FORMER DEEP CREEK ASSOCIATED MINING INFRASTRUCTURE
OFF EASTERN HILL ROAD BLAMPIED, HEPBURN 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
What is significant?
The Former Deep Creek Settlement Associated Mining Infrastructure site is of archaeological , historical and scientific significance. The significant elements comprise the likely remains of a bluestone boiler and related furnace foundations.
How is it significant?
The Former Deep Creek Settlement Associated Mining Infrastructure site is of archaeological and historical significance forthe establishment of Castlemaine.
Why is it significant?
The site is significant due to it being a rare example of an intact alluvial mining site with associated mining infrastructure. The site is also significant as it informs how miners adapted to, organised space and modified the rural landscape surrounding them to suite their needs. The site has scientific archaeological value for further research and possible excavations.
-
-
FORMER DEEP CREEK ASSOCIATED MINING INFRASTRUCTURE - History
Deep Creek was a prominent location for alluvial mining and deep lead mining even though its popularity declined after the 1870s and 1880s as quartz crushing increased around Daylesford. Deep Creek's population decline also mirrors the deterioration in alluvial working. In 1864 a total of 6,296 miners were recorded for the Hepburn region, of which 555 were based in Deep Creek (Reports of the Mining Surveyors and Registrars 1864). By 1874 Deep Creek's population had declined to 156 miners, and by 1884 was only 75, indicating that the gold was not abundant enough to be payable (Reports of the Mining Surveyors and Registrars 1874; 1884).
The Deep Creek landscape and Wombat Forest, in general, welcomed many people from different cultural backgrounds. Along with the Swiss and Italians,alarge numbers of Cornish, Scottish, English, Irish and Chinese miners, and small contingents of Greeks, Danes, French, Germans and Swedes arrived (Roxburgh 1931, p. 4).
Wombat Forrest and its status as a protected forest have given shelter to many features related to the gold rush period. Wombat Forest contains within it the remains of many miles of water races, most notably the Duff and Menadue water races. Along with water races, there are several remains of huts, mostly identifiable by the surviving chimney features, dams, sluiced gullies and pothole mines all over the forest. One of the huts is preserved well and has become a landmark in the forest named Le Frankie's hut. Specific to this listing is the remains of a boiler and associated furnace foundations found near other example of mining infrastructure.
Historical information about DCMV and the Deep Creek landscape was almost non-existent as records about the site were found to be lacking. According to the Heritage Victoria Database (HVD), DCMV and the landscape encompassing Deep Creek experienced shallow alluvial gold mining during the mid-1850s. It was initially thought that the Deep Creek Settlement (DCS) was, in fact, DCMV and that its location was incorrectly marked due to the limited availability of GPS devices at the time. It is now understood that DCMV and the DCS are separate settlements located within a couple of hundred metres of each other in the Deep Creek landscape. Deep Creek also supplied water for two primary water races constructed in 1865 and follows a route to Yandoit (Bannear 1999, p. 6). It was also noted that the primary period of sluicing near Daylesford lasted between the 1850s to 1880s and that by 1861 creek sluicing was exclusive to Chinese miners (Bannear 1999, p. 6).FORMER DEEP CREEK ASSOCIATED MINING INFRASTRUCTURE - Archaeological Significance
The Deep Creek Associated Mining Infrastructure is likely to be contemporary with the 1850s-1860s occupation of the Deep Creek Settlement and Mining Village. The site comprises a fragmentary rectangular stone foundation and at least four noted stone square foundations. The form of the rectangular building means it is most likely a boiler and the closely located stone foundations are potentially associated furnace platforms. There is also a large rectangular clearance which is also considered to be further structural remains. Within the area is also a man-made water race to service mining infrastructure. This site demonstrates that there is significant potential for historical archaeological features, deposits or artefacts.
FORMER DEEP CREEK ASSOCIATED MINING INFRASTRUCTURE - Historical Significance
The site is associated with the mid nineteenth century alluvial mining and deep lead mining around the Daylesford area. The site extent comprises a single stone boiler foundation, four stone furnace platforms, and associated ground sluicing modifications. This site is a rare example of an intact alluvial mining site showing scientific archaeological value. The site can inform on how miners adapted to, organised space and modified the rural landscape to suit their needs.
Heritage Inventory Description
FORMER DEEP CREEK ASSOCIATED MINING INFRASTRUCTURE - Heritage Inventory Description
The site is located slightly south west of the Deep Creek Settlement and is made up of a rectangular stone structure, which is so narrow in width that only two people can stand side by side. The length of the structure is more generous leading to the conclusion that this building could have been used as a setting for a boiler. Directly next to the boiler is the remains of at least four-square stone features which are thought to be the furnaces that once powered the boiler. These furnaces are highly degraded and appear as mounds rising out of the landscape. The foundations of these structures sit on land which has been levelled from the naturally inclined hillside. Directly to the left of the boiler structure is a large and level rectangular space thought to be another large structure. Running directly adjacent to the features is a water race running towards the Ballarat Tunnel which was identified during the 2018 survey. The foundations of the rectangular boiler measure 6.40m in length and 1.95m in width.
-
-
-
-
-
FORMER DEEP CREEK ASSOCIATED MINING INFRASTRUCTUREVictorian Heritage Inventory
-
FORMER DEEP CREEK SETTLEMENTVictorian Heritage Inventory
-
-