G'day all, this is Ballaarat [that old spelling again!] in the miserable winter of 1971. Single truck car number 30 is in Barkly Street heading for Mount Pleasant and as I recall it is early afternoon. But it is well into the twilight for the city's tramways.
Mud, slush, broken kerbing, corrugated iron and no trees, essentials of any Australian inner city landscape of the time. As are the other vehicles in the photo. A couple of work-a-day Holdens and a Yank Tank, a Dodge I think. The Holden deferring to the Dodge back in those days of the lethal "Give Way to the Right" rule. The Dodge probably driven by a bloke who had made his way up in the world, a successful plumber or butcher perhaps!
Residential Mount Pleasant is just visible at the top of the rise. A mostly weatherboard late Victorian era suburb.
I'm sure the whole scene is tidier these days...... but methinks much less interesting without number 30.
Regards,
Peter Bruce.
P.S. Two books which may be of interest.
The Golden City and its Tramways by Alan Bradley. Published by the Ballarat Tramway Museum.
Last Tram at 11 by William. F. Scott. Published by Full Parallel Productions.
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