In 1871, the Villa and the associated ‘180 Mine’ on the New Chum Reef was bought by George Lansell who had become successful in his gold mining interests and investments. With his continuing success in deep mining, Lansell undertook major extensions to his home, and in fact continued this expansion and decoration of Fortuna until his death almost 40 years later. Fortuna Villa remains remarkably intact as a house even though it has served as a busy workplace for 65 years. Stained glass, elaborate ceilings, grand cedar and blackwood staircase, solid marble baths, extensive acid-etched glasswork (conservatory) are some of the architectural features that contribute to the outstanding ‘feel’ of the structure. The Fortuna grounds cover some 7.57 ha. and feature an ornamental lake, garden, a ‘Roman-Bath’ and the ‘Pompeii Fountain’. The original quartz-crushing battery building, stables and coach house remain close to the main villa. The magnificent villa itself is the aspirational centerpiece to this remarkable property. It is set in botanic-style gardens featuring established trees. George Lansell’s historic talisman has hosted some iconic characters itself, including leaders and diplomats, Dame Nellie Melba and even HRH the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh.Fortuna Villa Tour Guide, seven pages - Photos, History and guide with description for each room or aspect. Chronology on back cover.history, bendigo, fortuna, george lansell

Black and white photograph ( copy) showing Lansell's Fortuna Villa in centre, lake in front. Elaborate gardens and steps leading to lake. On left hand side, mining chimney and elevated tramway leading to sheds. Large chimney on LH side. RH side of image: poppet head, tramways and mining chimneys (needle). Three poppet heads visible in background.bendigo, mining, fortuna mine sites

Watercolour painting of Fortuna Villa. Lake in foreground, palm tree left hand side. Perspex sheet overlay with 'Fortuna' embellished in ornate font. Possibly used to develop promotional material for Department of Defence, Cartography section, then resident in Fortuna. Artist name on bottom right hand corner ' Bill Walls'bendigo, house, fortuna villa

