Ballarat is full of mysteries. Everyone loves a mystery, and Ballarat is full of them. Robert Bell, past President of the Ballarat Branch of the National Trust of Victoria and past President of the Ballarat Historical Society, has spent endless hours over the years researching the origins of Ballarat’s old buildings and historic sites, and along the way also uncovered a range of peculiarities attached to many buildings. Here are some of them.

What is the large brick chimney-like structure outside the Aldi store at the roundabout at the intersection of Creswick Road, Webster Street, Market Street and Doveton Street North?

Many people believe the chimney is the remains of an old foundry of some sort, but they’re wrong. The structure is in fact a huge vent built over Gnarr Creek, which runs underground from Lake Wendouree to Yarrowee Creek. The creek once flowed in the open, but was covered over in the late 19th century as the city of Ballarat grew.

The vent was built to relieve the pressure of the creek flowing underneath the road after heavy rains, which swells the creek’s waters. You can hear water gurgling up the vent after a big downpour.

Just off Armstrong Street North, next to an old bluestone building which now houses Pizza Haven, is Wigton Place, one of Ballarat’s most historic bluestone-cobbled lane ways. Wigton Place features a rare sandstone place name, dated 1856, imbedded in the brickwork of the Pizza Haven building. It is unique as being the only known such place name remaining in Ballarat.

The Titanic Memorial Bandstand in Sturt Street is dedicated to the bandsmen of the doomed ship Titanic, which sunk in 1912 en route from England to America. But few people notice that on top of the memorial sits a silhouette of the grand ship.

The silhouette, which is often overlooked, acts as a weather vane on the bandstand, which was erected in 1915 following a local subscription in memory of the bandsmen of the Titanic, who continued to play music as the ship was sinking, and who all lost their lives in the tragedy. There are only two memorials to the bandsmen of the Titanic in Australia - one in Ballarat and the other in Broken Hill, NSW.

The former Lister and Angels Warehouse at the corner of Lydiard and Mair Streets, built in 1868 and now home to Sebaastian’s Cafe, has masks of six human faces on the keystones dotted along the Mair Street side of the building, and a single face on the corner of the first floor window.

The question is – who were these rather grim-looking men, some of whom wear beards, who have been looking across the intersection for the past 139 years? Mr Bell’s theory is that the faces are purely decorative and don’t represent anyone in particular. He believes they may have been sculpted by apprentices, to give them a go at making a mask, which were very popular on buildings last century. But that’s just a hypothetical.

You must visit Ballarat and spend some time there. It is indeed a very interesting city.

Don't forget to visit the Eureka Centre. The Eureka Centre is situated on the historic reserve that commemorates the Eureka Rebellion. This reserve is located on part of the original Eureka Lead where the rebellion took place. Visitors will find The Eureka Centre just south of the main route into Ballarat from Melbourne, on the corner of Eureka and Rodier Streets in East Ballarat.