GRAND JUNCTION CO
420 HAPPEY VALLEY ROAD HAPPY VALLEY, GOLDEN PLAINS SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
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GRAND JUNCTION CO - History
Contextual History:History of Place:
Heritage Inventory History of Site:
GRAND JUNCTION CO., at Happy Valley, joins the Victoria and the Cleft in the Rock Cos.
UNITED GRAND JUNCTION AND MUGBY JUNCTION CO. /
UNITED GRAND JUNCTION CO. from December 1867
01.1861: the Grand Junction Block Claim is making rapid headway.
03.1861: making good headway with their shaft.
04.1861: finished the erection of a splendid steam engine, the cylinder is 20 inches internal diameter, the stroke length is 3.5 feet and the boiler is 33 feet long.
06.1861: progressing favourably.
07.1861: erecting a very large steam engine.
08.1861: nearly completed the erection of their engine.
09.1861: finished erecting their machinery and are sinking their shaft; doubtful whether this company will get the deep ground.
10.1861: sinking in the reef, depth of over 200 feet.
12.1861: open out a drive at a depth of 275 feet and driven 20 feet north toward the deep ground.
05.07.1862: the Grand Junction Co. succeeded in getting the water down and driving for the gutter; purchased the shaft and ground in the possession of the Victoria Co.
10.1863: obtained 140 ozs last week.
03.1864: yield is consistent.
06.1864: getting very good returns.
09.1864: very good paying claim that has an immense quantity of wash-dirt.
12.1864: steady yielding claim.
03.1865: paying well.
06.1865: excellent claim, returns are large and regular.
09.1865: paying reasonably well.
12.1865: paying well.
06.1866: operations at a stand still pending the outcome of the lawsuit with the Volunteers Co.
03.1867: awaiting the result of the lawsuit.
09.1867: the United Grand Junction and Mugby Junction Company has taken over the ground formerly occupied by this party.
occupies the ground of the former companies: the Volunteers and Grand Junction; getting better pay than the first two companies ever did.
12.1867: party of 7 or 8, who employ additional hands; yield for the quarter 664 ozs 3 dwt 12 gr.
09.1869: Grand Junction Co. has driven into the gutter and got 9 ozs from the first machine of wash-dirt.
06.1871: signs of improvement.
09.1873: yield for the quarter was 757 ozs.
03.1875: doing well mining the deep leads.
GRAND JUNCTION EXTENDED GOLD MINING CO., Happy Valley
07.1860 ground marked out.
06.1863: shaft is 7 feet 6 inches by 3 feet 3 inches, and has reached a depth of 276 feet machinery includes:
an 18 inch by 36 inch steam engine for pumping,a boiler: 26 feet by 6 feet 6 inches,a 12 inch by 36 inch steam engine for winding, another boiler: 18 feet by 5 feet 6 inches
(the boiler and steam engine cost £250 delivered at the railway station, with £92 10s spent erecting the machinery)
12 inch pumps, plunger to 190 feet, drawlift for remainder.
07.1863: pumping for 8 days before men could get below.
03.1864: mine is ventilated by a duck machine, which comprises a square tank like a diving bell which is forced down at every stroke of the bob into a cistern of water in which there is a hollow tube at the centre. As the tank rises a valve opens and lets in air; the air is forced into the mine on the downward stroke.
08.08.1865: the 3 compartment shaft is 8 feet by 3 feet 8 inches clear down to a depth of 276 feet
machinery consists of:
two connected Cornish flue boilers, 26 feet by 6 feet 6 inches and 18 feet by 5 feet 6 inches, an 18 inch by 36 inch steam engine for pumping and puddling, a 12 inch by 36 inch steam engine for winding, 12 inch pumps, plunger and drawlift, which pump water 6 feet above the brace and carry it by a spout to a surface dam 80 feet away,
the two 15 foot by 2 foot 6 inch puddling machines with cast iron bottoms and wrought iron sides are belt driven, Round's flat chains, trucks and cages.
02.01.1866: machinery overhauled.
06.1869: removed the machinery from the first site to that formerly occupied by the Nonpareil Co.
NONPAREIL COMPANY, Happy Valley
NONPARIEL COMPANY (March 1867 spelling)
MUGBY JUNCTION COMPANY (new company March 1867)
03.1864: bottomed too shallow.
06.1864: almost at the gutter.
09.1864: driven into paying ground.
12.1864: not broken through yet.
03.1867: new company taken up a claim of 90 acres.
VOLUNTEERS CO., Springdallah/Happy Valley
07.1863: getting very good dividends; the value of this claim has risen 200% in a month.
03.1864: have turned out some excellent machines.
09.1864: still pays first rate; a great length of gutter traverses their claim.
12.1864: getting splendid returns lately; yield for last week; about 120 ozs per week for a few weeks.
03.1865: paying well.
06.1865: doing a little better than usual.
09.1865: paying reasonably well.
12.1865: showing signs of improvement.
06.1866: operations at a stand still pending the outcome of the lawsuit with the Grand Junction Co.
12.1866: claim has been sold.
03.1867: awaiting the final result of the lawsuit.
09.1867: the United Junction and Mugby Junction Company has taken over the ground formerly occupied by this party.
1863 to 12.1865: recorded production of 11,573 ozs 11dwt 12gr or 359.987 kg.
10.1867 to 12.1867: recorded production for the United Grand Junction Co. of 664 ozs 3 dwt 12 gr or 20.659 kg.52
07.1873 to 09.1873: recorded production of 757 ozs or 23.546 kg.52
12.1863 to 08.1864: recorded production for the Volunteers Extended Co. of 2,723 ozs 6 dwt or 84.706 kg.52Heritage Inventory Description
GRAND JUNCTION CO - Heritage Inventory Description
Three large imposing heaps of quartz stones radiate from what must have been the shaft. The two southern most heaps are intact, and a very small amount of material has been removed from the third. These heaps are all about 75 metres long and vary from 20m wide and 4m high to 30m wide and 10m high. The base/foundation of a basalt structure is located a little north of the apparent position of the shaft. This structure is 8.5m long by 3m wide. Site has some archaeological potential. This site is not visible from the road but is a prominent landscape feature along the creek and is clearly visible from the Cleft in the Rock mine further east along the creek valley.
Heritage Inventory Signficance: Regional/Local.
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BAND OF HOPE COVictorian Heritage Inventory
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ROBIN HOOD COVictorian Heritage Inventory
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Stand Pipe and TroughGolden Plains Shire
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