BALLAN RAILWAY WATER TANK
705 OLD MELBOURNE ROAD BALLAN, MOORABOOL SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
The site is significant to the Ballan region as it marks a time of pivitol change throughout the state. The Gold Rush and immediate post-Gold Rush period was a time of massive growth and expansion development of infrastructure, like the Melbourne to Ballarat railway line. There are records of water tanks used to supply steam trains with water (see Context 2007: 10-11 for examples). However, the available photographs indicate that these tanks were above ground and very square in shape. This is in contrast to the curved water tank indentified at Ballan. It is difficult to tell without further investigation whether this structure was initially built above ground or intended to be partially below ground as it is at present. The Ballan water tank is also far more crudely made and basic than some of the previously recorded examples. This structure is therefore significant, as no comparable example of this style of water tank has yet been recorded in Victoria.
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BALLAN RAILWAY WATER TANK - History
The site is located west of Ballan, approximately 3km from the town centre. Ballan was first settled in the mid 1830s and was so named in 1836 after a town in Northern Ireland, the birthplace of Robert von Stieglitz, who was one of the first inhabitants of the area. This region was dramatically affected by the Victorian Gold Rush, the epicentre of which was Ballarat (30km west of Ballan). Because Ballan was located on the road from Melbourne to the gold fields, the high level of traffic allowed the town to grow and develop. This development ground to a halt in 1889 when the railway from Melbourne to Ballarat was completed, meaning Ballan was no longer an essential throughfair.
No history specific to the water tank could be located.
BALLAN RAILWAY WATER TANK - Interpretation of Site
The site is located along the northern side of this railway line and likely marks a stopping point for steam trains looking to refill their tanks
(or 'tender car,' which would store the water) from a reserve of water kept on the side of the railway line. These water reserves were initially known as a 'Track Pan' in America and a 'Water Trough' in Britain, though the shape of the recorded feature suggests that the site is more likely simply a railway 'water tank'.There are no known homesteads or houses associated with the structure. The date of the structure is unknown and it is not shown on early parish maps. The manufacturing technique used to make the bricks appears to be
'wire-cut' (extruded). They have small quartz inclusions, thin striations, no frogs (the impressed top of a brick, often with manufacturers name) and are heavy. This style of brick is typical of those manufactured between 1870 and 1900, though this extended to 1940 in rural areas of Ausralia, like Ballan. This fits in with the dates of the railway line (1889), and the tank's close proximity to the tracks suggests that it was built purposely for the rail. The surrounding artefacts included machine-made bottles (approx. 1880-present) and fragments of blue and black transfer printed ceramics(1805-present). These items may have been left/disposed of by the people re-filling the train, or even building the 'water tank' or railway line.Heritage Inventory Description
BALLAN RAILWAY WATER TANK - Heritage Inventory Description
The structure is only partially exposed (approximately 20%), with ten courses of brick showing. The measurable dimensions of the exposed areas are: 1750mm (L) x 890mm (H) x 92mm (D).
The majority of the bricks were covered or their full dimensions not measurable. Two complete bricks were measured for comparison and their Musel colour recorded:
Brick 1: 242mm (L) x 112mm (W) x 74mm (H), Munsel- 2.5 YR 5/6 Red
Brick 2: 236 m (L) x 98mm (W) x 72mm (H), Munsel- 2.5 YR 5/8 Red
There were several bricks within the matrix which appeared to be higher fired or glazed, their colour was slightly varied- 2.5YR, ¾ Dark Reddish-Brown.
There are three timber features located within 2m west of the brick structure. These could be related to rural fencing, which is still present in the surrounding area. There are also artefact fragment scatters around the brick feature, particularly to the east. These artefacts comprise glass, ceramic, metal and brick fragments.
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BALLAN RAILWAY WATER TANKVictorian Heritage Inventory
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