BURNS HILL ADIT UPPER TUNNEL
NORTH STREET CHEWTON, MOUNT ALEXANDER SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
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BURNS HILL ADIT UPPER TUNNEL - History
Burns Hill workings is one of the earliest mining areas to be developed in the Chewton district. The area was first opened in the 1850s. Early work was carried out via tunnels and open cuts, many of which can still be found . Early returns were promising and before long tunnels were driven to exploit the reefs at depth. Several companies were active in this locality, the most notable being McWaters and Co and Salmon and Co. The records of McWaters and Co are somewhat suspect as the company is variously recorded as McWaters and CO, McWatturs CO, McWatturs and Lord. Also, McWaters and Lovelt, and McWalter began to appear in relation to Burns Hill sites from the 1860s. It is possible that these names are just variations on McWaters and Co and may refer to the one company.
In 1860 the Golden Point Co erected machinery and began crushing for mining companies on Burns Hill. December 1874 saw The Bertha Co progressing with the erection of crushing machinery. For the following crushing records it is assumed that the ore was hand-picked rather than run-of -mine. Salmon and Co between 1864 and 1867 produced 34.45 kg of gold from 805 tons of ore and McWaters and Co between 1864 and 1879 produced 20.57 kg of gold from 1,217 tons of ore (Willman, 1995; p 62). Salmon and Co, during December 1864, crushed 113 tons for 246 ounces. The reef continued to return profitable yields to the end of 1867.
In 1869 the Burns Hill Co was formed, but no work by them is recorded .
BURNS HILL ADIT UPPER TUNNEL - Interpretation of Site
This adit is part of the extensive network of shafts, open cuts and tunnels that make up the Burns Hill workings
Heritage Inventory Description
BURNS HILL ADIT UPPER TUNNEL - Heritage Inventory Description
Situated on the east side of Burns Hill, the mine entrance consists of a relatively low portal approximately 1.6 m high. Access to the adit is clear. It runs east-west, is 40 m long and is accessible over its entire length. No solid quartz bodies are visible in the workings, however the walls show many iron stained, highly fractured quartz stringers, ranging from the barely visible to several centimeters wide. Immediately in front of and to the right of the portal is a shaft 1.5m x 3m x 9m deep. In front of this shaft in a raised, level platform, 6m2 surrounded by a low stone retaining wall. Running north-south in front of this platform is a site access track, 3m wide . 10m in front of the platform is the now disused Golden Point water race which cuts through the mullock heap indicating that the mine workings predate the water race. The mullock heap has undergone much disturbance due to the positioning of the water race.
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GARFIELD WATERWHEEL QUARTZ GOLD MINING SITEVictorian Heritage Register H1356
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CEMETERY REEF GULLY CEMETERYVictorian Heritage Register H1412
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GARFIELD WHEELVictorian Heritage Inventory
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