The Ballarat Electorate has enjoyed a long history connected with mining and its Schools of Mines, located at Ballarat, Daylesford, Clunes and Creswick. Talented members of their alumni enlisted during World War One (WWI), together with many a miner, carpenter, and electrician, all well versed in creating mineshafts, to tunnel under enemy lines.
Mining Mud & Medals seeks to highlight the role of the men who served in the Australian Army Tunnelling Corps during WWI, especially those from the Ballarat Electorate. This project has been set up by members of the Victorian Interpretive Projects Inc. (VIPs), funded by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program.
The Mining Mud and Medals project has culminated into a book, which was shortlisted at the 2020 Victorian Community History Awards, featuring chapters on the Schools of Mines in the Ballarat Electorate, Tunnelling at Gallipoli, the Recruitment of Tunnellers, the Tunnellers Honoured in Trees, but most importantly biographies highlighting more than 170 Tunnellers from the Ballarat Electorate.
Project Manager Yvon Davis will talk about the Project, the men from the WWI Tunnelling Companies and the Mining Mud & Medals book. The book will be available following the talk for a special price and signing.
This event is presented as part of Ballarat Heritage Festival 2021 and is hosted by the Eureka Centre Ballarat.
