History

If only the walls of Montrose of Ballarat could speak, what stories they could tell of Ballarat’s golden past.

One of the first bluestone residences built on the Ballarat goldfields, Montrose Cottage dates back 150 years to the city’s golden era.

Built of basalt, quarried from less than a mile away, and handmade bricks, Montrose stands today as a tribute to the craftsmanship of Scottish stonemason John Alexander.

John Alexander, his wife Annie, daughter Jane and orphaned grandson James left Montrose, Scotland, on the trail of gold in January of 1853.

John discovered enough gold to pay cash for a small plot of land in Eureka Street which was then the main thoroughfare between Ballarat and Melbourne. It was also at the centre of the chaotic thriving city that was Ballarat during the height of its golden era.

Here, with the help of Jane and her husband George Carnegie, he built the simple four-roomed Georgian dwelling which still stands today.

Montrose’s unusual façade of patterned bluestone and brick rises from the road behind a simple cast-iron fence with bluestone steps leading to the solid, wooden door.

John Alexander lived in his cottage until his death at the age of 99 in 1891.

Successive families followed, with the Peglar family occupying the cottage for more than 40 years until Mr and Mrs E.J. Millett acquired the property in 1963 to save it from threatened demolition. They restored the cottage to its original condition with help and information provided by John Alexander’s great grandchildren.

This period also saw the building of a museum at the north-east corner of the cottage. The museum was built of local basalt taken from the Old Ballarat Gaol and the Ballarat East Railway Station, both of which were demolished in the early 1960s.

Graeme and Laurel Johnson purchased the entire complex in 1985 and for almost 20 years Montrose Cottage and the Eureka Museum were must-see attractions for locals and visitors alike. During this time the cottage was furnished with original family pieces while the museum housed comprehensive exhibitions on the Ballarat Goldfields, the Women of Eureka and the Chinese on the Goldfields.

During this period Montrose Cottage won numerous tourism awards and entered the Tourism Hall of Fame.

Montrose Cottage is classified “A” by the National Trust, is on the Australian Heritage Listing and is listed 108 of more than 2000 by the Historic Buildings Council.

Narelle and Michael Kaufmann bought the property in October 2005 and developed it into luxury, boutique accommodation known as Montrose of Ballarat.

The Memorabilia Wall in Montrose of Ballarat pays tribute to its rich and colourful history.

 
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