DENICULL CREEK GOLD WORKINGS 2
DENNICULL CREEK ROAD CATHCART, ARARAT RURAL CITY
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Statement of Significance
site indicates that it may have been a community hub of sorts. As such, the site could provide insight into a community building in collaboration on the gold-fields. The subject site shows all the aspects of a classic alluvial gold mine, with hundreds of gold pits and potential shafts, drainage channel and spoil piles. Due to the intensity of the digging activities and lack of subsequent development, it does represent a fairly untouched and intact example of late 19th century gold mining.
site indicates that it may have been a community hub of sorts. As such, the site could provide insight into a community building in collaboration on the gold-fields. The subject site shows all the aspects of a classic alluvial gold mine, with hundreds of gold pits and potential shafts, drainage channel and spoil piles. Due to the intensity of the digging activities and lack of subsequent development, it does represent a fairly untouched and intact example of late 19th century gold mining.
site indicates that it may have been a community hub of sorts. As such, the site could provide insight into a community building in collaboration on the gold-fields. The subject site shows all the aspects of a classic alluvial gold mine, with hundreds of gold pits and potential shafts, drainage channel and spoil piles. Due to the intensity of the digging activities and lack of subsequent development, it does represent a fairly untouched and intact example of late 19th century gold mining.
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DENICULL CREEK GOLD WORKINGS 2 - History
On the 1st of September 1911, FT. Shields was granted title of SPI 13~12/PP2020 (see parish map attached) along with Allotment 2. It is worth noting that the property is now on the same title as allotments 12, 12A and 14, having subsequently been disconnected from Allotment 2. Frederick Shields obtained a survey of the site, and this shows that in 1911 at least, the site was being actively worked by miners, including Chinese, and there were several huts on the site both in use and abandoned. In addition to the gold diggings recorded within that 1911 survey, there is also a mechanics institute shown in the top corner of the lot, and this appears to have been the Cathcart Mechanics Institute where the Cathcart Recreation Reserve is now located. Frederick Shields was listed as one of 6 speakers at the institute in 1906. Shields was a licenced gold buyer from as early as 1903 and was at this time also a hotel and storekeeper in Moyston as well as a Deputy Electoral Registrar of the Legislative Assembly. In 1913, the site was transferred to the ownership of William Shields, who is likely the brother of Frederick. From the Shields family, the land was then transferred into the ownership of the Scherger family who also were prominent landholders in the area. Since the gold mining diggings were abandoned, it is evident that the site has not been utilised for any specific purpose as the land had been so largely impacted that it would require significant works to remediate into farming land such as the adjoining lots. As Allotment 13 is part of a significantly larger parcel of land now, it is likely that the land has been utilised as a vegetation buffer to larger cropping and agricultural uses since the early 20th century.DENICULL CREEK GOLD WORKINGS 2 - Interpretation of Site
While documentary evidence does not state when gold mining commenced within the study area, it likely predated the formal ownership of FT Shields in 1911. The site has extensive evidence of gold mining diggings, spoil piles, drainage channels as well as at least one 19th century wine bottle discarded within the diggings. The site survey from 1911 clearly states mining diggings already present on the site at that time and that some of these were worked by Chinese miners. Unfortunately to date, it has not been possible to locate the original mining licence for the site. The first grantee for the title was a prominent local resident and office holder. The property ended up being part of Scherger’s larger land holdings in the area and it is likely that the gold diggings were abandoned or ceased within the first half of the 20th century. It is difficult to determine when the gold diggings commenced at the site, however given Frederick Shield’s early involvement with gold buying and his selection of this property, it is assumed the site was early in the history of diggings in the area, with gold first found in Cathcart in the 1850s. Due to the extensive gold-digging activity at the site as well as its terrain, it is likely this site has been kept isolated from the larger farming land it was once incorporated into. This property has a post-war home and several outbuildings to support the current farming use of the land within the larger holding. The SPI where the site is currently located is used as farming land with mature vegetation around the historical material. Land use, including agricultural grazing may have impacted historical archaeological deposits, if any.
Heritage Inventory Description
DENICULL CREEK GOLD WORKINGS 2 - Heritage Inventory Description
The site is a battle-axe shaped site with a mixture of cleared, light to medium density vegetation throughout. The site has a dry creek running to the north-east of the site and is a mix of undulating and steep terrain. The site has been fenced off from the larger, cleared paddock likely due to being unsafe to stock. There are significant numbers of alluvial gold pits, gold digging evidence and spoil piles as well as drainage channels. There is also the potential for associated miners huts.
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