This group of buildings all of which served as churches at different periods is one of the best visual demonstrations of the rapid growth of Ballarat caused by the boom years of the gold rush following the initial alluvial diggings of the 1850s. The smallest church was built in 1861 followed by the next built in 1867 and finally the construction of the grand church on the corner of Neil and Macarthur streets Soldiers' Hill in the 1890s.methodist church, uniting church, soldiers hill, ballarat.

Hat badge of Michael Taffe, 6 RVR at the Victoria St Barracks Melbourne in 1971. The 6th Battalion Royal Victoria Regiment was a militia (Citizens Military Forces) regiment formed in 1965 from what was earlier the Royal Melbourne Regiment. Crossed rifles surmounted by crown with scroll to base bearing the word Victoria in gilt on large V in softer gilt.royal melbourne regiment, 6rvr, hat badge, victoria street, melbourne, taffe,

The bookplate/premium plate identifies this book as being from the Young Men's General Debating Society South Street Ballarat 1897. This society was formed six years earlier and evolved into The Grand National Eisteddfod of Australasia or the Royal South Street Society in 1962. This book of sermons was written by Ballarat personality the Rev William Henderson who was responsible for the building of Ballarat's St Andrew's Kirk and the establishment of Ballarat College. It is one of many books of sermons published by Henderson and is the most significant of those productions, most of which are booklets. The bookplate identifies this book as belonging to one of Australia's oldest and most prestigious Eisteddfods The Royal South Street Competitions founded in 1891, the best known feature of which is the Sun Aria operatic competition. The book itself is a totally local product printed, published and bound in Ballarat in 1882, the publisher & binder being McHutchison & Campbell of Lydiard St, Ballarat.theology, sermons

The Ballarat Homecoming celebrations in 1935 were claimed in the local newspaper, The Courier to be 'the greatest pageant organised in any of Victoria's provincial centres'. The celebrations included street stalls, illuminations and carnival rides.A rare survivor of an ephemeral souvenir item from the Back to Ballarat March 9-10th, 1935.Symbols of the City of Ballaarat, a miner, and an agricultural worker set against the rising sun.Stokes Melb stamped to back of badge.ballarat, stokes, 1935, homecoming

Brass band instrumental music competitions were enthusiastically followed in Australia in the early twentieth century. Ballarat was a leading centre for these musical competitions and Michael Taffe played cornet and flugelhorn with several local brass bands. He was Australian Junior Cornet solo Champion in 1920 and won the open section of the instrumentals at the VRI competitions held in the ballroom at Flinders Street Station in 1924. michael taffe, victorian railways institute, cornet solo, flinders street station ballroom