Shamrock’s founder’s life told

ON the corner of Pall Mall and Williamson Street sits a building with unique history.

The Hotel Shamrock opened in 1854 and is today regarded as an iconic piece of Bendigo’s goldrush era.

Irishman William Heffernan was one man responsible for the hotel’s years of success, and now he’s had his life immortalised in a new book by author Mary Healy, Heffernan of the Shamrock.

Healy is the great-great granddaughter of Andrew O’Keefe, the contractor of the O’Keefe Rail Trail, and has previously written a book of her own family.

After taking an interest in William Heffernan, Healy’s research led her to uncover many stories of one of Bendigo’s most successful proprietors.

“I went to the local papers at the time when he died and I got the outline of his life and so I basically filled that in,” she said. “It wasn’t that easy because he was a man who lived in five countries.”

Born in Ireland in 1803, Mr Heffernan travelled to California via Panama in pursuit of the growing timber and fur trade, according to Healy.

When the Bendigo Goldrush hit its stride in the 1850s, Mr Heffernan travelled, via McIvor, along with thousands of keen diggers from all over the world.

He acquired the site of the Shamrock, formerly a theatre, and transformed it into a hotel and concert hall, entertaining up to 1200 guests, six nights a week.

“He was absolutely enthralled with providing theatre for people, and he made a lot of money,” Healy said.

It’s estimated the hotel made a profit of about $600 per night.

A fire on Christmas Day in 1857 didn’t douse Mr Heffernan’s spirits, who decided to completely revamp the hotel with thirty bedrooms, private parlours, a huge commercial room, dining rooms, bars, a smoking saloon, and a bowling alley in the basement.

“When he was at the hotel, he offered a venue to almost every organisation that was founded in Bendigo,” Healy said.

“The Easter parade started there; the eight-hour day movement – the first meeting was in the Shamrock hotel; the agriculture society. Everything was there.”

In the 1870s, during the biggest mining boom in Bendigo, the Shamrock even housed the mining exchange after the Beehive Building was destroyed by fire on 25 August 1871.

Mr Heffernan’s businesses ventures continue, building St James Hall, now Myer, and establishing the Royal Princess Theatre on View Street in 1974.

Unfortunately, as the Goldrush travelled around Central Victoria, Mr Heffernan lost most of his money.

“Thousands of people left Bendigo to go to Ararat, so the theatre didn’t really pay his way for him, so he went broke,” Healy said.

After moving to New Zealand, Mr Heffernan continued his love for hotels, building the Pier Hotel, where he lived until his death in 1891.

Healy has an adoration for the town’s history and said there are many lessons from it that can be applied today.

“History is very important because if we were serious and accepted what happened in history, we wouldn’t be in trouble again,” she said.

“Because of history you know more about this illness that’s around, you know more about how people can be tricked with their money.”

For a copy of Heffernan of the Shamrock, contact the author at [email protected].