Start at the Post Office in High Street, (Sunraysia Highway) facing South and follow the numbers and arrows on the map.
- Post Office, 1872,
The first government Post Office was a wooden building erected at the Police Camp in 1860. In 1871 the wooden building deteriorated and was relocated to the town centre and replaced by today’s existing building.
- Pyrenees Visitor Information Centre.
Features a Gem display. It consists of painted backdrops portraying different areas of Victoria where samples of gold and precious stones on display are found.
- Albion Hotel, 1868.
The licence of this once well patronised hotel was held by eleven different publicans and owners. Avoca once boasted over eleven hotels.
- State Savings Bank 1924.
Erected as a State Savings Bank. During the 1990s was taken over by the Commonwealth Bank and later sold.
- The barbecue and picnic area in the median strip was opened in 1988 as part of the Bicentennial Streetscape Beautification Project.
- Holland’s Drapery Shop, 1866.
Timothy Holland purchased this allotment on 24th October 1854 and built the present building in 1866.
- Filbey’s Butchery, 1856.
Opened by Filbey in 1856. Later owned by Ah Pee and Ah Kang descendants of early Chinese goldminers.
- Manchester House.
Built in the mid 1800s, this shop was originally a double storey building. The top storey was destroyed by fire.
- Bank of Victoria, 1854.
The building’s expansive design reflects the optimism of the period. It was the sixth branch opened by the Bank of Victoria.
- Historic Precinct, 1858-1860.
One block further along High Street is Davy Street. The whole of the area stretching to the river and bounded by High, Bridport and Camp Streets was selected in 1853 for the first police station. Known as the Camp, the area ultimately consisted of a Police Station, Barracks, Treasury, Gaol, Court House “and all the other offices incidental to the Government centre of town.”
10.a. Lock Up, 1867.
This coursed bluestone lock up replaced the original log gaol built in 1854.
10.b. Police Station/Residence, 1859.
One of the few remaining public buildings to date from Avoca’s early gold mining period.
Built at the request of the Avoca Borough Council for the safe storage of explosives.
- Treasury Site.
The Golf and Bowling Club occupy what was the Treasury Site. The first church service on the Avoca Goldfields was held in 1854 near what is now the first tee of the golf course.
- Avoca Court House, 1859.
The court house closed in 1954 and is now used as the headquarters of the Avoca & District Historical Society.
Watford House is a rare surviving example of a prefabricated house imported into Victoria reflecting the wealth of Avoca’s goldrush era. It was imported by C.K. Pearson the proprietor of the Avoca Hotel. Each piece of timber was numbered so it could be re-erected with ease.
- Union Hotel.
Gollop’s Garage at the crossroads is on the site of the Union Hotel built by Neil Campbell in 1855.
Glen Mackereth operated an electrical goods store here and had a program on fox shooting and spot lighting on the ABC in the 1920s.
In 1889 Edwin Mackereth was listed as one of nine wine makers in the Avoca Shire, he operated a wine depot from the building at the rear of the existing front shop.
Avoca Mail Printing Office, 1856.
Originally built as the Wesleyan Church in 1856, became the home of The Avoca Mail from 1865 until the 1960s. No longer standing.
Between 1870 and 1873, this building was operated by Tea Merchant, H. Brooks. In 1886, Kate Herlihy ran a grocery and drapers store here. In the 1960s Bill Burke operated as a barber from these premises.
- Avoca Hotel, 1870.
This is one of the few buildings to have operated continuously since 1870. Its location on the site of the original 1854 Avoca Hotel gives it a strong connection to the town’s early goldrush days.
- Bank of Victoria, 1912.
This building was established to continue service as the Bank of Victoria following from the former building (Refer No. 9). The Bank is said to have been built on the site of an early grave of an unknown timber worker who suffered an accident in the Pyrenees Ranges.
- Avoca War Memorial.
Built by public subscription and unveiled in November 1921. Inscribed on four granite tablets are the names of 137 officers and men. 29 of whom were killed in action. Diagonally to the right of the Memorial is a tree grown from seed of the Lone Pine.
1860 – “Apothecaries Hall” was owned by William Goodshaw. 1889-owned by George W. Towl. 1900-A.G. Lalor bought the business. Lalor’s descendants still own the building.
- Kelley’s Store, 1865.
Established by Edward Kelley in 1865, as a Drapery and General Store. Known as “Parkers” haberdashery and gift store in the 1930s.
- Avoca Meat Market, c1856.
Originally established by R.A. Kiehl. The “Charlesworth” name has been connected with this business since the early 1930s.
Avoca Rock Museum.
Further along High Street on the corner of North Street is the Avoca Rock Museum. The display contains both rocks and gemstones and is open by appointment. No longer operating.
- Avoca State School No. 4, 1878.
This building was constructed following over crowding of the first National School (Refer No. 34). Designed by Henry Bastow, Avoca became the second school in Victoria to be built to this design.
