MT HUNTER TIN MINE & ASSOCIATED STRUCTURES
SINGAPORE PENINSULA, WILSONS PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK WILSONS PROMONTORY, SOUTH GIPPSLAND SHIRE
-
Add to tour
You must log in to do that.
-
Share
-
Shortlist place
You must log in to do that.
- Download report
Statement of Significance
-
-
MT HUNTER TIN MINE & ASSOCIATED STRUCTURES - History
In 1902, tin was discovered approximately one mile east of Chinaman's Bay in the northeast of Wilsons Promontory National Park. Tin shortages caused by World War One prompted the Victorian Government to allow tin mining in the park. In 1919, several mining syndicates joined to form the Mt Hunter Tin Mining Syndicate (amalgamating with, among others, the Surpise Syndicate), and obtained mineral leases for three areas of the Promontory. These were located on a 12 square mile reserve excluded from the national park in 1905.
In 1904, Ernest Lawson made a 55 foot long cut across what is now known as Lawson's Creek. 40 pounds of tin oxide ore was mined.
Mining started in 1924, and was confined to the Lawson's Creek area. Several shafts and tunnels were sunk with most reaching a depth of 10- 20 feet (some down to bedrock). Mining infrastructure included two pump stations to drive water uphill, and accommodation (timber structures) for the mine manager and workers. That same year,a pipeline route measuring 66 feet was constructed by local labourers, with 7500 feet of wooden, steel banded pipes. The pipeline was designed to pump sea water from the coast by the No.1 Pump Station to the main mine activitiy area for sluicing. Narrow channels with wooden sides, called sluice boxes, were constructed to carry out the sluicing. The channels reached up to 100 feet in length and included low wiers separating the light and dense ore particles, sending light particles (tailings) to tailraces and back to the original stream bed. The tailrace measured 200 feet long and 5 feet wide, and recing a maximum depth of 8 feet.
The pumping plant consisted of 2 pump stations, named No. 1 and No. 2 Pump Station. The No.1 pump, located at Tin Mine Coveused 2 turbine pumps to carry sea water uphill through a wooden pipeline to a concrete reservoir on the top of te Tin Mine Hill. From there water was pumpted outby the larger No. 2 pump station around 1.5 miles away in the main mine paddock.
Mining ceased in 1925, and the mine assests were sold and removed. The shafts were supposed to have been filled in by the mine workers as part of the lease agreement, however this was not done. The Wilsons Promontory National Park Committee of Management later filled these in.
Shaft History -
Hotstone's Shaft was named afte the man who initially sank the shaft, Ferdinand Hotstone. The shaft reached a depth of 20 feet and reported as being the only shaft with a worthwhile quantity of tin ore.
Richard's Shaft was named after Francis Richardson, a miner who in 1918 was the head of the "Surprise Syndicate" of prospectors who took out a lease in the area. He was also a member of the Australian Workers Union,a City of Oakleigh councillor and the Sydicate Secretary.
Kirwan's Shaft was named after Malcolm Kirwan, who was the manager of the Mt Hunter Tin Mine in 1925, after the dismissal of the first manager, MM Sinclair for inappropriate response to an accident at on the the two pump stations.
Potter's Shaft was sunk in 1919 when the Syndicate tood up the leases.
'Lawson's Creek Shaft #1 and #2' are most likely one of several shafts that were not named on William Ferguson's sketch map, 1925.
MT HUNTER TIN MINE & ASSOCIATED STRUCTURES - Historical Significance
The mine site is of high significances as one of the earliest tin mines in VIctorian history and represents one of the most important periods of history of Wilson's Promontory National Park.
MT HUNTER TIN MINE & ASSOCIATED STRUCTURES - Archaeological Significance
While much of the mining infrastructure was removed in 1925, the shafts, tunnels, tailraces, walls, and channels still exist (shafts and tunnels filled in), the site still has the ability to demonstrate tin mining activities and techniquesof the early 20th century.
Heritage Inventory Description
MT HUNTER TIN MINE & ASSOCIATED STRUCTURES - Heritage Inventory Description
Mine Shafts known as Hotstone's Shaft, Richard's Shaft, Kirwan's Shaft, Potter's Shaft,Mt Hunter Tin Mine Shaft, andLawson's Creek Shaft 1& 2. The site also comprises where the bridge bearer once was (on the bank of Curan's Creek main branch), tail races, two rock walls, a shed platform (measuring 5x3m), pipe channel, and timber posts. The tail race is a deep, slope-sided Y-shaped channel running roughly south-east where Curran's Creek forks in two directions. The south tail race mesures approximately 60metres and the north tail race 100 metres. The rock walls consist of broken rocks among Curran's Creek. The disturbed pipe channel runs on an east-west axis.
-
-
-
-
-
MT HUNTER TIN MINE & ASSOCIATED STRUCTURESVictorian Heritage Inventory
-
-