ALLENS FLAT ALLUVIAL WORKINGS
BUCKLAND VALLEY
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Statement of Significance
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ALLENS FLAT ALLUVIAL WORKINGS - History
The location was occupied from the earliest months of the gold rush (from 1853), being in close proximity to the first gold finds in the valley at Maguire’s Point. The camping ground itself, due to the proximity to the road and River would have been the location of residential and commercial business from the beginnings of the goldfield. The locality has probably been known by many names, though many references refer to it as Ah Young’s, after Henry Ah Young, who lived on the flat and worked claims nearby. Mr H. Ah Young was born in the Buckland Valley in 1868, and resided in the district for many years, as evident by his engagement as Chinese interpreter in the Bright Magistrate Court on several occasions in 1899 (e.g. Ovens & Murray Advertiser 18th March 1899). Alluvial mining was carried on here from the earliest days on the Buckland diggings, when most miners were engaged in panning, cradling and small-scale ground-sluicing. Californians introduced various sluice washing techniques from early 1854, and cut many water-races to wash high points and banks all along the river. Hydraulic mining was said to have been first used on the Buckland by John Reid and party in 1858. This technique involved the use of canvas hoses to deliver water under pressure for the washing of alluvial gravels. This technology further developed into higher pressure sluicing operations with the introduction of improved nozzles, steel pipe and higher level water-races. By the 1890s, jet-elevator technology was in common use on the field. Allen’s Flat “A rush of Chinamen at the back of Allen’s store and along Maguire’s Flat is still on the increase. The sinking is from 35 to 45 feet, the ground is pretty wet. In fact, it has hitherto baffled all attempts to bottom it, but the matter of a hundred holes all going down at the same time has enabled the parities to get to the bottom. It is rather difficult to give even an approximate value to the washing stuff. John Chinaman’s no sabbe, so far as regards this particular spot, seems to have reached its culminating point. Some contrive to wash their stuff as fast as it is raised; while others set a watch day and night on their piles of washing stuff. It is true there are a number of European outsiders, so far as I can learn by them, they have not done much. It is, however, confidently reported that there runs the whole length of the ground – nearly a mile – a very rich vein of gold, yielding from ten to fifteen shillings to the pan. If not the richest, it is certainly the largest rush which has taken place here within the last 12 months.“ Ovens & Murray Advertiser, 24th April 1858. The locality saw a number of businesses established in the very early period of the diggings. The Caledonia Store, situated in this vicinity (situated one mile below the Camp), was a partnership between James Fairley and Brownlee Murray. The partnership was dissolved in 1858 with Fairley carrying on the store alone. The store appears to have been closed by the mid 1870s when Fairley gave his occupation as carter. Fairley’s and Murrays’ Creeks were possibly named after these early store keepers. Allen’s store was referenced in this area in 1858, when a ruch to place to the locality. Allen’s Flat is possibly named after this store. Another store, also known as Allen’s was situated on the Lower Buckland. The history of these two sites has not been researched. Ah Man’s Claim “The claim known as Ah Man’s on Allen’s Flat has been profitably worked for more than 20 years. During that period there have been many changes of shareholders; several having obtained what they regarded as a fortune, sold out, and returned to the Flowery Land. The longest shareholder, Ah Man, sold his in the property a few months ago to an enterprising countryman, Teck Shin. The necessary preliminaries have been taken by Teck Shin to secure by lease a large block of ground adjoining the claim now held. Unfortuantley for the owners water is only available on an everage about six months in the year.“ Ovens & Murrray Advertiser, 24th July 1897. The site of the deep hydraulic sluicing pit may have been that held by Ah Man. Further light may be shed into this locality with a study of the claims registers.ALLENS FLAT ALLUVIAL WORKINGS - Interpretation of Site
Early alluvial workings The areas of early alluvial workings are represented by the shallow network of tail races, head races and lead shafts that are located to the north and south of the large hydraulic sluice paddock. The lead shafts that indicate the use of a hand whip or shadoof are more suggestive of Chinese mining, with ladder ways or timber stiles more popular with European miners. They also provide tangible evidence of the early improvisions undertaken for extracting alluvial material from the shafts, whereby this ancient tool could be constructed from available timber without the need to carry machinery onto the field. The use of shadoofs were therefore popular when early miners could not afford to purchase equipment, or haul it the considerable distance to the goldfield (Smyth 1869, p. 79-80). Hydraulic sluicing The hydraulic sluicing area is approximately 450 metres long (north-south axis), and approximately 200 metres wide east-west, at its widest point, with a steep vertical face overlooking a vast, open area filled with cobble dumps. A main tail-race extends between the worked cliff face and the river. The tail race is cut down into the bedrock. The large moss-covered cobble heaps have stone-retaining walls in places, and the whole open area has a decaying, ‘Aztec city’ appearance. The Dredge era The Blacksmith forge is significant, along with the large length of cable at this location, it provides tangible evidence of bucket dredging along the river. Demonstrating ancillary activities and sites of dredging operations. Without significant research, it is not clear whether the Kia-ora No.2 or the Buckland South Extended dredge worked this stretch of river.
