Historical information

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.

Physical description

Programme for the opening of Founder Halls.