Looking for a tent, camouflage clothing or a hardy water bottle or can? 'Disposal' or 'surplus' stores selling excess military or army supplies starting cropping up in Australia after the First and Second World Wars. When peace was declared, the military found themselves with a problem - large supplies of goods like tents, helmets, uniforms and kits which they no longer needed. Disposal stores were set up to sell these surplus goods to the general public.
In the 1960s Ballarat Disposals is advertised as 'Ballarat's Camping Specialists' and had stores in this building as well as Bridge and Mair Sts.

Look up and you can see the huge sign for Ballarat Disposals, a business we don't know a whole lot about. If you have a story to share about Ballarat Disposals we'd love to hear from you at events@ballarat.vic.gov.au