Stuart Mill

Directions to Story Point 2, Stuart Mill: Return to Stuart Mill via the Teddington Road. As you approach Stuart Mill, stay to the left onto Oxford Street. Look for the Old Malcolm Inn on the corner. Park nearby. Take a moment to read the detailed history of Stuart Mill. Pause this video and appreciate the area. Then play the video to learn more about the area.

Near the Old Malcolm Inn is an information board that contains a detailed history of Stuart Mill. Included is a map of historical buildings. You may wish to take a stroll. Can you identify some of the historic buildings nearby? The first settler was Mr. Sanderson, who had a squatter's run in the locality. By 1880, the run shore 55,000 sheep. Apart from pastoral settlement, alluvial gold was discovered there in 1861.

A township was gazetted in 1865. There is some debate about how the town was named. The most plausible being that it was named in honour of John Stuart Mill, a philosopher and English parliamentarian (1865 to 1868). The question of why is not clearly documented. The gold rush pushed the population close to 7,500 people by 1869. After 1872, as gold yields declined, so did the population. By 1869, Stuart Mill eclipsed St Arden in importance. Tents went up and there was an influx of people of all classes, creeds, and nationalities. But not all were strictly honest. So unprincipled were some of the arrivals that claim jumpers quickly saw the arrival of mounted police. The presence caused quite a commotion at the time. The town soon became a flourishing business centre. A school was built in 1870. The Cobb & Co. line ran to Ballarat in one day. The horses were changed at the stables at the hotel, the Malcolm Inn, where a groom was always in attendance. The founding family of G.J. Coles also lived in Stuart Mill.

So, why would a gold rush town halfway around the world want to name itself after a British parliamentarian and philosopher? The Eureka Rebellion had taken place in Ballarat a decade earlier. Often described as a utilitarian, his most celebrated view was published in his treaties titled 'On Liberty'. It celebrated individuality and disdain for conformity. Mill rejected attempts, either through legal coercion or social pressure, to coerce people's opinions and behaviour. His essay tries to show the positive effects of libertarian life on people and on society as a whole.

In particular, Mill links liberty to the ability to progress and avoid social stagnation. No doubt such sentiments resonated with those who wanted to be left alone to seek their fortune. Directions to return to Eureka: Take the Sunraysia Highway south, that is turning right into the highway from Stuart Mill. Avoca is a short 20 kilometres away. We hope you enjoyed the Fishing and Philosophy Story Trail. Has your curiosity been rewarded? Feel free to share this story trail with friends. As always, Happy Trails! The Fishing and Philosophy Story Trail is an initiative of Advanced Avoca Inc. Produced by geotourism.net.au. For more story trails go to avoca.vic.au.