What is Fortuna ?

Fortuna or Fortuna Villa refers to the grand building and surrounding grounds situated in Chum Street, Bendigo.  Since 1942 the site has been the home of the Army Survey Regiment and its Defence successors, and it has been locked away from public use for all of that time.

The building on this site has it origins in the early days of goldmining in Bendigo.  From the mid-1850's, the successful miner Theodore Ballerstedt undertook the building of his two-storey house and by the end of the next decade he had undertaken additions to the house using the services of the well-known architects, Vahland and Getzschmann.

In 1871 the Villa and the associated '180 Mine' on the New Chum Reef was bought by George Lansell who had become successful in his gold mining interests and investments. With his continuing success in deep mining, Lansell undertook major extension to his home and in fact continued this expansion and decoration of Fortuna until his death almost 40 years later.

Fortuna Villa remains remarkably intact as a house even though it has served as a busy workplace for 65 years.  There is a basement, ground floor and first floor and there were rooms designed, not only as the bedrooms, bathrooms and dining/kitchen rooms that would be expected, but also a billiard room, a ballroom, a conservatory, a music room, along with the Entrance Hall and Reception Room.

Stained glass, elaborate ceilings, grand cedar and blackwood staircase, a solid marble bath, extensive acid-etched glasswork (conservatory) are some of the architectural features that contribute to the outstanding 'feel' of the structure.  Of course, in the days of the Lansell family's presence there was the extensive decor of valuable paintings, statuary, objects d'arte, in addition to the functional and unusual furniture items.

The Fortuna grounds cover some 7.5 ha. and feature an ornamental lake, garden, a 'Roman-Bath' and the 'Pompeii Fountain'.  The original quartz-crushing battery building, stables and coach house remain close to the main villa.

In June 2009 the Villa Fortuna Action Group submitted a proposal ('Business Concept') to the Bendigo Council recommending that it investigate the potential for an arts, culture and heritage business enterprise at the site. This did not receive a favourable response from Council. For the full text of that submission, see bottom of Process page on this website (PDF format).

Subsequently, submissions were called for late in 2009 by Bendigo Council with 'Expressions of Interest' by public or private entities in the future management and use of Fortuna being sought. With no submission being accepted, Council made a formal public statement that it was unwilling to undertake the sole responsibility of managing Fortuna. Bendigo Council and the Victorian State government have been given extensions of time by the Federal Government (Defence) to pursue tri-partite discussions and, as of November 2010, these discussions are presumed to be continuing. Detailed information as to the substance of this inter-governmental discussion has been unavailable, though a press release in mid-2010 has indicated that a model of future development of the site could have a parallel in the Abbotsford Convent approach to the use of a heritage site.

All mapping operations have closed at the Fortuna Villa site and after restoration work and the completion of extensive 'Due Diligence' documentation, the Defence Department will 'dispose' (sell) the site. This action offers the opportunity for this magnificent and unusual site to become the 'jewel in Bendigo's crown' and be developed so that it is used and visited, not only by local citizens, but by national and international visitors and admirers of grand heritage.