Sovereign Hill’s volunteer historian Bruce Hunter was guest speaker at our club meeting on 21st August 2024.

Bruce has completed extensive research focusing on the development of Ballarat’s main road traders from the 1850’s onwards and provided us with a very clear insight into Main Road during the gold rush.

Bruce provided a fascinating background story of how the miners travelled to Australia then overland to the goldfields.

Main Road was the heart of the gold rush in Ballarat and started as a tent city - subject to fire, flood and poor sanitary conditions.

The commercial centre of Ballarat shifted to its current location due to the travails of life in Main Road.