Here you will find the ruins of what was once the Stockyard Hill Hotel, that was run by the Kirkpatrick family.
Robert and Jane Kirkpatrick arrived in Victoria from Scotland in 1856 aboard the James Baines. They made their way to the Ballarat diggings, settling at Pennyweight Hill between Clayton and York Streets in Ballarat East where they remained for seven years. In 1863, Robert selected land at Stockyard Hill just south-west of Beaufort and built the bluestone hotel at a cost of £3000.
The stonemason was John Stewart, who lived at Eurambeen and later on the Fiery Creek goldfields. Born in Tasmania, he learned his trade from his father. John’s work can be seen in several old buildings not far from Ballarat.
Robert was the licensee of the Stockyard Hill Hotel until his death in 1906. Jane Kirkpatrick then took over the licence, running the hotel until her death in 1908. She left a family of four sons and four daughters. One of her daughters, Sarah was granted the licence but closed the hotel soon after. This photo shows the closed hotel c1935.