Heritage Inventory Description
ALLENS FLAT ALLUVIAL WORKINGS - Heritage Inventory Description
Allens Flat Alluvial mining area The Allens Flat alluvial mining area contains evidence of a variety of alluvial mining techniques undertaken to extract gold from a stranded former river course/ alluvial lead running on the western side of the Buckland River in this narrow section of the valley. The area includes a large hydraulic sluice paddock, as well as evidence of earlier workings on the eastern brow of the paddock, and in the area immediately south of the Ah Youngs Camping Ground. These earlier workings include tail races that pre-date the sluicing works (pre 1860’s), head races following the original contours, alluvial lead shafts, and an alluvial drive. The areas of earlier shallow alluvial workings have a high probability to contain habitation sites, however due to thick vegetation cover, including blackberries it is difficult to identify evidence of habitation. A lack of features usually atrributable to substanitial buildings (wall foundations, etc), may also indicate that some of the dwellings may have been canvas. The Ah Youngs Camping Ground itself is a situated on a bedrock bar, which it is mostly separated from the Buckland Valley Road by a deep sluicing paddock for most of its length. On the riverside the camping area is bound by deep gold sluice workings and cobble heaps. Visible features of the Allens Flat Alluvial Mining area are described in further detail below. Hydraulic Sluicing Paddock (southern): Located to the south of Ah Youngs camping area is an extensive hydraulic sluicing paddock. The sluicing paddock consists of a large cobble field and tailrace network, with the main tailrace cut into the bed rock. This main tail race runs in a north east direction from working face/ cliff through stacked cobble-heaps for a distance of approximately 280 metres. The hydraulic sluicing area is approximately 450 metres long (north-south axis), and approximately 200 metres wide east-west, at its widest point. The western boundary of the hydraulic sluicing paddock is bounded closely by the main Buckland Valley Road. It is probable that this area was also previously subject to lower pressure ground sluicing works that have since been removed by the later hydraulic sluicing. Lead shafts: There are numerous lead shafts in the area between the southern sluicing paddock and the Ah Youngs camping area. Some of these shafts are quite deep (<10 metres). Several of the shafts also have evidence of the use of a hand whip or shaddof with the beam line running out vertically from the shaft. Horizontal adit/ alluvial tunnel: This feature is located at the base of a worked face. The adit was detected by the stream of underground water which was flowing out of the adit at this location. The adit has a channel or race that flows away from the adit to outfall into the nearby Buckland River. A cyndrical sleeved iron artefact (108mm long, with a 73.8 mm diameter) was found on the side of the channel/ race, which is consistent with a component of a water wheel or pump. A small ceramic (China) artefact was also found in the immediate works area surrounding the adit. Blacksmith Forge: The remains of what appears to be a forge, consisting of a low mound of rock and earth rubble occurs on a flat terrace above the River in the most southern section of Allens Flat. A piece of metal slag was located on top of the low mound. The appearance of the slag was consistent with the heating of this material to over 1,000 degrees Celsius, which supports the use of the site as a Blacksmith. There is also a significant amount of steel cable at this location (>20 metres), which is coiled around vegetation, and also partially buried by sediment and organic debris. The cable is 23.7mm in diameter. The location is also directly above a natural narrow point in the Buckland River, where a Canyon has formed through the bedrock. It is known that the Buckland River South Extended Company was working in this area. It is thought the cable may be associated with a flying fox that is shown in the historic photo at Attachment 3. The flying fox was used to transfer firewood or workers onto dredges, and/or for repair works. The location of the forge with the cable supports the suggestion that this area was the location of the flying fox, and/or a repair site for the Dredge.
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