Remembering the workers of Sunnyside Mill

THE planting of trees and a new plaque at the Hill Street, Mount Pleasant Avenue of Honour have been celebrated.

The avenue, situated outside Sunnyside Mill, was first planted 106 years ago to commemorate mill workers who enlisted in World War One.

When Central Highlands Water began the Ballarat Sewer Build in the area, two of the original trees were removed and five have since been replanted along Hill Street.

“We’ve had to build to our new sewer along the creek here and it’s a once in a hundred-year new sewer,” said managing director of Central Highlands Water, Jeff Haydon.

“Unfortunately, in this situation there was an area where we had to take out two established trees and replace those two.

“Through the collaboration with the community and various groups we have identified the history and also the opportunity to help reinstate this avenue of honour.”

The project was a collaboration between Mount Pleasant History Group, Ballarat Regional Trades and Labour Council, Central Highlands Water and Ballarat RSL.

Mill workers were not meant to enlist as they were from a protected industry, however, 27 men from Sunnyside Mill still did, and more than half never returned home.

“The workers didn’t have to go away to war, they volunteered, because they were in a protected industry,” said Malcolm Jones from the Mount Pleasant History Group.

“I think it was a sense of patriotism and doing the right thing by their fellow people that they worked with.

“They thought it was their civic duty to do it.”

Mr Jones said it is important to keep the story and avenue alive for generations to come.

“A lot of people don’t know that this is actually an avenue of honour,” he said.

“If you don’t know where you’ve come from, how do you know where you’re going.

“There are too many instances around the world now where you can see the repeat of what has been in the past.”