While exploring Bendigo's gorgeous Rosalind Park, stop in and take a look at Bendigo's Old Police Barracks, a beautiful sandstone building erected in 1860 by the Public Works Department and beautifully restored in the late 20th century.
The barracks were constructed to replace the original wooden slab building, and served as the first law courts on the Bendigo goldfields. This is one of Bendigo's oldest remaining buildings.
Constructed of local sandstone with brick window dressings, the building consists of two levels, with the barrack room and offices above and the messroom and kitchens below. The lower floor is partially set into the hillside.
Situated on Camp Hill (the historic site of Bendigo's Government Camp), the barracks can be accessed via a paved walking path between Rosalind Park and Gaol Road.
History and information
Bendigo Police Barracks, 1861 Photographer: Benjamin Pierce Batchelder (1826-1891). Source: State Library Victoria.
An information sign stands before the Police Barracks and displays the following text:
POLICE BARRACKS
Situated on Camp Hill, this is one of Bendigo's oldest buildings. The sandstone building was completed in 1860 at a cost of £2900. It served as the Police Barracks until the 1920s.
For a number of years thereafter the building remained unoccupied. From 1941 to 1967 it was used by Bendigo High School as an Art room.
External preservation was carried out in 1988 as in the intervening years it had fallen into disrepair. It was refurbished in 1999 and leased to Bendigo Senior Secondary College from 2000.
The following article was published in the Bendigo Advertiser, 30th November 1860
(source: Trove):
THE OLD POLICE BARRACKS
Yesterday, the workmen commenced to pull down the old police barracks in the Camp, which have of late been in the occupation of the mounted division of the force, who have been removed to the new stone building adjoining.
A portion of the old barracks - the eastern wing - will remain, and we understand will be given up for the use of the Rifle Corps.
If the whole of the wing were thrown into one room, it would barely suffice for a drill room for the corps; but it may be found useful for other purposes.
More to explore nearby
The site of the
Former Sandhurst Cemetery, which was situated on the eastern side of the Government Camp at Camp Hill, is also located close by. No evidence of the cemetery remains above ground today, and the site is covered by a layer of earth fill.
GEOLOGICAL MAP OF THE BENDIGO GOLD FIELD, 1923
Geological map of the Bendigo gold field which shows historical features in superb detail, including mine shafts/companies, gullies, lines of reef, dams, and sand heaps. Originally prepared in the Bendigo Office, Mines Department, 1923. High quality, durable A1 print in a satin finish. Large, 594 x 891 mm.
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Height over all is about 2.2 meters, width about 1.5meter, depth about 0.4 metre.
I would love to see go to a similar use.
https://www.goldfieldsguide.com.au/explore-location/574/old-police-barracks/
Leanne
0431018106