VICTORIA-HOMEWARD BOUND OPEN CUT
A1 TRACK GAFFNEYS CREEK, MANSFIELD SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
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VICTORIA-HOMEWARD BOUND OPEN CUT - History
Contextual History:History of Place:
Heritage Inventory History of Site:
The Victoria or Homeward Bound Reef on Raspberry Creek was one of the earliest reefs worked on the Gaffney's Creek field, from 1860. In 1860, a battery of eight square heads, powered by a 20ft-diameter waterwheel was erected 50 ft above the creek by O'Connor and party. Three hundred feet higher up, they cut a quarry into the hill, which yielded richly. At the end of 1864, the open cut had a vertical face of 60 ft and a shaft had been commenced to work the lower ground. The Victoria GMC purchased the claim and in 1865 began driving a tunnel in order to work the lower levels of the mine at less expense. The old square stamps were replaced with revolving ones in 1867. The mine was let on tribute and for a couple of years vast quantities of stone were crushed for relatively small returns (e.g., 2,000 tons for 216 oz) suggesting that the open cut was still in use. Despite flagging yields late in the decade, the Victoria was one of only a handful of Gaffney's Creek mines to have made a profit during the 1860s.
The mine was recapitalised in 1871 and a new battery of 15-head erected (not surprisingly, the old one was worn out). A new tunnel was commenced, intended to strike the reef about 460 ft above creek level. At the same time (?) a level -the lowest- was put in from the creek. The mine was 'talked up' but failed to produce better yields. Tributers struggled on ('prospecting with three men and the battery') until 1880, when continuing poor prospects and excessive water finished the mine.
The Victoria ground was taken up again in 1888 and the New Victoria and Golden Belt Co. was formed. The battery was shifted downhill, but no gold was found.
References: Flett, p. 109
Lloyd & Combes, p. 111
Mining and Geological Journal, 1948
Mining Surveyors' Reports (Gafftney's Creek Subdivision), June 1865, June 1867, December 1868, September 1871, March & June 1872, September 1877Heritage Inventory Description
VICTORIA-HOMEWARD BOUND OPEN CUT - Heritage Inventory Description
Victoria-Homeward Bound Reef open cut.The sides have fallen in a little and trees grow within it, but it is still an impressive excavation about 30m wide x 15m deep and runs almost all the way down the steep hillside to Gaffney's Creek. Blackberries obscure the sites of the original Victoria battery and the Victoria and Hunts adits further down the hillside.
Heritage Inventory Significance:/nRegional
Recorded by: David Bannear. Date recorded: 1996.
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GAFFNEYS CREEK TOWNSHIPVictorian Heritage Inventory
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DEMPSEY MINEVictorian Heritage Inventory
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LAURAVILLE BATTERYVictorian Heritage Inventory
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