DEFIANCE MINE SITE
1-9 RAGLAN STREET DAYLESFORD, HEPBURN SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
The site is associated with 1860s early quartz mining associated with the Royal Oak Lead and has historic associations with Daylesford’s significant gold mining phase of the nineteenth century. The site has historic associations with W.E. Stanbridge and Governor Doveston. Stanbridge played a significant role in the history of Daylesford; in gold mining, civic life and philanthropy.
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DEFIANCE MINE SITE - History
Gold mining occupation – Daylesford Region Gold was first found in the Daylesford area in 1851 at Wombat Hill (Holden, Sharp, & Meehan, 2022). The discovery was made by John Egan at the intersection of two properties; one owned by himself and the other by the Clowes brothers (Maddicks, 1981). Both of these properties were “pre-emptive rights” properties, owned by squatters. The Clowes would later sell their property to W.E. Stanbridge who named it Wombat Park (Jacobs, 1995). Other discoveries of gold quickly followed and by 1855 diggings were spread across the entirety of the Hepburn-Daylesford area (Jacobs, 1995). By 1856 many north-south trending reefs had been identified in the Daylesford auriferous belt including Ajax, Rising Star, Specimen Hill, Colliers, Freemans, Wombat Hill, Cornish, Fear Not, Crown, St George, Eugenie and Hepburn (Holden, Sharp, & Meehan, 2022). In 1859 2,763 European miners were working in the Hepburn Division (Jacobs, 1995). By the 1920s gold mining was no longer profitable in the area and the area became better known for agriculture and its mineral springs (Hepburn Shire, 2019). Defiance Paddock The Defiance Paddock was part of W.E. Stanbridge’s pre-emptive right. In August 1863 the Defiance Gold Mining Company leased the land in question from W.E. Stanbridge with the understanding that he would receive one-sixth of the total gold recovered. The following is a description of the mine at this time. “The shaft is only 100 feet deep, and was sunk partly through basaltic rock. The bottom was reached at a depth of 85 feet, and the remaining 15 feet passed through bed rock of a very rotten nature. By a drive of sixteen feet the gutter was reached, and a main drive has been followed along it for a length of about 300 feet. No portion has yet been blocked out. The width of wash-dirt varies from 18 feet to 28 feet, and averages about three feet in thickness. There is a large proportion of cement mixed with the wash-dirt, so that the plan pursued is to crush the whole. [A very small portion of the surface, and that next to the fence, is interfered with by mining operations]” (Dicker, 1864). In 1864 there were 30 people employed at the Defiance mine (Dicker 1864). At this time there were tramways within the mine and a horse whim - with two horses - constructed for the raising of ore (Dicker 1864). Parts of the mine were reopened in 1910 with the reopening of the Defiance Tunnel (at this time known as the Wombat Hill Extended Tunnel). A Defiance Mine airshaft was used during this period and is described as being near the intersection of Malmsbury Road and Raglan Street (Maddicks, 1981). It is likely that this is the still open shaft on 1 Raglan Street.DEFIANCE MINE SITE - Interpretation of Site
This site consists of three mine shafts, two of which have been infilled. The site is the remains of the Defiance Mine or Defiance Paddock Mine operating in the 1860s. Historic research indicates that the mining features on this site were limited in scope, amounting to a horse whim aboveground and tramways below-ground (Dicker’s 1864). The reopening of the mine in the 20th century reduces the likelihood of any below-ground features related to 19th-century mining remaining intact. This is supported by a geophysical survey (MNG Subspatial, 2023), which found that there was little to no evidence of underground tunnels in existence at 1 Raglan Street. In more recent years 1 Raglan Street has been used for the grazing of livestock while 9 Raglan Street is a residential property. The site has some potential to contain archaeological features, deposits or artefacts that relate to the use of the property for 19th century alluvial gold mining. The site’s association with W.E. Stanbridge is also significant due to his importance in the establishment of Daylesford, his work in Victoria for women’s education and suffrage and his promotion of Aboriginal culture.
Heritage Inventory Description
DEFIANCE MINE SITE - Heritage Inventory Description
9 Raglan Street is a rectangular-shaped block covered for the most part in grass. A gravelled driveway on the southern property boundary heads northwards toward a weatherboard farmhouse in the middle of the property. There are five extant trees surrounding the farmhouse – two lemon, one mulberry, one avocado and one ash. Located in the southeast corner of the property is a mine airshaft which appears to have been previously infilled. It is visible only as a slight impression in the ground and is covered in brambles. 1 Raglan Street is an irregular quadrilateral property fronting both Raglan Street and Malmsbury Road. The majority of the property is covered in grass. Cedar trees line the Malmsbury Road boundary. In the centre of the southern property line is Defiance Mine Shaft No 1. The mineshaft appears to have been previously infilled and is only visible as a slight impression in the ground. Located in the northeastern edge of the property is Defiance Mine Shaft No 2. This mine shaft has been previously covered with a metal grate attached with concrete. It is still open and water is visible through the metal grate.
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