Ruby Lonie was Senior Clerk of the Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) Administrative Staff. Always known as Miss Lonie, her sole position was at SMB where she worked between May 1914 and May 1960. When the SMB Registrar, John Robinson, died in 1935 the question of who would fill the position became a matter of urgency. The temporary answer was Miss Lonie, who was the senior clerk on the Registrar's staff. The permanent position was looked upon as an exclusively male preserve. Twenty Four years after having acted as Registrar the current SMB Registrar, F.F.Ferguson recognised Miss Lonie's assistance and her extensive knowledge of the history and the administrative procedures of the School. At Miss Lonie's retirement function SMB President, M.B. John, noted that Miss Lonie had joined the staff in 1914 and had 'done a tremendous job since that time, and for many years had been the Registrar's "Right Hand Man"women of note, ruby helen lonie, ballarat school of mines, senior clerk, administrative staff, acting registrar, recognition at retirement, f ferguson, smb president, m b john, 1914-1960

Colour photographs of the Stained Glass Window at the Ballarat Technical Art School, A division of the Ballarat School of Mines.stained glass, ballarat technical art school., miner's lamp

The Webster Street Precinct was actively mined during the 1850s. By the 1860s cottages had been built along the street and became fashionable.A small pamphlet outlining houses in Webster Street, Ballarat.webster street ballarat, architecture, peplow house, cairnhurst, roffensis, timeline, novar, glenholme, trerelffe, banyena, balderton, locksley, trelawne

This footage was taken during lockdowns during the Covid19 pandemic.A video and photograph showing snow falling by the former Ballarat Gaol Gates.snow, former ballarat gaol, ballarat school of mines, smb campus, covid19

This footage was taken during lockdowns during the Covid19 pandemic.A video and photograph showing snow falling Snow Falling Over the Ballarat School of Mines Botanical Gardens.snow, ballarat school of mines, smb campus, covid19, ballarat school of mines botanical gardens

This footage was taken during lockdowns during the Covid19 pandemic.A video and photograph showing snow falling Snow Falling Over the Ballarat School of Mines Botanical Gardens.snow, ballarat school of mines, smb campus, covid19, ballarat school of mines botanical gardens, p building

This footage was taken during lockdowns during the Covid19 pandemic.A photograph looking towards Albert Street, showing snow falling Snow Falling Over the Ballarat School of Mines Botanical Gardens.snow, ballarat school of mines, smb campus, covid19, ballarat school of mines botanical gardens, m.b. john building

This footage was taken during lockdowns during the Covid19 pandemic.A photograph looking towards A building showing snow falling Snow Falling Over the Ballarat School of Mines Botanical Gardens.snow, ballarat school of mines, smb campus, covid19, ballarat school of mines botanical gardens, a building, administration building

This footage was taken during lockdowns during the Covid19 pandemic.A photograph looking towards the M.B. John building showing snow falling Snow Falling Over the Ballarat School of Mines Botanical Gardens.snow, ballarat school of mines, smb campus, covid19, ballarat school of mines botanical gardens

This footage was taken during lockdowns during the Covid19 pandemic.A photograph looking towards the Administration Building showing snow falling at the Ballarat School of Mines Administration Building.snow, ballarat school of mines, smb campus, covid19, administration building

This footage was taken during lockdowns during the Covid19 pandemic.A photograph looking towards the Administration Building showing snow falling at the former Ballarat School of Mines Museum Building.snow, ballarat school of mines, smb campus, covid19, former ballarat school of mines museum, former wesley church

The former Ballarat Circuit Court Building, later the first building of the Ballarat School of Mines, was demolished to make way for a new custom built Art School building. Sir Alexander Peacock opened the Ballarat Technical Art School in July 1915. It cost 10,000 pounds and was constructed by the Public Works Department from plans drawn by the then Art School Principal, Herbert H. Smith. The building contractors were Messrs Gower and Eddards. According to the SMB Annual Report of 1914 'the internal upholstering and fittings have all been carried out in Australian timbers, with Queensland maple largely used throughout.' Before this building was constructed art and craft classes were held in various buildings around Ballarat. The building could be described as federation-art deco in style. It features sandstone insertion with sandstone string coursing. The base of the building is rusticated sandstone. The relief stone panel on the front with the words "Technical Art School" features stone pilaster brackets and corbels. In the centre front can be seen rectangular sandstone pediment with decorative stonework incorporating the date of construction. The windows in the lower floor feature five supporting keystones whereas the upper windows have sandstone lintels. The building also features decorative cast iron downpipes. The entrance on the northern side has attractive leadlight glazing in an art deco style. Above the door a miner's lamp and pick are featured in the design. The building is functional in design with large metal windows in the south wall to ensure good light into the studios. The northern wall has standard double hung windows. The interior of the building features a carved wooden staircase and cast iron ceiling vents. The rear drawing studios can be made into one large studio by opening panelled timber doors. This opening features classical plaster pilasters with a pediment above.Colour photograph of a sandstone detail on a double storey, red brick building - the Ballarat Technical Art School, a division of the Ballarat School of Minesballarat school of mines, ballarat technical art school, architecture, art, gribble building