Princess Theatre, Bendigo. Bendigo Orchestral Society & YMCA Choir. Maritana, Souvenir Programme 6d. Mon. Tues. Wed. August 7, 8, 9. Opera Produced by Mr E A Parker. Musical Director, Mr Oscar Flight. Deputy Director, Mr Alfred Sayer. Leader of Orchestra Mrs McKinnon. Chorus trained by Mr Wilfred Taylor. Chairman of Committee, Mr W Spencer Lake. Business Manager, Mr C J Greenhill. Pictures of artists: Miss Paulyne Bindley, Mr E A Parker, Miss Gwen De Ravin, Mr Wilfred Taylor, Miss Alva Stewart, Mr H H Turner, Mr Oscar Flight. Group photo of Ballet dancers. Argument - Maritana, a handsome Gitana, whilst singing to a crowd of people in a square in Madrid, attracts the admiration of the King. Don Jose, and unscrupulous courtier, observing this, determines to satisfy the . . . Characters: Paulyne Bindley, Gwenneth De Ravin, E A Parker, Wilfred Taylor, Lyell Shepherd, J W Smith, H H Turner, Lindsay Wright. Court Ballet: Miss Mercia Wright. Solo Dancer: Miss Fay Drummond. Chorus of Soldiers, Gypsies, and Populace. Deputy Principals: Alva Stewart, Frieda Bertuch, H J Allen. Costumes: Madame Tettrazini, Miss Ada Colton, Mrs E A Parker. Orchestra. Violins: Mrs C Adams, Miss J Anderson, Mr R Bright, Mr O Flight (jnr), Mrs S A Grant Mrs H Hillman, Miss J Houston, Mr G Krost, Mrs S McKinnon, Miss A McKinnon, Miss A McNair, A Sayer, Mrs L Shepherd, A Swift, H Timms. Viola: Mr P Coope. 'Cellos: Miss R Giudice, Mr W S Lake. Bass: Mr J Ditchburn. Flute: Mr A E Sayer. Clarinets: Mr B Smith, Mr P Waterman. Harpiste: Miss Whitelock. Cornets: Mr W Norman, Mr P Smith Mr A Swift, Mr F Taylor. Horns: Mr W Green, Mr N McPherson. Trombones: Mr Les Bishop, Mr E J Meagher. Drums: Me J McLaughlin. Piano: Miss I Benson, Miss E Flight. Chorus. Sopranos: Miss D Broome, S Brown, Mrs R Burland, Miss Betty Cant, E Colclough, E Collins, Bessie Davis, P Dunn, G Farmont, M Heyes, D Hoking, B Harpin, M Kitto, D Kirkwood, E Parker, L Simpson, Ida Stephenson, M Stephenson, L Smalley, Mrs W Taylor, V Thorpe, Miss Myrtle Taylor, Annie Thomas, Mrs C Walk, Miss R Wallent. Contraltos: Miss F Bertuch, Mrs D Campbell, Miss I De Ravin, M Davis, P Elliot, Mrs J Greenhill, Mess N Irving, I James, J Seers, J Shepherd, G Stephens. Tenors: J Cotton, G English, D Finery, Alec Jones, E Jeffery, D Parker, J Sims. Basses: D Doran, J Finerty, J H Hardie, A B Kirkwood, W L Macauley, S C Powell, R Prigg, W Reed, Les Spencely, Cyril Taylor, Ken Taylor. Mr Ron Hovenden, Scenic Artist. Ballet: Misses Clarice Harry, Rita Lansell, Thelma McKenzie, Mena Bailey, Dorothy Roberts, Fay Drummond, Kath Dungey, Jean Wright. Dance Mistress Miss Mercia Wright. Photo of dance group on rear cover. Printed down right side: Mr W. Reed - With Compliments from ''Maritana'' Committee. Sep 5/33. Signed: W Spencer Lake. Very decorative cover. B/ Envelope addressed to Mr W Reed, Lily St, Bendigo. 2 pieces of white tape on left side one top and one at bottom, stamp gone post mark Bendigo.Reed & Co., Printers, Bendigotheatre, opera, bendigo orchestral society:ymca cho, princess theatre. bendigo orchestral society & ymca choir. maritana. august 7, 8, 9. opera by mr e a parker. musical director, mr oscar flight. deputy director, mr alfred sayer. leader of orchestra mrs mckinnon. chorus trained: mr wilfred taylor. chairman of committee, mr w spencer lake. business manager, mr c j greenhill. photos of: miss paulyne bindley, mr e a parker, miss gwen de ravin, mr wilfred taylor, miss alva stewart, mr h h turner, mr oscar flight. group photo of ballet dancers. argument - maritana, a handsome gitana, whilst singing to a crowd of people in a square in madrid, attracts. . . characters: paulyne bindley, gwenneth de ravin, e a parker, wilfred taylor, lyell shepherd, j w smith, h h turner, lindsay wright. court ballet: miss mercia wright. solo dancer: miss fay drummond. chorus of soldiers, gypsies, and populace. deputy principals: alva stewart, frieda bertuch, h j allen. costumes: madame tettrazini, miss ada colton, mrs e a parker. orchestra. violins: mrs c adams, miss j anderson, mr r bright, mr o flight (jnr), mrs s a grant mrs h hillman, miss j houston, mr g krost, mrs s mckinnon, miss a mckinnon, miss a mcnair, a sayer, mrs l shepherd, a swift, h timms. viola: mr p coope. 'cellos: miss r giudice, mr w s lake. bass: mr j ditchburn. flute: mr a e sayer. clarinets: mr b smith, mr p waterman. harpiste: miss whitelock. cornets: mr w norman, mr p smith mr a swift, mr f taylor. horns: mr w green, mr n mcpherson. trombones: mr les bishop, mr e j meagher. drums: me j mclaughlin. piano: miss i benson, miss e flight. chorus. sopranos: miss d broome, s brown, mrs r burland, miss betty cant, e colclough, e collins, bessie davis, p dunn, g farmont, m heyes, d hoking, b harpin, m kitto, d kirkwood, e parker, l simpson, ida stephenson, m stephenson, l smalley, mrs w taylor, v thorpe, miss myrtle taylor, annie thomas, mrs c walk, miss r wallent. contraltos: miss f bertuch, mrs d campbell, miss i de ravin, m davis, p elliot, mrs j greenhill, mess n irving, i james, j seers, j shepherd, g stephens. tenors: j cotton, g english, d finery, alec jones, e jeffery, d parker, j sims. basses: d doran, j finerty, j h hardie, a b kirkwood, w l macauley, s c powell, r prigg, w reed, les spencely, cyril taylor, ken taylor. mr ron hovenden, scenic artist. ballet: misses clarice harry, rita lansell, thelma mckenzie, mena bailey, dorothy roberts, fay drummond, kath dungey, jean wright. dance mistress miss mercia wright. photo of dance group.