BARNET AND HOLMES' STOCKYARD
OFF AXEDALE-GOORNONG ROAD AXEDALE, GREATER BENDIGO CITY
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Statement of Significance
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BARNET AND HOLMES' STOCKYARD - History
The majority of the place history information is drawn from Technical report A2: Historical Heritage Fosterville Gold Mine Sustained Operations Project (Geiberras & Hocking, 2022) European settlement within the study area began in the late 1830s, the area attracted squatters who later settled due to the potential for farming. Sheep were bred for their wool during the 1830s-1840s, then in the 1850s sheep and cattle contributed more to the meat market in order to sustain the gold rush population increase (Ballinger 2020, p.14). The squatters who acquired large amounts of land during the 1840s relied upon native grasslands for the grazing of animals, this declined when broadacre wheat farming was established from the 1870s (Ballinger 2020, p. 34). The site was within the township of Axedale and near site 42 – Refuse dump (another site recorded for Technical Report A2 for which a separate site card was submitted) (Figure 5). The stockyard was within W Barnet and E Holmes property, purchased before 1875. Both Barnet and Holmes utilised the nearby railway as both of their names appear in the ‘consignees of goods by railway’ section of the Bendigo Advertiser (1878, p. 2). This is presumably for farming equipment, livestock and/or food. During the 1850s, one group’s success from the Bendigo goldfields led to a large rush that extended the Bendigo Creek diggings to Epsom Flat and north Huntly, changing small alluvial mining operations to larger industrial scale mining (Ballinger 2020, p. 42). This area also had a gold boom from 1895 to 1906. This boom is recorded in both the social and historical events during this period (Marshall 1996, p. 3). Such as Fosterville football and cricket team parties and registered gold mining companies (Snoek 1988, p. 7). The challenges of pumping water from 1910 and during the outbreak of World War I led to a decline in mining (Ballinger 2020, p. 45). Despite the decline of mining in the area, cyanide works, and ore treatment plants continued to operate until 1939 (Bannear n.d., p.197). After the decline in mining the land use returned to agricultural activities. There was a long run that was made up of 51,200 acres with approximately 16,000 sheep located within the study area that was owned by Henry Grey Bennett (Webb et al. 1985, p. 40). This run was subdivided in 1865 into Barnedown East and Barnedown West. The Barnedown Run was broken down into smaller estates and in the late 1890s, a portion of this former run was known as Adelaide Vale Estate. At that time, dairy cattle, 4,000 sheep, hundreds of pigs and dozens of rabbits were present on the estate (The Australasian, 1896), which consisted of 4,000 acres of land that was used for agricultural activities. The Melbourne-Murry River railway line near this area aided in the establishment of the surrounding townships, as it facilitated access to fruit and vegetables out of the markets in Melbourne from the 1860s (Ballinger 2020, p. 8). The railway line also transported crops and livestock for farmers to the north (Ballinger 2020, p. 8). Additionally, having cross country railways would be even more advantageous to the people in this area and would have assisted in helping solve the growing difficulty with the timber for mines (The Bendigo Advertiser, 1899). The Stockyard site was not identified during the survey for a 1989 Supplementary Heritage Report (Wright), associated with the Environmental Effects Statement for the Fosterville Gold Mine (at the time Bendigo Gold Limited). The stockyard was first identified during a site inspection by ALA for Technical report A2: Historical Heritage Fosterville Gold Mine Sustained Operations Project (Geiberras and Hocking, 2022). The stockyard was likely used during the early 20th century and the timber that makes up the stockyard is from an earlier, unknown feature. This is evidenced by roughly hewn wood with hafted ends that have been repurposed and wired together (Figure 4).BARNET AND HOLMES' STOCKYARD - Interpretation of Site
In the early to mid-19th century the land was primarily used for pastoral activities that included breeding cattle and sheep for their meat, as well as for their wool. During this time station workers were increasingly leaving for the goldfields. In the 1850s, after the discovery of gold, land use shifted to small scale mining. Potential association of the site with 19th century pastoral occupation or small-scale mining cannot be discounted. In the late 19th century, pastoral activities continued; however, there was a shift when broadacre wheat farming was established from the 1870s. The construction of the Melbourne-Murry River railway line brought significant change to this area, providing transport to markets for farming selectors. From the 1850s the influx of mining led to larger industrial scale mining. This increase in gold mining and population can be seen in social and historical events, such as sports team parties and registered gold mining companies being established. In the early 20th century, mining declined due to challenges with pumping water and the outbreak of World War I, leading to a decline in population within the township of Fosterville. It was during this decline that the races once used for the batteries were repurposed for dairying and agriculture for the farming region (Victorian Places, Fosterville n.d). Mid-20th century even with the closure of many of the larger mines, cyanide works and ore treatment plants continued to operate until 1939. In the late 20th century, gold mining was reestablished in Fosterville; however, this did not disturb the stockyard's location. Several mining evaporation ponds are near the site to the northwest and roads have been established to the northeast and west of the site. Modern agricultural and mining activities continue near the site, however, the property where the stockyard is located is an open and unused paddock. The site is the remains of a farming timber stock yard that was likely used in the early 20th century. The stock yard is rectangular, approximately 17m x 13.7m, with an internal partition approximately 8.9m, in the centre of the feature. The timber used for the stock yard has been reused from an earlier, unknown feature, which could be because timber during this period was difficult to access. This is evidenced by roughly hewn wood with hafted ends that have been repurposed and wired together. This site illustrates the progression of mining activities to farming when the gold mining declined in this area. The modern mining activities that occur near the site have not yet disturbed the Stockyards location. The site has low potential for subsurface archaeological remains associated with agricultural activities conducted in the vicinity throughout the 20th century.
Heritage Inventory Description
BARNET AND HOLMES' STOCKYARD - Heritage Inventory Description
The Stockyard falls within the Fosterville Gold Mine, with a large evaporation pond situated to the west of the site (Figure 1). The site consists of a mostly flat surface in an open paddock, with ground surface being made of short to long vegetation (Figure 2). The stock yard is rectangular, approximately 17m x 13.7m, with an internal partition approximately 8.9m, in the centre of the feature (Figure 3). The timber used for the stock yard has been reused from an earlier, unknown feature. This is evidenced by the hafted timber planks that have been wired together (Figure 4). The perimeter of the stockyard was recorded with a handheld dGPS unit during the site inspection. The site extent for the stockyard was established by applying a 4m buffer around the footprint of the extant features recorded. The 4m buffer was applied in consultation with our Victorian goldfields mining expert, Dr. Peter Davis and was based on the potential for archaeological deposits/features to exist within close proximity to the stockyard.
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FINCHAM AND HOBDAY PIPE ORGANVictorian Heritage Register H2450
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STATE GOVERNMENT OFFICES, GEELONGVictorian Heritage Register H2451
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NORTH MELBOURNE POTTERYVictorian Heritage Inventory
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