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Heritage-listed quarry to host outdoor theatre

Heatherlie Quarry, located in Victoria’s Grampians National Park, will host five performances of the well-known Shakespeare classic The Tempest in early April.

According to local reports, the outdoor performances will be performed in front of the quarry cliffs and surrounding mountains to a sold-out audience.

“Beneath the towering slopes of Mt Difficult lie the mighty walls of Heatherlie Quarry. Nestled in a serene and beautiful bush setting and punctuated by sandy clearings with remnants and reminders of a vanished settlement, this environment creates a wonderful setting for the island wilderness represented in The Tempest,” a Visit Grampians report stated.

Heatherlie Quarry, which is located 13.5km north of Halls Gap, has a significant place in Australia’s history. Established in the 19th century, the quarry was first developed to provide Grampians freestone for monument and building construction work.

Grampians freestone

The freestone was so highly valued that a tramway was constructed to link the quarry to the main railway line at Stawell. The township of Heatherlie was subsequently gazetted close to the quarry.

Stone from the quarry went on to contribute to the construction of some of Melbourne’s most prominent buildings, including the Victorian Parliament House, Melbourne Town Hall, the State Library of Victoria, the Melbourne Port Authority Building and the Regent Theatre.

It is also understood that more than 100 men were employed at the peak of the site’s operations in the late 1800s. The quarry ceased production in 1938.

The site is now a valued part of the Grampians National Park and still houses the original sandstone houses and sheds that were built by its workers. The buildings have been re-roofed and their stonework repaired.

Outdoor performances of The Tempest will take place on 30 and 31 March, 1, 7 and 8 April. Tickets and additional information can be found here.

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