meek, Jack Young, Lily Blackham, Ruby Young, Minnie Young.
lake bolac state school no 854, blackham, cameron, gale, golding, graham, henderson, leach, mcmaster, mcmillan, meek, metherall, murray, murphy, park, pitkethly, pye, richardson, walker, waller, young.
Lake Bolac Football Club Premiers in 1935, Hamilton League. Pictured at Back from left: RJ Lacey, Leo O'Rorke, Jim Wills, Col Graham, Don Graham, Neil 'Rusty' Graham, Alec McMaster, Pat Murphy. 2nd row: RJT Murray, Murray Rees, Lloyd Osmond, Martin Quinlivan (Capt.), Bern Nicholson, Louis Duncan, Norm Kinnersley (V.C.). Front: Cliff Murray (Trainer), George Hucker, Ian Robertson, Jack Veale (mascot), Bill Watson, Fred Drever, Watt Nicholson (Trainer).
lake bolac, football, premiers, drever, duncan, graham, hucker, kinnersley, lacey, mcmaster ,murphy, murray, nicholson, o'rorke, osmond, quinlivan, rees, robertson, veale, watson, wills.
A very early view of the first blue-stone homestead and out-buildings at "Lake Boloke" station, established by Robert Patterson, believed taken in the early 1850's. The row of River red-gums indicates the shoreline of Lake Bolac which seems to be at least partially dry.
lake bolac, lake boloke station, patterson
Horse being held in a hoof-bath to counter stable hoof-rot. "Bellevue", Lake Bolac, circa 1910. Hugh O'Rorke on right and David Clarke, at back.
lake bolac, horse hoof-bath, "bellevue", clarke, o'rorke.
Local farmers attend a Flax Field Day at "Bellevue", Lake Bolac on 27th November, 1946. Present are, from left: Leo O'Rorke, Fred Moreton, Bill Green, __________, Jock Hucker, Stan Hucker, Henry Clarke.
lake bolac, flax field day, "bellevue", clarke, green, hucker, moreton, o'rorke
"Bellevue" Flax Day at Lake Bolac in 1946. Pictured from left are Fred Hucker, Alan Hucker and Sam Hucker.
lake bolac, flax, "bellevue", hucker
The family of Lewis and May Wills of "Fintry", Lake Bolac, circa 1022. Back from left: James, May, 'Ina, Eunice. Front: Maud, Lewis (snr), Lewis.
lake bolac, wills, "fintry"
Lake Bolac family, the Knight children: Gladys, George and Arthur 'Jim".
lake bolac, knight
Victorian Collections acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
