Historical mural hangs again

By Lachlan Ellis

A 40-year-old wool mural is back on display at the Ballan Shire Historical Society (BSHS), and while it’s not as vibrant as it once was, it remains a beautiful representation of local history.

The wool mural measures three by two and a half metres and is made of pure wool, all of which was donated by local wool growers.

As a tribute to the history of the Ballan District, the mural features a ram in every corner to symbolise the wool industry, with the central panel featuring a reproduction of a sketch made by Emma Von Steiglitz back in 1852, of the old Ballan General Store.

The idea for the mural was suggested by Maureen Mewton, then Secretary of the Ballan Arcadian Arts Festival, back in 1982. On 29 September 1981 a Craft Committee of ten women was convened to consider the project, and the design was accepted unanimously, with 53 Ballan women working on the mural for countless hours.

“It previously hung in the Ballan Shire Council chambers, it hung there for many years. When they did some redecorating, and wanted to put up a big TV where the mural used to hang, they said they didn’t want it anymore and would give it to us, as we were the logical people to have it,” BSHS Secretary Richard Biden told the Moorabool News.

“We didn’t have anywhere to store it, so Joe McFall took it and hung it in the Ballan Hotel for a number of years. It was made by the ladies of the Art and Crafts Society, but the Art and Crafts Society doesn’t exist anymore, so all the ladies said it should go to the Historical Society.”

The mural has done quite some travelling, shown at the Ballarat Sheep Show in 1982, and the Royal Melbourne Show in September 1983. It also spent time travelling through country Victoria, returning to Ballan after about a decade.

In the 1980s, the Art and Craft Society obtained the use of the Court House and stored the mural there, but in 1988 it moved to St Paul’s Manse, where the mural was unable to be stored.

It was hung in the foyer of the Ballan Shire Office until around 2014, when BSHS was asked by Council to find a new home for it.

After being kindly looked after by Joe McFall, the mural has now finally returned to the Court House under BSHS’ care. BSHS has occupied the Court House since 1990.

The mural weighs a whopping 20 kilograms, and its stitches include satin, stem, buttonhole, rice, herringbone, grub, and tapestry.

The first stitches were put into the canvas in early November 1981, and it was finished on 19 March 1982, in time for that year’s Ballan Arcadian Arts Festival.

The Ballan Court House will be hosting an Open Day during the Ballan Autumn Festival, from 10 am to 3 pm on Sunday 13 November.