Old Chemistry Building

Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) Campus

The first custom built Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) Chemical Laboratory was erected in 1876, six years after the opening of Australia's first school of mines at Ballarat. Sections of this building are therefore the oldest custom built structure remaining on the SMB site. (The oldest is the former Wesleyan Church now the School of Hairdressing)

By 1880, the building also housed a metallurgy laboratory and a new assaying laboratory. Modified in 1890, the building housed Chemistry and Metallurgy classes.

By 1912, further work was undertaken on the building, allowing space for assaying, balances, furnaces. A junior and senior Chemistry classroom as also housed in the building.

Refurbishment of the building was undertaken in 1978, and was official known as the 'Old Chemistry Building' under its new use in 1979.

Further alterations to the building were made in 1998 to include a state of the art lecture theatre, class rooms and a staff room. Today the building also houses the TAFE Development Unit.

Although no laboratory structures remain today, the buildings former use is evident on interior and exterior walls where remains of assay furnaces can be seen.

SMB Chemistry Classroom (Cat.No.4643)

SMB Chemistry Classroom (Cat.No.1897)		 SMB Chemistry lab

SMB Chemistry lab (Cat.No.4643)
EJT Tippet official opening sign

(Cat. No. 7194)		  Evidence of assay kilns an still be found on interior and exterior walls of the Old Chemistry Building: (Cat.No.8577.2)

Evidence of assay kilns an still be found on interior and exterior walls of the Old Chemistry Building: (Cat.No.8577.2)


(Cat. No. 1323)