As well as the cemetery and residences, it is where the presses have rolled at The Courier building until as recently as 2016 - and even where two prime ministers were educated.

Now, the road's evolution continues at pace, even if its course is different these days.

WATCH VIDEO OF HOW CRESWICK ROAD HAS CHANGED BELOW

There has of course been the redevelopment of a disused fuel depot north of Office Works into a 300-space car park. Designed to help replace some of the parking lost due to the GovHub construction on the old Civic Hall site, it opened after a series of delays last November.

But more significantly perhaps there have been two new high-profile entrants - incidentally at the point where those prime ministers - John Curtin and Robert Gordon Menzies - were educated. The former site of their schooling, Grenville College, later became the J Malin tomato sauce factory, then offices.

The recent arrivals have filled the recently finished buildings at the road-side. Bolton's Office National moved from the its CBD location on Grenville Street, and was shortly followed by the eye-catching high-vis of RSEA Safety, a retail chain that had reportedly long been eyeing expansion to Ballarat.

For Lauchlan Waddell of Colliers, who handled the lease of the two new buildings on either side of Holmes Road, the changes make sense.

"It is servicing a need for retailers which they can't get in central Ballarat," he said, adding that the new buildings were often an appealing prospect compared to the greater restrictions in CBD heritage locations.

With the dual carriageway leading into the city, the road is also one of the most high-profile and heavily trafficked parts of Ballarat, which Mr Waddell says is part of the appeal.

"It's natural progression - it's definitely evolving into a bulky goods retail precinct, it's high exposure, retailers like it, it is centrally located and in close proximity to other like-minded retailers."

With the completion of GovHub due at the end of this year, the profile - and traffic - on Creswick Road is likely to intensify - and if the retail chains have calculated correctly, consolidate its appeal to shoppers.

Perhaps the forerunner was the arrival of Bunnings several years ago, but the new entrants on the retail scene are unlikely to be the last. Other changes seem imminent. A planning permit application has also been lodged to move Haymes Paint from its historical headquarters to 109 - 117 Creswick Road where the Subaru and Honda car show rooms currently are.

"It's exciting to see what's happening," Mr Waddell said.

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