Ironbark Precinct
Happy Valley Road Ironbark, GREATER BENDIGO CITY
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Statement of Significance
Victoria Hill Mining & Residential Area
Overall Significance
The area contains all the extant central sites on the New Chum and Nell Gwynne lines of reef and includes several key vantage points and one of the most comprehensive collections of mining artefacts which spans the entire period of mining on Bendigo from the earliest surface reef workings through to 1950.
Associated with these mining sites are the homes of the mine owners and workers, the social centres (hotels) and service premises (stores) which supported the mining activity. Together they help express the period when this mining group was active and among the richest in the state.
The Adventure and Advance Mine
The site contains one of the few rich open cut workings of the 1860s.
Ballerstedt Mine
The site contains the partially filled remains of one of the earliest open stopes worked on Bendigo.
Central Nell Gwynne Mine
The site is representative of the 1930's mining revival period and contains the most intact set of artefacts of any site from this period. The site is visible from many others in its vicinity, and from it there are views south to Chum Hill, west to the Tambour Major site, and north to the Royal George, Central Napoleon, Pearl, Stanfield and Windmill Hill sites.
Great Central Victoria Mine
The site was continuously occupied between 1871 and 1907 and is representative of both the 1870's and the 1890's mining revival periods, although what is now visible dates only from the latter period.
Lansell's 180 Mine
The site was worked continuously between 1855 and 1916, at first by Ballerstedt and then by George Lansell. This was Lansell's richest mines, the first on Bendigo to sink below both 2,000 and 3,000 feet, and contains several intact artefacts.
New Chum Syncline Mine
The site is representative of one of the smaller operations during the 1930's mining revival period and contains one of only two extant stamp batteries installed on Bendigo before 1940.
Old Chum Mine
The site was continuously occupied between 1856 and 1902. It was occupied by Bendigo's first quartz mining company and was the site of early photographs of the field. It provides extensive views southwards over central Bendigo to the Hansel Mundy, New Red White and Blue Consolidated, Central and North Deborah sites, and as far as One Tree Hill. To the north there are views to the Royal George, Central Nell Gwynne and Unity sites. The site is on the New Chum line of reef and atop Chum Hill, which is a prominent feature of the Bendigo Creek valley and a local landmark.
The William Rae Mine
One of the very few sites on Bendigo where it is possible to view open cut workings of the 1870's.
Victoria Quartz/Victoria Reef OMC Mine
The site was continuously occupied between 1856 and 1913. It had the deepest shaft of any mine in Victoria and the company was a leading gold producer on the New Chum line.
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Ironbark Precinct - Physical Description 1
Adventure & Advance Mine - open cut workings
Ballerstedt Mine - Open stope
Central Nell Gwynne Mine - Restored steel poppet head with tubular legs at the end of Ernest Street. 19 metres to the south are two relatively intact concrete winding engine beds. 30 metres west of the shaft site, and overlooking an extensive area of tailings, are the concrete foundations for four battery boxes and a variety of concentrating machinery. 14 metres North West of the shaft site and obscured by vegetation there is a single concrete engine bed.
Great Central Victoria Mine - Large mullock heap on the side of a gully. On the flattened top of the heap there is a small section of concrete and brick footing. In the gully there are traces of battery sand.
Lansell's 180 - Three massive brick winding engine/air compressor beds which are capped with granite blocks. 31 metres south is the concrete capping on the shaft. Between the shaft site and the engine beds there is an almost buried stone engine bed, which appears to have been modified/repaired with brickwork. The site is associated with a substantial mullock heap.
27 metres north of the winding engine beds is a 20 head battery and associated concrete floors, foundations and battery engine bed. Above the battery there is a rectangular concrete storage tank. At the rear of the battery there is an earthen loading ramp retained with a section of stone and mortar walling. Near the base of this ramp there are three small concrete mounting blocks. This part of the site was first associated with the operations of the Little 180 mine and then with the New Chum Syncline mine, which see.New Chum Syncline - Large concrete winding engine beds. 25 metres south are the remains of a capped shaft, with one in-situ poppet leg pad and two concrete structures. There is an extensive area of tailings and some mullock. The loading ramp and battery site are near the Lansell's 80 shaft site, and the description of these artefacts has been included with those relating to that site.
Old Chum Mine - Large brick lined tank and the remains of a mullock heap.
The William Rae Mine - Battery shed and chimney stack, with Victoria Hill in the background. Open cut.
Ironbark Precinct - Physical Description 2
General description
The above mining sites and artefacts provide the core of the precinct while the built sites occupy the fringe, looking onto the mine areas. From the Rae houses to the more moedst miner's cottages in Happy Valley Road, the full village complement arises with the addition of the Goldmines Hotel and the general stores at the Dare/Booth Streets' corner with the Calder Highway. The steep terraine provides spectacular elevated sites for buildings such as the Rae's but also those, like the hotel, at the base of the hills are the focus for distant views from the hillsides. The stores grouped around Dare Street occupy a strategic crossraods on the north-south journey from one gold centre to another.
Ironbark Precinct - Physical Description 3
Key Built Sites (5.5)
David Sterry's Goldmines Hotel, 57 Calder Highway 1857-72
Coath Cottage, 9 Happy Valley Road 1860c
William Rae's Mycumbene 31-33 Happy Valley Road, 1900c
William Rae's Bon Accord, 35 Happy Valley Road 1872
Other Contributory Built Sites (5.5)
59 Calder Highway 1880c?
64 Calder Highway 1900c
66 Calder Highway 1880c
68 Calder Highway 1880c
11 Happy Valley Road 1890c
Heinz Butcher's Shop, 39 Happy Valley Road 1880c
Heritage Study and Grading
Greater Bendigo - Eaglehawk & Bendigo Heritage Study
Author: Graeme Butler & Associates
Year: 1993
Grading:
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GOLDMINES HOTELVictorian Heritage Register H0827
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FORTUNA VILLAVictorian Heritage Register H2211
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VICTORIA HILL QUARTZ GOLD MINESVictorian Heritage Register H1355
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