BEACONSFIELD SAWMILL
53-65 WOODS STREET, BEACONSFIELD
![Victorian Heritage Inventory](http://api.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/img/owner_icons/1087.gif)
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Statement of Significance
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BEACONSFIELD SAWMILL - History
SiteCard data copied on 31/07/2024:Prior to the advertised new township of Beaconsfield the area was part of a 1920 acre size station known as Panty Gurn Gurn, which was gazetted in 1848 and bought by a Thomas Jackson. The station changed hands every three years or so until in 1873 the lease was forfeited. In 1879 the railway line from Sale to Oakleigh opened in 1879, there were stations at Berwick and Officer but none at Beaconsfield, a local man William Brisbane (when the line was beginning to be built in 1876), and knew there would be a demand for firewood and timber in Melbourne, petitioned the government to build a siding/station at Beaconsfield. Brisbane entered into a partnership with John Day and built a sawmill near the Gippsland Hotel (owned by Charles Souter on the Panty Gurn Gurn Station), Brisbane needed the railway siding to get his goods into Melbourne. The sawmill is shown on the 1879 survey map is located to the north of the station (opened in 1879). The Beaconsfield saw mill is first shown on a 1879 survey map of the Panty Gurn gurn station with subdivided lots shown throughout, on the sale poster for the "New town of Beaconsfield". The survey plan was completed by A.W Robinson in 1879. The sawmill is shown in the southern section of the map in lot 200.An auction of the Panty Gurn Gurn estate into subdivided lots was advertised for auction by J.R Patterson on Saturday May 14 1881 of the Charles Souter Esq estate at the Gippsland hotel , forming the new township of Beaconsfield. There appears to be no record of the sales of the Panty Gurn Gurn station, but in 1893 William Brisbane requests a transfer of land for the south section of the Panty Gurn Gurn station to become Crown land. Brisbane is listed as one of the owners of the Melbourne and Beaconsfield sawmill and the Beaconsfield and Cannibal Creek Company. Brisbane was also heavily involved with the building of the Beaconsfield to Gembrook railway line for the transportation of timber to Melbourne. There were several sawmills in and around the Mornington and Gippsland areas, which were rich in timber, with timber needed for builds in a growing Melbourne. A sawmill close to the railway line would save on transportation of timber.BEACONSFIELD SAWMILL - Interpretation of Site
The site is a small sawmill, with potentially the remains of a sawmill plant with remaining footings of the structure built over the plant. The sawmill is only shown in the 1879 survey map, it is not visible in any later aerial photographs as the study area is extremely overgrown with thick tree cover. Recent archaeological survey located the potential location of the sawmill, however visibility was extremely poor. The property is currently a vacant lot. Archaeological survey failed to locate any remains of the sawmill due to extremely poor visibility. Archaeological features that may be expected to survive from a sawmill include brick or stone building and machinery footings; post holes; saw pits; trenches for machinery footings; sawdust; remains of boilers, machinery remains like saws or metal roofing remains. The history of land use is unclear but appears to have been largely stock and orchard until becoming vacant and overgrown, suggesting that some archaeological remains of the short- lived mill may survive under the foliage.
Heritage Inventory Description
BEACONSFIELD SAWMILL - Heritage Inventory Description
Site sits within an overgrown vacant lot on the southern boundary of the property.
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