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STONE MILEPOSTS - GLENELG HIGHWAY
GLENELG HIGHWAY SMYTHESDALE AND SMYTHES CREEK AND DELACOMBE, GOLDEN PLAINS SHIRE, BALLARAT CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register
Milepost A 2020
Milepost A 2020
Milepost A 2020
DIAGRAM 1701 Letters
DIAGRAM 1701a 20m
DIAGRAM 1701b 20m
DIAGRAM 1701c 20m
DIAGRAM 1701d 20m
DIAGRAM 1701e 20m
Milepost A 2
Milepost A 3
Milepost E 2020
Milepost B 2020
Milepost D 2020
Milepost C 2020
On this page:

Statement of Significance

What is significant?

The five nineteenth-century basalt mileposts located along the Glenelg Highway between Smythesdale and Delacombe.
 

How is it significant?

The Stone Mileposts – Glenelg Highway are of historical significance to the State of Victoria. They satisfy the following criteria for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register.
 
• Criterion A Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history.
 
• Criterion B Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history.
 
• Criterion D Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places and objects.
 

Why is it significant?

The Stone Mileposts – Glenelg Highway are historically significant for their association with the development and use of the road transport network in Victoria in the mid-nineteenth century. Road construction accelerated in Victoria following the gold rushes of the 1850s and the mileposts, likely erected in the 1860s, represent a rationalisation of the road system in a rapidly developing area of the colony. They are significant for their ability to demonstrate a popular coach route and requirements of travel by road in the era. As a collection of mileposts, they allow the use of the road network in mid-nineteenth century Victoria to be better understood than most other places or objects with the same association. They are a highly visible and intact reminder of the experience of travel by road in rural Victoria in the mid-nineteenth century. (Criterion A)
 
The Stone Mileposts – Glenelg Highway are historically significant for their association with the preparations in Victoria for a potential land invasion during World War II. After the fall of Pearl Harbour in 1942, most of the mileposts were buried a few metres behind their original location to limit navigation and wayfinding information available to a potential invading force. Most of the mileposts were subsequently re-erected following the war. (Criterion A)
 
The Stone Mileposts – Glenelg Highway are significant as a rare surviving example of a group of 1860s mileposts that follow a popular nineteenth-century transport route. Stone mileposts were once common throughout western Victoria but were gradually replaced by cast iron and cast concrete alternatives, or otherwise lost or damaged. Although there are other individual examples of stone mileposts, there are few examples of roads that retain multiple mileposts (Criterion B).
 
The Stone Mileposts – Glenelg Highway are a notable example of roadside mileposts. Demonstrating construction techniques and materials of the 1860s, they encapsulate a key evolutionary phase in the development of the class. They are fine, being substantial and highly visible. Their placement allows the role of the class of mileposts to be easily understood. They demonstrate the skill of the stonemason’s craft in their sturdy construction and lettering (Criterion D).
 
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    • History

      STONE MILEPOSTS - GLENELG HIGHWAY - History

      Victoria’s road network expanded following its separation from New South Wales and the gold rushes of the 1850s. Shires or local district road boards were largely responsible for building and maintaining local roads across Victoria. In the 1860s, the Shire of Grenville managed roads south-west of Ballarat. While the railway came to Ballarat in 1862, travel by coach was critical for travel between and beyond railway stations into more remote areas of western Victoria. In May 1864, the Victorian Roads & Bridges Office requested that the Shire of Grenville erect milestones along its major shire roads including the road to Hamilton which was a popular coach route. In 1866, the Shire called for tenders for the mileposts and appointed local mason James Overend to produce mileposts for the section of the road between Pittong and Sebastopol. Many mileposts, including these, were removed or buried on Government order in preparation for a possible Japanese land invasion following the entry of Japan into World War II in 1942. Some of the mileposts were re-erected following the war. While the mileposts were initially unpainted, they were painted by the Country Roads Board toward the end of the twentieth century.

      Permit Exemptions

      STONE MILEPOSTS - GLENELG HIGHWAY - Permit Exemptions

      General Exemptions:

      General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.

      Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.

      Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.

      Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.

      Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.

      Specific Exemptions:

      INTRODUCTION TO PERMIT EXEMPTIONS
      Preamble
      The purpose of this information is to assist owners and other interested parties when considering or making decisions regarding works to a registered place. It is recommended that any proposed works be discussed with an officer of Heritage Victoria prior to making a permit application. Discussing proposed works will assist in answering questions the owner may have and aid any decisions regarding works to the place.

