Separation from the Shire of Buninyong AGITATION for a break from the Shire of Buninyong had been going on through the year of 1863. The Press of the day gave it a further nudge early in 1864 -…"Sebastopol Hill Mining Enterprise has done for this locality something like what has been done at other centres of prolonged mining operations. "The goldfields towns are, as the phrase implies, products of gold seeking needs and energy, and the deep leads at Sebastopol have become long since the nucleus of habitations numerous enough to merit the name of a village, and far more numerous than are to be found in many a 'township' that has name on Government maps. "It has a look of quiet comfort or promise of permanent prosperity. When the Magpie Gully rush was on the wane, in 1855, Sebastopol was waxing in importance, and canvas tents had become very populous, jolly and even rollicking. "There is no alignment of buildings worth the name of streets, only on the main road from Ballarat to the Durham Lead, then via Meredith on the Geelong Road, where the night mail coaches go through are the hotels, the shops, the chapels and the Police Station, while dwelling of all sorts are scattered about the hill. "A break exists between the Frenchman's and Cobblers Lead. Only the Welsh Chapel, like a neutral territory, being a place of resort for the people on either side. The road to the Prince of Wales claim (now Queen Street) is close to the Cobblers portion of what we may call Cobblers Township. "Here is found literature, reading rooms, temperance commerce and comfort in boarding houses, reading rooms, hotels and shanties. The Frenchmans side is much the larger portion and the more pretentious: here the Dutch Harry Hotel survives, where the Shire Council held several meetings. The (New) Exchange Hotel has a more modern frontpiece. The Wesleyian Primitive Church is a plain brick building with windows on one side only. The Welsh Chapel is of wood. The Police Station is between both chapels. "The centre of the village is in the vicinity of the Mechanics Institute that is, and the Municipality that may be (and perhaps) ought to be, but alas, the parklike appearance of the place is fast disappearing ..." The next shot fired was a one-man effort by Constable Darling, Inspector of Slaughter Houses. He stuck his neck out by writing to the Chief Secretary, saying he was in favour of Sebastopol becoming a Borough. He was reprimanded, and nearly deprived of his office. On Friday, August 5,1864 a deputation led by Dr Kenworthy and a Mr Foster, waited on the Honourable James McCulloch, Her Majesty's Chief Secretary for Victoria, staking their claim for Sebastopol Hill and Cobblers Township, that it might be raised into a Borough under the Local Government Act of 1863. A map, showing the intended boundaries was produced. A certain area of district in the County of Grenville, bounded by a line commencing at the north east angle of the pre-emptive section of John Winter, thence north along the west side of the River Yarrowee 182 chains, more or less, to the south east angle of the Municipality of Ballarat West; thence west 92 chains, more or less, to the east boundary of the Parish of Cardigan; thence south 182 chains, more or less, to the northern section of Winters pre-emptive section; thence 39 degrees 38' east 90 chains, more or less, to the starting point, containing about 1,792 acres. The deputation were introduced by Messrs O'Conner and Pope, MLA's. In reply Mr McCulloch said he would be happy to give instructions for the necessary advertisement in the Government Gazette. Doctor Kenworthy was an American Surgeon. Raffaello Carboni, writing of the Eureka Stockade in 1855, said that he and other miners thought the Dr was a spy for the Police camp. Carboni was a mite peeved with the doctor for failing to be in the Stockade on the fateful Sunday morning of December 3, to use his talents as a surgeon on the wounded diggers. Maybe he was also steamed up for having to run to Dr Glendinning's Hospital on Pennyweight Hill to fetch Dr Alfred Carr's box of surgical instruments, (the doctor already being in the Stockade) but he had to go further to Dr Carr's Hospital on the Red Hill for them, a very trying two miles run. The miners of Sebastopol Hill at this time, 1864, were a touchy mob who were still licking their wounds from recent underground battles. They would not stand idly by and let the doctor lead a deputation to the Chief Secretary's Office if his integrity had been tarnished. Buninyong Shire Cou ncil looked not on this deputation with a fatherly eye, but wanted the Government to prevent, if possible, a diminuation of their revenue, and the folly of the formation of a small municipality with its necessary staff of officers. A counter petition against the proposed Borough was signed by 400 people. Then the Shire received a letter from the Chief Secretary's Office stating that the greater number in the Buninyong petition were made by persons not residing in the district, therefore the petition was illegal and invalid. On Monday, December 12, 1864, an election was held to elect nine members for the Council of the Borough of Sebastopol at the Mechanics Institute. It had been constituted a Borough on November 1,1864. The successful candidates were Messrs Beverin, Richards, Robinson, Edwards, Dickinson, Miles, Tait, Rowlands and Vickers. This building was close to the shaft of the Mexican Company, and was built of handmade bricks. It was opened on April 28,1864, costing £530. Dr Kenworthy was the chairman of the building committee and the driving force behind its erection. The centenary celebrations of the Borough Council were held in October - November 1964. A poem by the late William (Bill) Jenkins for the historical "Survey of early Sebastopol" missed publication by one day. To all who are back to Sebastopol today, Dear old Sebas our home, Remember the mines, with their batteries and their noise, Remember the Oval, with all its sport and games, Remember the Council, with all its wise old men, |