Deep within Wallan and situated nearby to what appears to be a volcanic crater lays a mysterious set of stone steps leading to the top of a lookout tower. Further stones marked with ancient looking inscriptions and drawings form a safety wall at the top of the tower. The remnants of a fire from long ago remains but provide little information on its creators. At the base of the tower multiple paths lined with stone retaining walls lead towards a creek.
Who placed these stones, when, and for what purpose? Perhaps they were placed there by an ancient race similar to the architects of Stonehenge, the Egyptian pyramids and Incan civilisations? Could it be possible that sacrifices were performed at the top of the tower to appease the Gods by throwing the unfortunate victims into the belly of the volcano?
In the mid 1800’s William Budd, proprieter of the Strangeways Hotel owned the land upon which the mysterious stones are located. The hotel was situated on the corner of Old Sydney Road and Darraweit Roads but the stones are not in this vicinity so the two do not seem to be related. However, a newspaper article from the Weekly Times newspaper on December 3rd, 1879 provides the following:
“Adjoining Strangeways is Lovely Banks, the farm of Mr.W.H.Budd, jun., whose homestead occupies a healthy position on the slope of a hill, and is surrounded by a nice, well kept flower and vegetable garden.”
Could the stones have been placed there by William Budd junior as part of his homestead? The following map shows the location of the stones as part of the land owned by Willian Budd.
Staircases have been found deep in forests all over the world and secluded from any civilisation just standing alone; a staircase and nothing else. Could it be that there actually is no explanation for the stone pathway and other stone structures found in Wallan? Could it be that they have been placed there by some unknown force or presence we are yet to understand?
As intriguing and exciting as the ideas presented are, the truth is far as dramatic as the author of this article may have led you to believe. A credible source has told of the stones being placed by the developers of the estate they lie within. Their reasons are unknown – perhaps the beginning of a playground or parkland that has yet to come to fruition? Perhaps even an ampitheatre as some people have mentioned? The volcanic crater mentioned is not volcanic at all, nor does the top of the tower overlook it. Instead, the ‘crater’ is the remains of a now disused quarry where the stone was used for foundations of the Old Sydney Road over Pretty Sally Hill or it’s replacement, the Northern Highway.
Regardless of its origins, or the reasons for it, the area does provide a source of entertainment in addition to leading readers astray and an afternoon can be well spent there exploring. The exact location of the area shall not be divulged here but some clues have been provided in the pictures and descriptions. Besides these, one further hint is that the name of the estate in which they reside is associated with water.
Should you be able to find the area, the mysterious stones of Wallan perhaps then shall become just that little bit less mysterious.
I believe the stones are in springridge, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen them when the fire went through last year. The little hut in Hidden Valley I’ve heard about but have yet to see. I live in there but haven’t ventured out to look. I enjoyed your write up!😊
That is really interesting. Who knows what intrigue lies sitting there in [I presume] Wallara Waters.
Something I would care to look at sometime.
Always good to see and touch history.