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STEWART MINE SITE
BLUE ROCK ROAD, BULL BEEF CREEK NATURE CONSERVATION RESERVE TANJIL, BAW BAW SHIRE
STEWART MINE SITE
BLUE ROCK ROAD, BULL BEEF CREEK NATURE CONSERVATION RESERVE TANJIL, BAW BAW SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The site is located in the Bull Beef Creek Nature Conservation Reserve to the north-east of Blue Rock Lake, Baw Baw Shire.
The lower workings consist of an Adit and a large mullock dump, with a small excavated flat on each side of the Adit cutting that probably represent hut sites. The upper workings consist of two lines of workings showing stopes and shafts with large mullock dumps with a small, excavated building site between the two lines. The former battery and cyanide plant site is located down on Bull Beef Creek to the west, where Blue Rock Rd crosses Bull Beef Creek. There is a small dam at the site which is now used for firefighting. No machinery remains on-site, however its approximate position is marked on a plan attached in site card.
The first mining lease was taken up by Jonathan (John) Stewart in 1902, it was hoped that the Steward Mine would revise the Tanjil goldrush, A trial crushing of 1 ton of ore at the Bairnsdale School of mines yielded over 6 ounces of gold and another of 10ΒΌ tons yielded over 72 ounces, plus 3 ounces from blanketing. On the basis of these promising results, Messrs Ford and Stewart erected a stamp battery nearby to the mine in October 1902, followed by a cyanide plant in 1903. This battery crushed a further 170 tons of ore, yielding 129 ounces of gold. From 1909 to 1919, the lease was held by G. Chappell, two years following the mine was taken up by Stewart's Tanjil Reef Pty Ltd and held until it expired in 1954.
The first mining lease was taken up by Jonathan (John) Stewart in 1902, it was hoped that the Steward Mine would revise the Tanjil goldrush, A trial crushing of 1 ton of ore at the Bairnsdale School of mines yielded over 6 ounces of gold and another of 10ΒΌ tons yielded over 72 ounces, plus 3 ounces from blanketing. On the basis of these promising results, Messrs Ford and Stewart erected a stamp battery nearby to the mine in October 1902, followed by a cyanide plant in 1903. This battery crushed a further 170 tons of ore, yielding 129 ounces of gold. From 1909 to 1919, the lease was held by G. Chappell, two years following the mine was taken up by Stewart's Tanjil Reef Pty Ltd and held until it expired in 1954.
The site is likely (or is known to contain) archaeological evidence of at least three probable hut sites at the workings per attached plan and a nearby stamp battery & cyanide plant site (not inspected) and has potential to yield artefacts and information that would illuminate this type of mining operation in the period 1900-1950.
How is it significant?
The site is of local historical and regional archaeological significance.
Why is it significant?
The site has archaeological value as a very well-preserved early-mid 20th century gold mine that demonstrates the typical features of this type and scale of mining in relatively remote mountain areas (early surface workings, hut sites, introduction of machinery, deeper levels accessed via Adit).
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