In January 1974, 103 years after the establishment of the Ballarat School of Mines (SMB), Dorothy made history by becoming the first woman appointed to the SMB Council. A pharmaceutical chemist, she was also known for her work with the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery and her co-ordination of the merger between Ballarat Grammar School and Queen's Anglican Grammar School in 1973. women of note, ballarat, dorothy molloy, ballarat school of mines, council, first woman to council, pharmaceutical chemist, ballarat fine art gallery, merger of ballarat grammar and queens anglican grammar, 1973, 1974

Heather studied at the School of Mines and Ballarat College of Advanced Education and was awarded the Civil Engineering Scholarship in 1977. She graduated in 1978. Heather broke down barriers in engineering with an integrity that earned her tremendous respect and led to her becoming the first female Head of Engineering for the City of Ballarat. Heather pioneered sustainable design and was the first of a new breed of engineers to consider the urban water cycle in its entirety and not in isolated parts, a radical approach at the time. In her honour, the Pitman Benjamin Engineering Prize was founded, to recognise students like Heather, who have chosen not to accept the status quo, but instead to change the world to make it better for all.women of note, ballarat school of mines, ballarat college of advanced education, first female, head of engineering, city of ballarat, civil engineering scholarship, pioneered sustainable design, urban water cycle, pitman benjamin engineering scholarship

Jeanette Perkins was born in 1927 at Ballarat. She attended Alfredton State School and Pleasant Street State School before completing her secondary schooling at Ballarat High School (BHS). During her later years at BHS Perkins decided that she wanted to become a geologist, but was ineligible for university when she failed Leaving Certificate maths. She attended an interview with the principal (Heseltine) at the Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) and announced that she wanted to be a geologist. Heseltine was, according to Perkins, aghast: he informed her that there had never been a female geologist at SMB and they didn't want one. But Perkins persisted. Only then did Heseltine reluctantly enrol her in the School's Applied Chemistry Course which offered the most geological subjects, moreover, it was the only one he considered available to a 'mere' female. After graduating Perkins was employed as a metallurgical chemist with M.B. Johns Valves, Ballarat. In 1949 she married Alfred Watson. In 1951 Jeanette and Alf Watson moved to Melbourne where she commenced work as a metallurgical chemist at the Maribyrnong Ordnance Factory while studying geology part time: Alf returned to study at the University of Melbourne. Once again, Watson set a precedent by becoming the first female student to study geology part-time at the Melbourne Technical College. Increasing demands brought about by her growing family, she turned to part-time lecturing second and third year stratigraphy and palaeontology at RMIT. In 1957 the Watsons moved to the Mary Kathleen Uranium Mine in NW Queensland where he was appointed electrical design engineer. After their return to Melbourne in 1960, Jeanette taught herself to SCUBA dive and quickly developed a passion for the sport and the marine environment. She taught senior science to secondary students for 10 years whilst working towards a Masters degree. In 1991 Jeanette Watson was awarded a Doctorate from Deakin University.women of note, ballarat school of mines, alfredton state school, pleasant street state school, ballarat high school, leaving certificate maths, interview with principal, heseltine, geologist, applied chemistry course, no female geologists, metallurgical chemist, married 1949, melbourne, ordinance factory, part time study, melbourne technical college, rmit, part time lecturer, scuba diving, science teacher for ten years, masters degree, doctorate, deakin university

Anne completed her secondary education at Presentation College Windsor. She left Melbourne to study Librarianship at Ballarat College of Advanced Education and completed a Graduate Diploma of Librarianship in 1981 and a Graduate Diploma of Education in 1986. During her studies Anne E. Stewart produced weekly shows on 3BBB Community Radio Ballarat, `As the assistant children's librarian at Geelong in 1987 Anne E. Stewart drove the Jolly Jumbuck storytelling van to various local sites, gathered the children and told a story. A keen community player Anne E. Stewart has fulfilled a number of pro bono roles such as the President of the Australian Storytelling Guild (Vic Branch), and Council President of the Daylesford Primary School. Anne E. Stewart is a senior writer for the 'Swag of Yarns' and has worn the prestigious storytellers Cape at Dromkeen, an institution that nurtures and develops children's literature. Returning to her alma mater in 2007 Anne E. Stewart developed a ghost tour through the historic Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) campus. Established in 1870, and incorporating a former gaol, the SMB ghosts came to life as she enthralled numerous groups visiting the campus on Open Day 2007, 2008 and 2009. In 2009 Anne E. Stewart was a principal teller at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival at Edinburgh.women of note, ballarat college of advanced education, anne stewart, presentaion college windsor, librarianship, graduate diploma of librarianship, graduate diploma of education, community radio, geelong library, jolly jumbuck van, storytelling, australian storytelling guild, daylesford primary school, swag of yarns, cape at dromkeen, children's literature, ghost tours, school of mines ballarat