William Hunter arrived on the goldfields from Donegal, Ireland in 1860. Gold was found in enormous quantities in the 1970’s and the Hunter family’s fortune was made.

William Hunter returned to Ireland in 1873 until 1882 when he married and returned to Bendigo where he built a ‘fine house’ of two stories in Queen Street. With large rooms, fourteen foot ceilings, large cellars and a panelled attic, it was among the finest half dozen in town.

With a growing family, the house was too small and in 1893 a large wing was built on the eastern corner where ‘the little ones can play and romp to their hearts delight without disturbance to the inhabitants of the principle dwellings’.

William Hunter was second only to George Lansell in mining investment, and at the time of his death in 1914 was director of many of the most prestigious mines.