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FORMER MINING EXCHANGE
8-14 LYDIARD STREET NORTH BALLARAT CENTRAL, BALLARAT CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register
Former Mining Exchange
Former Mining Exchange
Former Mining Exchange
Former Mining Exchange 2
FORMER MINING EXCHANGE SOHE 2008
Entrance gates
Window
FORMER MINING EXCHANGE SOHE 2008
1 former mining exchange ballarat front view oct1980
former mining exchange ballarat detail from front entrance oct1980
DIAGRAM 391
On this page:

Statement of Significance

What is significant?
The Mining Exchange building was constructed in Lydiard Street, Ballarat in 1887-9. Foundation stones for this building, the Fine Art Gallery and the Old Colonists Association building, all in this section of Lydiard Street, were laid on 21 June 1887, Queen Victoria's Jubilee Day. It was designed by the local architect C. D. Figgis, and replaced an earlier stock exchange established at the corner of Sturt and Lydiard Streets. As early as 1857, the buying and selling of shares took place as a result of the formation of mining companies, necessary to finance the costly deep sinking of mines. Groups combined to provide funds and shares were made available to the general public. As a result a new class of person arose whose livelihood was in the dealing of shares.

The Mining Exchange building comprises a two storey block of shops at the front and a large single storey exchange hall at the rear. A central entrance in the symmetrical front facade leads to the main exchange hall, which is itself flanked internally by arcaded brokers' booths with arched clerestorey windows above, and a call room at the rear. The bull nose, corrugated iron roof of the main hall is supported on light trusses, principally formed of tension rods. Internally a bow fronted balcony projects above the entrance, set within an open elliptical archway with matching archways either side.

Designed in the typical classical 'boom' style of the late 1880s, the facade of this dark brick building utilises render to provide contrast. Shops are paired either side of a central wide elliptical entrance and prominent rusticated arches dominate the facade at street level. At first floor level, modified Palladian motifs form openings with emphasis placed on that of the central bay. A pedimented window and pediment placed centrally in the balustraded parapet above further emphasise the central bay.

The original single storey verandah was removed in 1964, however this was reinstated in 1986, based on the plans and details of the original.

How is it significant?
The former Mining Exchange building is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria.

Why is it significant?
The former Mining Exchange building is of architectural significance as an important example of 'boom style' classicism employed in the 1880s. Its planning and form are almost unique and the detailing of the exchange is unusual and highly distinctive. It is an example of the work of local architect, C. D. Figgis, who designed a variety of buildings in Ballarat.

The former Mining Exchange building is of historical significance as one of the few mining exchanges extant in Australia. The only comparable building is that at Charters Towers, which displays similar elements, however is a much smaller example. The Mining Exchange building is illustrative of a fundamental part of Ballarat's early history and as such provides a direct link with Ballarat's gold mining era. It is illustrative of Ballarat's critical role in the development of the Stock Exchange in Victoria, as gold discoveries in the 1850s provided the opportunity for the maturity of business and industry through the floatation of companies.

The former Mining Exchange building is representative of the peak of building in gold-rich Ballarat in the late 1880s, corresponding to the boom in Melbourne. The building forms an important element in the townscape of Ballarat and, together with surrounding buildings, forms an important nineteenth century streetscape in Victoria.
[Online Data Upgrade Project 2004]

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    • History

      FORMER MINING EXCHANGE - History

      The Mining Exchange building was constructed in Lydiard Street, Ballarat in 1887-9. Foundation stones for this building, the Fine Art Gallery and the Old Colonists Association building, all in this section of Lydiard Street, were laid on 21 June 1887, Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Day. It was designed by the local architect C. D. Figgis, and replaced an earlier stock exchange established at the corner of Sturt and Lydiard Streets. As early as 1857, the buying and selling of shares took place as a result of the formation of mining companies, necessary to finance the costly deep sinking of mines. Groups combined to provide funds and shares were made available to the general public. As a result a new class of person arose whose livelihood was in the dealing of shares.

