Ballarat Buildings

East Ballarat Fire Station: 20-22 Barkly Street, Ballarat East

The tower and belfry of this imposing fire station was built in 1864 and was one of the early landmarks of the Ballarat district.  It was designed by Henry Caselli and built by volunteer William Cowland. ¹

While the station dates back to the gold rush, 1856 and possibly the oldest in Victoria , the current engine house dates to 1916, replacing a very similar 1858 timber structure which had a similar facade but slightly taller and with a small cupola atop the centre parapet.  The current building is in romanesque red brick, a popular style for fire stations around the turn of the century especially in North America, with large arched openings and keystones capped by castellated renaissance revival style pedimented parapet.