MOUNT CLEAR HORSE PUDDLER
44 LAVERY STREET MOUNT CLEAR, BALLARAT CITY
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Statement of Significance
This record has minimal details. Please look to the right-hand-side bar for any further details about this record.
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MOUNT CLEAR HORSE PUDDLER - History
The first era of gold mining in the area (Canadian Gully along the White Horse Range to Mount Clear) was from 1851 to 1852 where at the peak of the gold mining there were 20,000 diggers working the shallow alluvial deposits.
A figure in the landscape of gold mining was the horse puddler, a donut shaped structure dug into the ground, usually 7 meters in diameter with a hole in the centre about 1 meter wide. The centre was built up and, had a large wooden pole erected vertically and another wooden pole that was horizontal which attached to a metal rake. A horse was harnessed to the rake which, was designed to rake and break up the gold bearing dirt and, walked around the outside of the puddler (Gold Net Australia 2011).
MOUNT CLEAR HORSE PUDDLER - Interpretation of Site
The site dates from approximately the 1850s. The site developed with the increase of gold mining in the Ballarat area. High rainfall and gently sloping hills made gold extraction easy and was possible with little more than a pick, shovel, gold pan and handmade cradle. Early discoveries were dug up from a very shallow depth with mining by techniques associated with placer mining such as panning and sluice boxing (Strange, A.W. 1971 . Ballarat - A Brief History. Lowden Publishing Co. Kilmore, Victoria.).
A figure in the landscape of gold mining was the horse puddler, a donut shaped structure dug into the ground, usually 7 meters in diameter with a hole in the centre about 1 meter wide (Figure 1). The centre was built up and. had a large wooden pole erected vertically and another wooden pole that was horizontal which attached to a metal rake. A horse was harnessed to the rake which. was designed to rake and break up the gold bearing dirt and, walked around the outside of the puddler (Gold Net Australia. 2011 . Glossary of Gold Terms. Available from URL: http://www.gold-net.com.au/education.htm!. Accessed 18 March 2011).
MOUNT CLEAR HORSE PUDDLER - Archaeological Significance
The archaeological significance is medium.The context of the site includes the period of gold mining in the Mount Clear area and Ballarat in general. There is no archaeological content other than the feature itself.
The integrity of the site is high. The overall puddler form has survived and is clearly seen in attached photos. Representativeness in the Ballarat area is rare, a search on the HV register shows only six puddlers registered. Research potential for mining in the Mount Clear area is medium, although there is no artefactual archeology identified with the site.
MOUNT CLEAR HORSE PUDDLER - Historical Significance
This site has historical significance to the mining period of Mount Clear and the Ballarat area. The setting is relatively intact.
Heritage Inventory Description
MOUNT CLEAR HORSE PUDDLER - Heritage Inventory Description
The Mount Clear horse Puddler is a donut shape ground structure approximately 10 meters across and 40 cm in depth. It is located at 44 Lavery Street Mount Clear.
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MOUNT CLEAR MINING LANDSCAPEVictorian Heritage Inventory
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MOUNT CLEAR HORSE PUDDLERVictorian Heritage Inventory
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Mt Clear State School Honour Roll (First World War)Vic. War Heritage Inventory
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