      The extent of registration of the Stone Mileposts – Glenelg Highway in the Victorian Heritage Register affects the whole place shown on Diagram H1701 including the mileposts and their foundations, land, roads, paths, verges, median strips, trees, landscape elements and other features. Under the Heritage Act 2017 a person must not remove or demolish, damage or despoil, develop or alter or excavate, relocate or disturb the position of any part of a registered place or object without approval. It is acknowledged, however, that alterations and other works may be required to keep places and objects in good repair and adapt them for use into the future.

      If a person wishes to undertake works or activities in relation to a registered place or registered object, they must apply to the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria for a permit. The purpose of a permit is to enable appropriate change to a place and to effectively manage adverse impacts on the cultural heritage significance of a place as a consequence of change. If an owner is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that Heritage Victoria be contacted.

      Permits are required for anything which alters the place or object, unless a permit exemption is granted. Permit exemptions usually cover routine maintenance and upkeep issues faced by owners as well as minor works or works to the elements of the place or object that are not significant. They may include appropriate works that are specified in a conservation management plan. Permit exemptions can be granted at the time of registration (under s.38 of the Heritage Act) or after registration (under s.92 of the Heritage Act). It should be noted that the addition of new buildings to the registered place, as well as alterations to the interior and exterior of existing buildings requires a permit, unless a specific permit exemption is granted.

      Disrepair of registered place or registered object
      Under s.152 of the Act, the owner of a registered place or registered object must not allow that place or object to fall into disrepair.

      Failure to maintain registered place or registered object
      Under s.153 of the Act, the owner of a registered place or registered object must not fail to maintain that place or object to the extent that its conservation is threatened.

      Conservation management plans
      It is recommended that a Conservation Management Plan is developed to manage the place in a manner which respects its cultural heritage significance.

      Aboriginal cultural heritage
      If works are proposed which have the potential to disturb or have an impact on Aboriginal cultural heritage it is necessary to contact Aboriginal Victoria to ascertain any requirements under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006. If any Aboriginal cultural heritage is discovered or exposed at any time it is necessary to immediately contact Aboriginal Victoria to ascertain requirements under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006.

      Other approvals
      Please be aware that approval from other authorities (such as local government) may be required to undertake works.

      Archaeology
      There is no identified archaeology of state level significance at the place.

      Cultural heritage significance
      Overview of significance
      The cultural heritage significance of the Stone Mileposts – Glenelg Highway lies in the physical fabric of the mileposts themselves, as well as their locations and relationship to the Glenelg Highway.

      CATEGORIES OF WORKS OR ACTIVITIES (PERMIT EXEMPTIONS)
      RECOMMENDED UNDER S.38
      The following permit exemptions are not considered to cause harm to the cultural heritage significance of the place.

      Notes
      • All works should ideally be informed by a Conservation Management Plan prepared for the place. The Executive Director is not bound by any Conservation Management Plan, and permits still must be obtained for works suggested in any Conservation Management Plan.
      • Nothing in this determination prevents the Heritage Council from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
      • Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits where applicable.

      General Conditions
      • All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place.
      • Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place are revealed which relate to the significance of the place, then the exemption covering such works must cease and Heritage Victoria must be notified as soon as possible.

      Specific Permit Exemptions

      Road maintenance
      • Maintenance and repair works to existing roadways, pathways, shoulders, medians and verges including works to the road surface, kerbs and channels, road line marking, fire hydrants and drains.
      • Maintenance and repair of safety critical infrastructure including barriers of all types.
      • Maintenance to or removal of existing underground and overhead utilities.
      • Repair and maintenance of light masts and road signs.
      • Removal or replacement of existing signage provided the size, location and material remains the same.


      Temporary structures
      • The installation and/or erection of temporary elements associated with road works for a maximum period of six months after which time they must be removed and any affected areas of the place made good to match the condition of the place prior to installation. This includes:
      •  Temporary protective barriers surrounding the mileposts during roadworks for a period no longer than six months.
      •  Temporary security fencing, scaffolding, hoardings or surveillance systems to prevent unauthorised access or secure public safety during roadworks.
      •  Temporary built or mobile structures such as portable toilets.
      •  Temporary infrastructure, including wayfinding/directional/instructional signage, lighting, public address systems, and the like in support of roadworks which do not require fixing into the ground within 10 metres of the milepost.
      Landscape
      • The processes of landscape maintenance including slashing and mowing. Protection is to be provided for the mileposts during this work.
      • Installation of physical barriers or traps to enable vegetation protection and management of vermin such as rats, mice and possums.
      • Like for like repair and maintenance of driveways where the location is unchanged.
      • Removal of tree seedlings and suckers without the use of herbicides.
      • Management and maintenance of trees including formative and remedial pruning, removal of deadwood and pest and disease control.
      • Emergency tree works to maintain public safety.
      • Removal of environmental and noxious weeds in a manner which does not disturb the foundations of the mileposts. 

Public contributions

Note: Developments may span multiple time periods
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