The little lake you may not know about

BALLARAT has beautiful gardens but also lakes surrounding it, aside from Lake Wendouree, and just outside the city, Lake Burrumbeet, Lake Learmonth, but there’s also a smaller and little-known body of water.

It’s known as Lake Esmond and rests between Golden Point and Canadian. If you live close to the open public space, but haven’t seen it, maybe now is the time to go.

Originally part of the Eureka Tiles Works which operated until 1982, the lake is an old quarry that was transformed into a little parkland with a playground, barbecue and a well-used walking track.

The lake is named after gold prospector and miner James William Esmond, born in 1822 in Enniscorthy, Ireland.

Mr Esmond, after arriving in Australia in 1840, had a variety of odd jobs, including driving the mail coach from Buninyong to Horsham and surrounds, but once gold was found in California in 1849 he left to find his fortune there, only to return to Australia in 1850 after hearing about gold finds in Victoria.

He first looked for gold in Clunes, hiring two sawyers to dig and with the gold found, Mr Esmond travelled to Geelong, talking about the gold to the local paper but not saying where it was found, becoming the first producer of gold.

William Campbell and some others most likely found gold before James Esmond, but kept it secret for some time.

Mr Esmond then moved to Ballarat where he commanded a group of miners at the Eureka Stockade as one of Peter Lalor’s captains. Sadly, for James Esmond he found no more gold.

In his later years he not only struggled financially but also suffered from a kidney disease. As he was nearing the end of his life, with no government aid, the public raised £150 for him and his family.

James Esmond died on 3 December 1899 aged 78 almost 36 years after the Eureka Rebellion. He was buried in the New Ballarat Cemetery and left behind his wife Margaret, three sons and six daughters.