Former Prince of Wales and Bonshaw Company gold mining site and mine managers residence
362 Albert Street SEBASTOPOL, BALLARAT CITY
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Statement of Significance
- Mine shaft opening (filled)
- Pieces of concrete which may have been part of the pump bob pit (near the shaft)
- Blocks of stone in the grass north of the shaft
- Large dam 70 m by 50 m 50 m north of shaft
- Two mullock heaps, defining the west and north sides of an area from which mullock has been removed
- The mine managers/administration residence (which may have been built as late as the 1880s)
- Scatters of stone and brick between the mine shaft and the mine manager's residence
- Building foundations to the south of the mullock heaps
- A small section of bluestone lined channel and simple wooden bridge
- Several fruit trees dating from the late nineteenth century/early twentieth century: Apple, Pear, Cherry Plum, and a particularly fine Apple tree at the rear of the residence
- Two Elm trees at the entrance to the mine shaft - possibly associated with the residence.
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Former Prince of Wales and Bonshaw Company gold mining site and mine managers residence - Physical Description 1
The former Prince of Wales and Bonshaw Company gold mining site and mine managers residence at 362 Albert Street Sebastopol is situated at the southern edge of the study area. Its southern boundary is formed by Bells Road, historically known as the 'Three Chain Road' or the 'Portland Road', and this represents the extent of the City of Ballarat administration area.
The wider mine site
The following is an extract from Context (2011:51-52):
The mine site at 362 Albert Street, Sebastopol, has been described in previous studies (Supple 1999, Bannear 1999, and Ecology Partners 2010) as a 'mullock heap obscured by trees' but, while in quite poor condition, it is still relatively intact and retains a number of archaeological features relating to its gold mining history that are now not visible at other mine sites in Ballarat West.
The most prominent features are two mullock heaps which run south and east, from a point just to the south of the mine shaft. These heaps (which measure 25m x 25m x 4m high and 50m x 25m x 5m high) define the west and north sides of an area approximately 50m x 50m, from which mullock has been removed. Although each of the extant heaps have also had material removed from it they are still quite large in height and area compared to others in Ballarat West and, despite their tree coverage, remain prominent landscape features. The mullock heaps are surrounded by plantings of Cupressus macrocarpa (Monterey Cypress) which date from around the 1960s onward. A number of these are not planted, but have colonised the mullock heaps. The Cupressus macrocarpa are not considered to be significant to the site, although they do represent a clear move away from the industrial use of the site to becoming a residential home.
The opening of the mine shaft is still visible, although the shaft is now full of rubbish including a couple of pieces of concrete which may have been part of the pump bob pit. There are a few blocks of stone in the grass north of the shaft and scattered brick, ceramic and glass. Most of this material probably relates to the demolition of 20th century buildings at the site, but some blocks of blue stone and red brick visible on the ground surface near to the shaft appear to be in situ foundations and may relate to the time of the mines operation.
However, a site inspection carried out by Neil Wright of the Sebastopol Historical Society in October 2011 noted the lack of engine beds; brick or bluestone beds that provided the foundations necessary to hold engines, pumps and other machinery, which normally remained after the close of a mine (Wright, pers. comm., Oct 2011).
The house (see below), which is currently occupied, is located c50m to the west of the mine shaft opening, and a large rectangular dam (70m x 50m) is located c50 m to its north. The mine shaft has two mature (c1890-1910) Ulmus sp.(Elms) adjacent. The species of the Elms could not be identified as no leaves, fruits or flowers were present at the time of inspection.
During the survey a number of newly identified features were recorded at this site. These include two sets of building foundations to the south of the mullock heaps, of an uncertain origin but probably building or machinery foundations, and a small bluestone-lined channel with a simple wooden bridge. The channel is near the end of a Cyprus pine row at the southern end of the property.
Underground components of the mining sites may still remain intact but these could not be assessed within the scope of this study.
A row of Salix sp. (Willow) leading towards the driveway from the residence are not significant.
Key site features:
1. Mine shaft opening - filled with of rubbish
2. Pieces of concrete which may have been part of the pump bob pit
3. Blocks of stone in the grass north of the shaft
4. Large dam 70 m by 50 m 50 m north of shaft
5. Two mullock heaps, defining the west and north sides of an area from which mullock has been removed
6. The mine managers/administration house (now a private residence)
7. Scatters of stone and brick between the mine shaft and the mine manager's house
8. Building foundations to the south of the mullock heaps
9. A small section of bluestone lined channel and simple wooden bridge.
10. Two Elm trees at the entrance to the mine shaft - possibly associated with the residence.Bonshaw Mine residence
The Bonshaw Mine residence is set far back from Albert Street, behind an open paddock and clumps of trees, although it faces the road.
It is a weatherboard house, with an M-hipped roof clad in corrugated iron. It has three bi-chrome brick chimneys with stop-chamfered corners and a moulded brick cornice (missing from the rear chimney).
The front verandah has a slightly convex roof and retains unusually ornate cast-iron columns (with Corinthian capitals and fluted shafts) and a floral frieze with continuous brackets (NB: the frieze and brackets have few paint layers and could be a recent addition). The floor is edged with basalt blocks.
The facade is symmetrical, with a central six-panelled door with heavy mouldings. The windows to either side are one-over-one double-hung sashes. The three windows on the north side elevation are also single-pane, and these are protected by simple timber hoods with ripple-iron roofs. It is apparent by a corner stop between the rear two windows that the house has been extended to the rear. As the rearmost chimney at the back of this extension has the same detailing as the front chimneys, this raises the possibility that the chimneys were all added at the time the extension was made.
At the very rear is a much later skillion extension, clad in fibro sheeting.
Alterations include the recent re-cladding of the roof and the replacement of the verandah floor with a concrete slab. The front picket fence is a reproduction.
There is a small timber shed to the south of the house, which is clad in unpainted weatherboards. Its roof is gabled, with a skillion to the east side. It was not examined in detail.
The land immediate to the residence retains some early twentieth century and possibly late nineteenth century plantings. The range of surviving trees clearly illustrate that the residence was permanantly occupied. There are cultivars of the following fruit trees surrounding the residence: - Malus domestica (Apple), Pyrus comminus (Pear), Prunus cerasifera (Cherry Plum), Prunus cv. (unknown plum). The owners of the property also recall that in previous years there were speciemens of Walnut and Fig (now gone).
Sources
Context PL (2011), Ballarat West Growth Areas, Bonshaw Creek and Greenhalghs Road Precincts, Historic Archaeology Assessments.
Wright, Neil (of the Sebastopol Historical Society), personal communication, October 2011.Former Prince of Wales and Bonshaw Company gold mining site and mine managers residence - Integrity
The residence is in good condition externally and retains a high degree of integrity. The mine site has lost a large amount of fabric, but retains a number of significant elements that are intact.
Heritage Study and Grading
Ballarat - Sebastopol Heritage Study (Stage 2)
Author: Context Pty Ltd
Year: 2015
Grading: Local
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