Alan J Buckingham - The Blackwood Goldfield, 1855-1900

So for some time. Now a balanced reputation. Alan is a school teacher, he's come all the way from Bairst. It's wonderful that he's made the effort. Some of us have read a thesis that he wrote some years ago. Ja. Armstrong asked me to mention that he also Mr. Uh, thank you, er, thank you very much. Um, what I intend to do today, uh, Is, um, the paper that I do intend um presenting is really the central part of this work that the, um, Is just spoken of that I did in 1970, so um it's just the uh central part of it, uh, and I've also got um some extracts from the Argus of 1855 which will perhaps um, Make it a little bit more vivid, um, what the Blackwood Goldfield was like, in that particular year, 1855 and 1856, also, um. I hope I don't spend too much of your time. Margot tells me that um half an hour or 3/4 of an hour is normal. I I hope that's not too long for you. Um, And I'll be reading uh this work too. Well, in March of 1855. A fellow called Edward Hill, um. Made public, or tried to make public, um, that that there was gold in the, uh, Blackwood, uh, ranges in the Lurdi Derg River. He tried to make it public because he was under the impression that he'd gain a 300, that that he would gain 1000 pounds reward as the discoverer of a new gold field. Now the saga of Ed Edward Hill is a very long one and uh, I won't go into into that, but that's, um, the starting point of the exercises. I'm shaking a bit. I might sit sit there, I think. I don't know, um, is it, is it loud enough? Do. Um, where are we? Edward Hill's efforts to publicise his discovery and turn the Mount Blackwood Ranges into an established diggings were successful. At the beginning of April 1855, the Chief Commissioner of Goldfields, Mr. Wright, sent Assistant Commissioner Standish to report on the new diggings, who then estimated the population to be upwards of 2000. By June 1855, the government had appointed a goldfields warden, a magistrate, and a police officer to the now Mount Blackwood goldfield, and the population was estimated by the warden to be 10,000. By September of that same year, the rush reached its climax when the population was estimated at 13,000. So the population went from zero in March to 13,000 and uh from then on it went down. This all happened in uh six months. The diggings was one of the numerous small men's fields of those golden years of the 1850s. However, the diggings and the general aspect of the countryside was much different from that of the other western and northwestern gold fields. The ranges were densely wooded and higher and more precipitous in those than in those localities. In fact, the correspondent writing in the Argus in July 1855, had this to say about the diggings. Mount Blackwood beats all other diggings for mountains, ravines, and breakneck precipices. Some of the roads are awful to ascend and it and would almost frighten the Highlander. The only consolation is that many of these mountains and all but perpendicular ranges contain enormous hidden wealth, which time and patience will fully develop. The goldfield was also an extremely difficult diggings to reach. Was situated only 55 miles from Melbourne, but from all accounts the journey there must have seemed more than twice that distance. Printed in 1855, a guide to the Goldfields of Victoria Road of Mount Blackwood. Mount Blackwood is one of the nearest diggings to Melbourne, but being rather distant from both of the main roads is more difficult of approach. Many persons go by Gisborne striking through the black forest, but we think the majority prefer the nearest road by Bacchus Marsh, striking off several miles beyond the township on the Pentland Hills. The first portion of this road is tolerable. But the last 10 miles is, without exception, the worst we know. The distance is, however, 15 miles less by this road than by the Black Forest. We have only in conclusion to add that the indefatigable Cobb and Co. have started a conveyance direct to these diggings, taking the route we have indicated by the Bush Inn and the Black Forest Hotel, where it strikes through the forest in a straight line for Blackwood. Any person whose pocket can afford it should go by this opportunity. Assistant Commissioner Standish had the same harsh words to say about the roads to Blackwood in his April report of 1855, and in fact expressed the opinion that the difficulty of access by the present roads seems to me to be the chief obstacle to the prosperity and development of the Mount Blackwood goldfield. Nevertheless, at its best it was a great field. The ground first opened up for mining was very rich, and nuggets were found varying in weight from 1 penny weight up to 21 pounds. Almost the first speck uncovered was a piece of pure gold of over 6.5 pounds, which was kicked out of the grass on the side of a gully. John Drayton, writing in the Smith's Weekly in 1924, as a matter of fact, he had a couple of articles about Blackwood in 1924 and, uh, one was entitled Weighed in the Blackwood Balance, and, uh, this was the story that he that he told here. Probably the most unique situation from a prospector's point of view in the history of Australian mining cropped up when the second nugget was found on the Mount Blackwood field in 1855. The man