A series of black and white photographs showing 1870 Founders Hall under construction. The brick hall is now a part a Federation University Australia's Caro Conference Centre and is located on the Mount Helen Campus federation university, federation university australia, feduni, university of ballarat, caro conference centre, 1870 founders hall, founders hall, great hall, construction

Colour photographs from the Caro Conference Centre Courtyard looking towards the E.J. Barker Library.e.j. barker library, albert coates centre, mount helen library, mount helen campus

In the course of celebrating the Ballarat School of Mines centenary in 1970, the School Coundil launched a building appeal for erection of a Great Hall at tehe then new Mount Helen campus of its tertiary division. In 1976 the tethertiary division of the School of Mines was, by government decision, merger with another tertiary institution in Ballarat to vreate the Ballarat College of Advanced Education while the remainder of the School of Mines continued to be based at Lydiard Street serving the needs of Technical and Further Education. The 1870s Founders Hall, erected from the provceeds of the Centenary Appeal for a sum of approximately $800,000, commemorats the intiative of the founders of the original School of Mines and its "descendants", including Ballarat C.A.E., as well as formal technical education in Australia. The hall accomodates approximately 670 people in theatre type seating and was intended for multiple purpose use by community groups as well as by the College. Construction of the Hall commenced in 1878. It was opened approximately 110 years after the opening of the Ballarat School of Mines, and 10 years after the opening of the Mount Helen campus.Photograph of Founder Halls, most probably taken soon after contruction.founder hall, caro conference centre, buildings, mount helen campus

In the course of celebrating the Ballarat School of Mines centenary in 1970, the School Coundil launched a building appeal for the erection of a Great Hall at tehe then new Mount Helen campus of its tertiary division. In 1976 the tertiation division of the School of Mines was, by government decision, merger with another tertiary institution in Ballarat to vreate the Ballarat College of Advanced Education while the remainder of the School of Mines continued to be based at Lydiard Street serving the needs of Technical and Further Education. The 1870s Founders Hall, erected from the proceeds of the Centenary Appeal for a sum of approximately $800,000, commemorats the intiative of the founders of the original School of Mines and its "descendants", including Ballarat C.A.E., as well as formal technical education in Australia. The hall accomodates approximately 670 people in theatre type seating and was intended for multiple purpose use by community groups as well as by the College. Construction of the Hall commenced in 1878. It was opened approximately 110 years after the opening of the Balalrat School of Mines, and 10 years after the opening of the Mount Helen campus. Programme for the opening of Founder Halls.founder hall, caro conference centre, buildings, mount helen campus, founders hall, ballarat school of mines, centenary

Grey soft covered book with a photographic image of E.J. (Jack) Barker on the front. The contents include family history, teaching at the Ballarat School of Mines, Principal of the Ballarat School of Mines, inaugural Director of Ballarat Institute of Advanced Education, Committees hobbies and travel.e.j. barker, jack barker, winsome barker, ballarat school of mines, ballarat institute of advanced education, ballarat college of advanced education, higher education council, williamstown, edward john barker, footscrat technical school, engineering, joe barberis, baseball, tennis, john barker, queenscliff, david gordon, emine karakan, robby main, dick richards, r.w. richards, laboratory, thermodynamics laboratory, fluid mechanics laboratory, harry arblaster, warren perry, ballarat school of mines museum, derek wooley, ed phillips, ballarat gaol, gaol tunnels, mount helen campus, geoff harrison, lindsay pryor, tree planting at mt helen campus, ballarat technology park, 1870 founders hall, john beaumont, initiations, goon's gift, raft races, bath tub push, centenary appeal, prince charles visit, philip law, fourth university committee, ballarat teachers' college, ballarat school of mines motto, caro conference centre, creswick school of forestry, ballarat hospital nurse education, aquinas catholic teachers' college, family history, genealogy

Ballarat College of Advanced Education is a predecessor organisation of the University of Ballarat. Founders Hall is located on the University's Mt Helen Campus, and is now within the Caro Conference Centre. The Ballarat Symphony Orchestra is dedicated to the performance of fine music at the highest level possible, and was formed in order to provide both a performance opportunity for musicians in Ballarat and District and also to enrich the cultural life of the community. The home of the ensemble was at the Ballarat College of Advanced Education, and it was intended that the orchestra serve the needs of both education and the community.White, soft coloured programme. Conductors were David Forrest, Adrian Thomas and Graeme Vendy. The soloist was Kevin McFerrandavid forrest, adrian thomas, graeme vendy, kevin mcferran, ballarat college of edvanced education, founders hall, ballarat symphony orchestra

The Federation University Mt Helen Campus was once the farm of John Latta and his wife Elizabeth Ann Dean. The couple married in 1867 and had three children at the time of John Latta's death (Elizabeth Ann b.1870; Mary b.1873; John b.1875). Elizabeth later married George Downing, and had another six children. The house was situated in the vicinity of the current Administration and Caro Conference Centre buildings, surrounded by an orchard, and a well under the current Albert Coates Building (Union Building). The land was purchased by the Ballarat School of Mines for their tertiary division from the Stapleton family.Various items relating to the Federation University Mount Helen Campus, and the early settlers on the land, the Latta Family. .1) Parish Plan, including E. Latta, M. Fiscalini, R. Wynne, R. Nixon, J.U. Smith, J. Davis .2) Part of a 1930s ordinance map showing Ballarat, Buninyong and Greenhill .3) Contour Map with the first two Mt Helen Campus buildings included. .4) Drawing a a proposed campus plan .5) Latta Family negativemount helen campus, latta family, greenhill, e. latta, m. fiscalini, r. wynne, r. nixon, j.u. smith, j. davis, parish plan, john latta, elizabeth latta, george downing, elezabeth downing, green hill, pontresina, abraham baxter, g. dean, market gardens, jim downing, bob thornton, j. hateley, martin fanning, toll keeper, anne beggs sunter

Federation University Mount Helen Campus was open to students in 1970. In that year Mr Dowling as photographed beside a big Tasmanian bluegum which was used a the centre Mount Helen Campus concept plan, and later became known as the Tree of Knowledge. Mr Dowling watered the tree after it was planted by his mother, Elizabeth Downing, on Arbour Day 1896. Mrs Downing raised her large family on the site of the Mount Helen Campus, which included an orchard and milking cows. The Tree of Knowledge is actually two trees, the trunks have fused together over time, and there is further evidence of fusion. The Downing farmhouse was situated in the vicinity of the present Administration and Caro Conference Centre buildings and the tree was planted beside the "dunny". It was carefully watered by the nine Downing children from a brick-lined well situated under what is now the Albert Coates Building. As the tree grew to maturity, it was used to hang a meat safe after slaughtering a sheep for the family table. Some years ago, when the foundations were being dug for the E-Building, an old rusted percussion pistol was found. One of Mrs Downing's sons, at that time well into his nineties, remembered getting into trouble for playing with it without permission, and losing it. The land was purchased in 1966 as part of a 241-acre site for Ballarat's new tertiary institution. When the architects and planners inspected the site, they decided "The Big Tree" must remain as a central landmark in preparing the layout of the campus amenities. In 1982, the spread of the tree was 36 metres, girth 7 metres, and height 36 metres. By 2003 the spread was 39.5 metres (N-S) and 35.5 metres (E-W), girth 7.75 metres, and height 42.5 metres. A man in overalls and jacket stands beside the Federation University Tree of Knowledge. Stage one buildings on the Mount Helen Campus are evident in the background.elizabeth downing, downing, tree of knowledge, big tree, mount helen campus, mount helen