      The Mining Exchange building comprises a two storey block of shops at the front and a large single storey exchange hall at the rear. A central entrance in the symmetrical front facade leads to the main exchange hall, which is itself flanked internally by arcaded brokers’ booths with arched clerestorey windows above, and a call room at the rear. The bull nose, corrugated iron roof of the main hall is supported on light trusses, principally formed of tension rods. Internally a bow fronted balcony projects above the entrance, set within an open elliptical archway with matching archways either side.

      The draft statement of significance and the above history were produced as part of an Online Data Upgrade Project 2004. Sources were as follows:
      Jacobs, Lewis, Vines and Aitken. Ballarat: a guide to buildings and areas 1851-1940. Melbourne 1981
      Jacobs Lewis Vines Ballarat Conservation Study 1978
      W. B. Withers. History of Ballarat. Ballarat 1887
      Conservation Management Plan, Ballarat Mechanics Institute (including Old Mining Exchange)

      Plaque Citation

      FORMER MINING EXCHANGE - Plaque Citation

      Former Mining Exchange is registered by Heritage Council Victoria

      This flamboyant example of Boom Period architecture was built to a design by John Figgis between 1887-1889. It is one of the few remaining mining exchange buildings in Australia.

      Permit Exemptions

      FORMER MINING EXCHANGE - 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:

      General
      • Minor repairs and maintenance which replaces like with like. Repairs and maintenance must maximise protection and retention of fabric and include the conservation of existing details or elements. Any repairs and maintenance must not exacerbate the decay of fabric due to chemical incompatibility of new materials, obscure fabric or limit access to such fabric for future maintenance. 
      • Maintenance, repair and replacement of existing external services such as plumbing, electrical cabling, surveillance systems, pipes or fire services which does not involve changes in location or scale. 
      • Repair to, or removal of items such as antennae; aerials; air conditioners and their associated pipe work, ducting and wiring.
      • Works or activities, including emergency stabilisation, necessary to secure safety in an emergency where a structure or part of a structure has been irreparably damaged or destabilised and poses a safety risk to its users or the public. The Executive Director must be notified within seven days of the commencement of these works or activities. 
      • Painting of previously painted external and internal surfaces in the same colour, finish and product type provided that preparation or painting does not remove all evidence of earlier paint finishes or schemes. Note: This exemption does not apply to areas where there are specialist paint techniques such as graining, marbling, stencilling, hand-painting, murals or signwriting, or to wallpapered surfaces, or to unpainted, oiled or varnished surfaces. 
      • Cleaning including the removal of surface deposits by the use of low-pressure water (to maximum of 300 psi at the surface being cleaned) and neutral detergents and mild brushing and scrubbing with plastic not wire brushes. 

      Venues/public places
      • The installation and/or erection of temporary elements associated with short term events for a maximum period of four 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:
      o Temporary infrastructure, including freestanding lighting, signage, public address systems, furniture and the like in support of events and performances which do not require fixing to the building. 

      Permit exemptions for interiors
      • Removal or replacement of smoke and fire detectors, alarms and the like, of the same size and in existing locations. 
      • Repair, removal or replacement of existing ducted, hydronic or concealed radiant type heating provided that the central plant is concealed, and that the work is done in a manner which does not alter building fabric. 

      Outdoor areas
      • Like for like repair and maintenance of existing paving and footpaths.

  • Tours involving this place See all tours

    Old, Cold And Gold, Ballarat

    15/01/14

    Ballarat Railway Complex - Fine Art Gallery - Alexandria Tea Rooms - Eureka Flag - Former Mining Exchange - Ballarat Trades Hall - Titanic Memorial Bandstand - Ballaarat Mechanics Institute - Her Majesty's Theatre - Craig's Royal Hotel - Ballarat Town Hall - St Patricks Cathedral And Hall - St Andrews Uniting Church

Public contributions

Tours involving this place See all tours

Old, Cold And Gold, Ballarat

15/01/14

Ballarat Railway Complex - Fine Art Gallery - Alexandria Tea Rooms - Eureka Flag - Former Mining Exchange - Ballarat Trades Hall - Titanic Memorial Bandstand - Ballaarat Mechanics Institute - Her Majesty's Theatre - Craig's Royal Hotel - Ballarat Town Hall - St Patricks Cathedral And Hall - St Andrews Uniting Church

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