WHITE FLAT OVAL REFUSE SITE

HICKMAN STREET BALLARAT CENTRAL, BALLARAT CITY

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Victorian Heritage Inventory

Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • History

    WHITE FLAT OVAL REFUSE SITE - History

    May have been 19th century tip/refuse site, perhaps disturbed at some time as part of works to Yarrowee Channel. 2020 updated site card: Mount Pleasant is a suburb established by Cornish miners and their families in 1853 - somewhat removed from the ‘rowdy Ballarat gold diggings’ (Victorian Places Website, accessed 13/05/2020). Settled in 1836 by the Yuille brothers when they established their sheep run, it became home to a number of shepherds and woodcutters who worked on the property and as such was one of the last areas to be impacted by gold mining. This made it attractive to the Cornish miners who travelled each day to work on the nearby goldfields, and as such it is considered the oldest residential suburb of Ballarat (Mount Pleasant History Group brochure, accessed online 28/05/2020). By 1855, the Cornish community had established a Wesleyan school and a church; however, in 1856 Mount Pleasant became a goldfield itself and a quickly erected town centre was established on Prest Street. Furthermore the length of the Yarrowee River has been heavily impacted by agricultural and market gardens from 1837 onwards; gold mining activities from the mid 1850’s; runoff from industrial activities from the early 1870’s; and was affected by channelisation works from 1916 (Mount Pleasant History Group brochure, accessed online 28/05/2020). These channelisation works began informally with timber reused from mining activities but over time this was replaced with brick, bluestone and concrete. Previously recovered artefacts are listed as dating to the 19th and early 20th century.

    Historical Significance

    WHITE FLAT OVAL REFUSE SITE - Historical Significance

    High quantities of locally and internationally produced artefacts have been collected; largely bottles and ceramics. Also a small quantity of 19th century mining artefacts were discovered. The site may inform on domestic and mining activities through Ballarat's history. Site is highly disturbed.

    Interpretation of Site

    WHITE FLAT OVAL REFUSE SITE - Interpretation of Site

    Possible dump site/refuse deposit for domestic rubbish. Likely to contain artefacts representative of 19th century activities, in gold fields region. May reflect ethnicity themes, including Chinese. 2020 updated site card: Possible dump site/refuse deposit for domestic rubbish. Likely to contain artefacts representative of 19th century domestic and possibly industrial activities in the Ballarat as well as the wider goldfields region. May reflect ethnicity themes, including Chinese and Cornish.

    Archaeological Significance

    WHITE FLAT OVAL REFUSE SITE - Archaeological Significance

    The site is highly disturbed. There is a mixture of 19th and early 20th century material, including modern material. The artefacts are in the top strata, up to 1.5m in depth. Sterile clay layers exist below this.

    Heritage Inventory Description

    WHITE FLAT OVAL REFUSE SITE - Heritage Inventory Description

    Between Yarrowee Creek and lower White Flat Oval a possible tip/refuse site containing historic bottles and assorted a kitchen and decorative wares (ceramic, metal and glass) was uncovered through sewerage works. Artefacts located consistently at depths of 0-1.5m. Most of the site exists on the public walkway between the oval and the creek, however a thin section of the oval itself contains artefacts. 2020 updated site card: The site is a surface scatter of artefacts located along the north western bank of the Yarrowee River between the White Flat Oval and Hill Street, Mount Pleasant/ Golden Point, Ballarat, Victoria. The artefacts are primarily ceramic and glass, but shell fragments and pieces of metal are also present. The scatter is most easily identified in areas of higher visibility and low vegetation, such as along fence lines and under trees. It is unknown whether or not this site continues underground at this stage.
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