Specimen Hill

Charles A. Doudiet, The Old Tent - BALLARAT (Specimen Hill (Tents), circa 1854, watercolour, pen and ink on paper.
Courtesy Art Gallery of Ballarat, purchased by the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery with the assistance of many donors, 1996.

Excerpt from the Spectator

Transcribed by Dorothy Wickham

EUREKA

Eureka- What thoughts the name recalls. The ancient Greek who used the word in delight at his discovery, has named many a field of treasure. To Victorians, of course, it is mainly associated with the riot narrated in Part I of this history. But we had for many years a place of worship there. The name is on the first plan.

It was afterwards called Specimen Hill. Mr Barnett was for about 20 years leader of the class there. He, too, came to the goldfield in 1854. For a few years he was unattached, and then joined Gravel Pits, and has now been a worker at Barkly-street for 18 years. From him we learned that the wooden church at Specimen Hill was afterwards sold to the ex-Primitive Church at Humffray-st. for a school room. Since Union it has been sold again, and is now used as a stable. Both man and beast have benefitted by it - if that is any consolation. Amongst those who met and labored in connection with this cause - Mrs Stocks is specially remembered by others who remain. The building was of wood, the pulpit was lighted with candles. The forms were roughly made with the legs sticking about an inch through the tops, to the great discomfort of worshippers. On the breaking up of the congregation, through paucity of numbers the members joined Barkly street Church.^[1]