Robert O'Hara Burke and Thomas Pope Besnard were childhood friends. As sexton of the local Back Creek Cemetery Thomas Besnard organised a subscription to raise the money for a monument to Burke, Wills and Gray. A subscription of one shilling, no more and not less, was asked so all subscribers were equal. The Bendigo monument was designed by Adam Duncan and features a Corinthian column mounted on a foundation stone, topped with a Grecian urn draped with the Union Jack. The stone for the monument was quarried from New Chum Mine. The site in the Bendigo Cemetery was selected by Besnard so the monument was on a grass knoll well clear of any other graves. The design included landscaping with a path and garden beds that provided dignified access. The Burke and Wills Monument in Bendigo has been entered on the Register of the National Estate as being important for its association with historical events and developments associated with exploration in the early days of Colony of Victoria. Two conifers remain from the original group sent by Mueller of the Melbourne Botanical Gardens to develop the garden layout on the knoll. These two trees are listed as Significant Trees by City of Greater Bendigo. The foundation block was laid on 20 August 1862 by Chairman of the Bendigo Municipality, Charles Burrows – exactly two years after the Expedition left Melbourne. A half day holiday was declared by Bendigo Council, and a procession left the Bendigo Town Hall and marched to the cemetery where 8000 people were gathered and another 4000 lined the route. John King was unable to attend due to ill health. Chairman of the Municipality of Bendigo, Charles Burrows, gave a long address, and diaries of members of the expedition, the Sandhurst Almanac, the Bendigo Advertiser, the Bendigo Independent Evening News, photographs of the deceased, photographs of Public Buildings in Bendigo, a Sydney half sovereign and all the silver coins of the Realm were wrapped in a Union Jack and placed in a niche in the foundation stone. Fifteen months later a column was erected on the foundation stone after Besnard openly criticised the Memorial Committee for their lack of action. The Bendigo Advertiser was disappointed at the location of the monument preferring a more central location and in 1893 an attempt was made to move the monument to Rosalind Park. On 19 May 1893, Mr Minto, the City Surveyor of the Bendigo MunicIpality reported it would cost £25, and no other action occurred. In 1940 the land around the memorial was sold off as grave sites and the paths and garden beds disappeared with graves now surrounding the base of the monument. The Burke and Wills Monument in Bendigo Cemetery was entered on the Register of the National Estate for its association with historical events and developments associated with exploration in the early days of Colony of Victoria. Two conifers remain from the original group sent by Mueller of the Melbourne Botanical Gardens to develop the garden layout on the knoll. These two trees are listed as Significant Trees by City of Greater Bendigo.Burke and Wills Memorial at Bendigo Cemetery, 2018Erected by the people of Bendigo in honor of the Victorian Explorers, Burke, Wills, Gray and King who first crossed the continent of Australia. King alone surviving the privation and suffering under which his three brave ill-fated companions sank. A.D. 1862. Robert O'Hara Burke, leader of the Victorian Expedition, left Melbounre 24th August 1860. Reached Carpentaria 12th Feby 1861. Died on his return at Coopers Creek, 30th June 1861. Charles Gray, died also on his return at Polygorum Swamp. 17th April 1861. William John Wills, second in command, died also near Coopers Creek, 29th June 1861. bendigo cemetery, burke and wills, burke and wills memorial, william john wills, john o'hara burke, charles gray, polygonum swamp, coopers creek, victorian expedition, carpentaria, bendigo public cemetery, bendigo remembrance park, thomas pope besnard

Two copies of plan for Abe Lincoln Co. Lease, New Chum, Sandhurst. One original, one copy. On top of plan 'Plan Showing Position of the Abe Lincoln Co. Lease, New Chum, Sandhurst' under name 'by H.B. Nicholas, Mining Surveyor' Sheepshead Reef, Easter reef, Alfred Reef, Allingham Reef,Adventure Reef, Belle Vue Reef, New Chum Reef, Black Lead, Victoria Reef lines shown on map with mine leases marked. On bottom of map 'Monument Hill Reef' line marked.bendigo, mining, abe lincoln lease

a. Hard cover book, green cover, red spine. Written on front of journal: 'Deborah Journal', entry dates from 1932 to 1950. Salaries and other payments listed. b. Typed three-page transcript of significant entries inserted inside front cover of book. List compiled by Phyllis Toy, BHS member.business, mining, monument hill consolidated company

Letter (handwritten in black pen) sent by Monument Hill Consolidated (Bendigo ) Old Violet Street, Bendigo, dated 16th January 1935, to the Chairman and Directors. Letter deals with transfer of an area north of Rowan St., on 'your' battery lease to Nell Gwynne (BML) Mines. Recommends the right to lay a pipeline across the area from the dam to the proposed battery site, and also the transfer to your company of an area on the eastern side, as near as possible to the area granted on the north. Signed F. Chenhall, Mine Manager.bendigo, business, monument hill consolidated bendigo

Letter to J.J. Stanistreet, Legal Manager, Monument Hill Gold Mining Co., Bendigo from Nell Gwynne Mines N.L., dated 26th September 1934. Letter in connection with our request for the allotment to us of a section of the Monument Hill battery site area for use in disposal of mullock from our Nell Gwynne shaft. Mentions raising wall of existing wall of dam. Plan of the locality attached. See 2205.846.bendigo, business, nell gwynne mines n.l.

Pale blue waxed paper plan. Written on back of plan ' Monument Hill Battery site, area desired by Bendigo Mines (Nell Gwynne) for disposal of mullock. Plan shows Ophir Street, Rowan Street, Written on bottom RH corner 'Bendigo Mines Ltd., surface plan, vicinity Nell Gwynne Shaft, Scale 1" = 40' Magnetic north marked, sand dumps and contour lines.bendigo, business, mccoll, rankin & stanistreet

Letter to K.A. Cameron, Nell Gwynne (BML) Mines N.L.,Charing Cross, Bendigo re Monument Hill Consolidated (Bendigo) N.L., re approval of application re section of lease 10238., dated 18th. January 1935.bendigo, business, nell gwynne mines n.l.

BHS CollectionDocuments: Monument Hill consolidated sale notice for 24000 shares in North Deborah Mining Company. Bank receipts & sale notices (1952-3) in cardboard cover tied with string.MCCOLL RANKIN & STANISTREETorganization, business, gold mine shares., mccoll ranking & stanistreet

Document. Bundle of documents; receipts for Treasury Bonds, Whippet Gold Mine shares, Agreements with Monument Hill Consolidated. Receipt for two pistols from the North Deborah Mining Co.McColl, Rankin & Stanistreetorganization, business, mccoll, rankin & stanistreet, north deborah mining co. nl, monument hill consolidated, whippet gold mine, gold mining, treasury bonds

Document. Envelope contains: - Cert. of Inspection of Boiler, Receipt for Treasury Bonds, Bendigo Sewerage Authority + Final Certificate, War Damage Commission Receipt lease, Agreement with Monument Hill Consolidated. Central Deborah Gold Mine.McColl, Rankin & Stanistreetorganization, business, gold mine, mccoll, rankin & stanistreet, central deborah gmc nl, gold mining, boiler inspection cert. treasury bonds receipt, bendigo sewerage authority