Ballan Mineral Spring

If you’re coming from Melbourne this mineral spring is one of the easiest to access being only 3km from the Western Highway. It lies next to the Bostock Reservoir and boasts spring water akin to Hepburn Springs. A gravel parking space, lined with picnic tables, offers a pretty view of the tranquil Moorabool River East Branch.

A narrow walking path, with steps, leads to the mineral spring where you will be rewarded with picturesque views of the river valley. Approx 40m and 80m up the river from the spring, below the carpark, are two old timber pavilions. The furthest was built over a bore and was once fitted with a standpipe and hand pump which have since been removed and the bore capped.

The existing Ballan Mineral Spring bore, previously known as Shaw’s Spring was drilled in 2008 and is approximately 32m deep.

During summer, this area becomes a haven for fluttering butterflies, offering an idyllic setting for a leisurely picnic or a brief respite en route to Bostock Reservoir where you’ll find toilets and BBQ facilities.

Keep your eyes on the water as there are several places in the riverbed where gas can be seen bubbling and an iridescent film of ferruginous precipitate rests on the surface of the water.

In 2023, the Council unveiled a sculpture at this spring which honours Indigenous heritage and recognises the connection between the Ballan and Spargo Creek mineral springs sites with both being located on the Moorabool River East Branch.

The history of the Ballan springs is intertwined with that of the Gunsser family, manufacturers of cordials, soft drinks and aerated waters. The Gunssers Ballan cordial plant was located in Inglis Street in Ballan and was established c.1909 by three brothers - William, Albert and Edwin. The business reached its pinnacle in the 1920s but was closed by 1932 as a result of strong competition from Ballarat bottling businesses. The Gunssers used the Ballan ‘Shaws’ Spring from 1904. However due to the low flow rates rather than collect the spring water they extracted the carbon dioxide and used it to charge the soft drinks, although records show that some mineral water was also bottled.

Gunsser drinks, including the mineral water from Ballan Mineral Spring, were supplied in bottles with lightning stoppers, as well as in Lamont and Codd patents. They were probably also supplied in Crown Seal ‘skittles’—a flat bottomed torpedo-style bottle.

The reserve the Mineral Spring is located on was established in December 1935 after a few years of argument with landholders regarding public access to the spring.

In the 1980s Ludol Bottlers (Allan & John Gilbert) extracted mineral water from a bore just to the north of the Ballan Spring with the last extraction in 1987.

A comparison of the levels of minerals in the springs can be found here.