On the corner of Russell Street is the Anglican Church of St. John the Divine. This church replaced the original building in High Street and was dedicated in December, 1871. (Refer No. 38).
- St. Kevin’s Catholic Church, 1974.
A block further along Barnett Street. The first visit of a priest to Avoca was in 1857 and the original church on this site was blessed in December, 1872. That church was demolished and replaced by the present building in 1974, retaining some of the original stained glass windows.
- Chalmer’s Presbyterian Church Complex.
On the corner of Bridport Street is the Scout and Guide Hall. Originally part of the Chalmer’s Presbyterian Church. The brick church was built in 1864 and the manse was built in 1869. The last service was held on 23rd January, 1983, following the formation of the Uniting Church.
- Shire Hall.
The site for the Shire Hall and offices was reserved in June 1860. Avoca was proclaimed a town in February, 1861 and the original Town Hall was built in that year at a cost of 1.409 pounds. (Refer front cover photograph).
- Old Avoca Vicarage, 1894.
On the corner of Russell Street the Vicarage was built by William Chellew in 1894. The house was home to the Anglican clergy from 1917 to 1988 when a new rectory was built on the church grounds.
- Uniting Church Complex, 1867.
Originally the Wesleyan Methodist Church. The Complex consists of a brick church built in 1867, Sunday School Hall 1870, and Parsonage 1871.
On the Corner of Duke Street this home was built for Edmund Snell who operated the General Store. (Refer No. 36).
- Former National School, 1857.
The school is one of the few National Schools in Victoria to survive. In 1872 student attendances stood at over 300. In 1878, a new school was built across the road to become the Avoca State School No. 4. (Refer No. 26).
- Ammonia Compressor.
The Ammonia Compressor on the left used to make ice for the town from 1948 to the late 1950s.
Edmund Snell migrated to Victoria in 1852 and was on the Avoca Goldfields in 1853. He established a general store and this was in existence on the present site as early as 1863.
- Percydale School.
This building was originally part of the Percydale school. It was moved into Avoca in 1954 where it became Price’s Bike Shop for many years. The front windows are the original windows from Albion House. (Refer No. 41).
- Chapman’s Garage, 1953.
This is the site of the first Church of England in 1857. The introduction of motor transport saw the establishment of a bus business in the early 1920s. Present brick facade was built in 1953.
- Classen’s Furniture Complex, 1862.
Classen’s furniture complex represents a rare example of an artisan’s workplace. The complex is closely linked to the technical and creative talent of John Classen and his son Herman whose work is still in evidence in St. John’s Church. From here hand crafted furniture could be bought, pictures and certificates framed and sign writing attended to.
- Victoria Hotel Complex, 1850s.
This complex comprises of a stone and brick hotel, stone stables and the stone Ball Room, (now Pyrenees Cellar Bistro). The Hotel and Ball Room date from the late 1850s. The stables were built in 1872. Many overseas and Melbourne Theatre groups performed in the Ball Room which became known as the Victoria Theatre.
- Albion House, c1866.
W. Sutcliffe established a drapery store on this allotment at least as early as 1866. The shop subsequently became known as Albion House. The shop was also owned by W. Henderson, G. Downton and H.J. Chapman. It was operated as a drapers for over 130 years.
Henry Powers established the Avoca Bakery here in 1860. In 1927 the shop to the North had become the Avoca Tea Rooms under the charge of Miss Maggie Larkins. Eventually the Tea Rooms were expanded to include the South Shop as well.
- Avoca Newsagency, c1887.
Originally this site was occupied by a hay and corn store operated by John Mockett and Ransom. The present building was built by Tom Hellings (senior) between 18871890. It was opened by the Misses Powers as a stationery shop.
OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST
A. Avoca Cemetery, 1857.
The Avoca Cemetery, with headstones dating back to 1857, is laid out in denominational areas. A Chinese Funerary oven (1858) and several slate headstones inscribed with Chinese characters, provide one of the few remaining signs that a large number of Chinese once populated Avoca. 118 Chinese were buried in the cemetery.
Directions: The Cemetery is approximately 1.5km North of the town on the Sunraysia Highway.
B. Avoca Railway Station, 1876.
Located in York Avenue, opened in 1876. Wool, grain, livestock, fruit and firewood were transported to lucrative Melbourne markets. In 1890 the line was extended to Ararat. Services for passengers closed in 1979.
C. Bull and Mouth Hotel, 1876.
This hotel opened in 1876 when the publican was H.G. Wise. Since the hotel was located slightly out of town it was considered less subject to policing and gained a reputation for being sympathetic to requests for “after hours” drinks. The hotel, now the Roadhouse is located over the railway line, North of the town.
D. Percydale.
The small ghost town of Percydale can be reached from Vinoca Road. Daly’s Cottage, built in 1865 is a superb example of how bush craftsmen used locally available materials. The site is fragile, so all visits are by appointment only. Contact the Pyrenees Visitor Information Centre.