The Old Paper Mills, Fyansford

The Barwon Paper Mill was erected at Fyansford on the outskirts of Geelong in 1876 and commenced business in 1878. Locally quarried bluestone was the predominant building material. Water from the Barwon River was diverted at Baums Weir along a 900m long bluestone race into the mill to power the waterwheel. The water then returned to the river near Buckley Falls.

The Barwon Paper Mill commenced production in August 1878 and was a testament to the engineering skills of the time. The mill buildings and machinery were designed and constructed by engineer, Andrew Millar, drawing on his English experience. It was modern by world standards and constructed at a time of great technological change.

The complex is significant, also, for its role in the development of the Australian paper making industry. The national giant company, Australian Paper Manufacturers, owned the Barwon Mill from 1895 to 1929.

Over the years, it was also taken over by the miltary to be used as a munitions factory during the war and was known as the RAN Mine Depot, Fyansford. The depot operated for some part of World War 2 as a sub-depot of Swan Island. National Archives of Australia suggest between 1942 and 1946.

The Barwon Paper Mill closed in 1923 and was used as cool stores and for the manufacture of ice. The complex is a rare example of a surviving paper mill. Of the seven paper mills established in Australia in the 19th century, it is among the earliest and operated as a paper mill over a much longer period.

Today, it serves as a mixed used space for art and industry. As Geelong emerges from its manufacturing years into a prime tourist destination brimming with ideas and energy, plans for a cultural hub could put Fyansford on the map again.