who found it had not the slightest idea of its weight because there were no scales within 20 miles. However, Shingle Splitter Bramby, who was said to have been a captain in the navy in his better days, helped him out. He guessed the weight of his twin children of 20 pounds for the pair. And raising the slug, reckoned it would balance them. A clean stick with a centre cord and slings at the ends was arranged to take the weight. And with the kids at one end and the nugget at the other, the balance was thrown slightly out of centre. The weight of the slug on the scales of the bank in Melbourne was within 2 pennyweights of 21 pounds, so the story goes. The best nugget on the record of the diggings was this 21 pound lump found in 1855. It smelted for 167 ounces of good gold. It is said that a number of larger nuggets were found, but that they were never disclosed in order to prevent a larger rush rush from taking place. Which I guess is understandable. The largest is said to have been taken away secretly. The story is told that it was discovered by two Americans who fearful to make their discovery known, placed it in a sack and carried it through the bush to a road that led to Melbourne. The very rich alluvial gold of the early days was chiefly found in the Lurdi Derg River and its tributaries, and the Nuggety, Long, Yankee, Jackson's, Dead Horse, Whipstick, Back and Kangaroo Creeks. The sinking was very shallow, averaging about 20 ft. The old mining registers hold records of many large nuggets discovered. In Long Gully, a nugget weighing 60 ounces was found. Shiaguli, several nuggets weighing 42 ounces, 46 ounces, and 61.5 ounces. Uh, the last being known as the Blackwood eagle, this was supposed to have been found in 1935. Um, someone here may be able to, uh, verify that. At Dead Horse Gully, the nugget weighing 21 pounds was discovered. And so was another weighing 100 ounces. Up until 1938, mining operations were still being carried out in these localities, but very few men were earning a living. Just back to 1855 for a moment. In April of 1855, the population of the field numbered about 2000. The chief part of the diggings was on the banks of the Lurdi Derg River. However, there were numerous parties at work, 4 or 5 miles, both above and below the principal workings. There were not more than 5 stores and 2 butcher shops, and provisions were very scarce and dear. Cartage being as high as 50 pounds a tonne, and with the rainy season yet to come, it's destined to rise even higher. The population, the greater part of which came from Castlemaine, was said to be exceedingly well conducted and orderly. Up to the time of Assistant Commissioner Standish's visit, there had been but one case of robbery when the offender was detected and summarily dealt with by immersion with the creek. The field was very rich, but with the dis as with the discovery of any new field, even at this time in its life, many persons were returning from it unsuccessful and discouraged. Despite that though, the news of the large discoveries at Blackwood soon spread, and by the end of June 1855, it was computed that there was between 10,000 and 12,000 people on the field. However, by now the diggings were much scattered up and down the creeks and gullies for from 15 to 18 miles. So perhaps, so perhaps a correct estimation of the population could scarcely be formed. 10 to 12,000 people maybe a modest estimation by the warden as um you know, we've all or we've heard and we've read accounts that the that the population of the field was 20,000 or 30,000 or 40,000. The point is though, when any new gold field was established, the government was very, very keen that it would that it would succeed. So they immediately sent um government officials there. And it was their job to collect uh licences, miners' rights, and to make an estimate of the um population every week, so that the, the figures that I'm uh using here are from the estimates of the um, Mining warden of of Blackwood every week from 1855 through to uh, Around about 1900. The warden collected the miners' rights and business licences, and this is recognised by historians as a pretty reliable guide to the population of the gold field. In an incredibly short space of time, the whole of the river bed was riddled from end to end, and many rich patches of gold were found. In June of 1855, uh Mr. Robert McKenzie was appointed the first warden of the Mount Blackwood Goldfield. And he, together with a magistrate and a police officer who had already been on the field for several months, represented the law at that time. Later on in the year, they were supported by a larger police force consisting of 4 mounted and 7 ft constables. Surprisingly, their job was very easy as it seems the diggers on this field were very well disposed to law and order. A correspondent writing in the Argus at the time had this to say about the behaviour on the field. Mount Blackwood is not the noisy, turbulent place it gets the credit for. In fact, quiet and regularity prevails everywhere, and there is not the noise and fighting that one hears about. It is true that there is a good deal of singing and noise from the grog shops that abound here, but even that ceases between 11 and 12. Uh, The warden's job was um a very very difficult job in those days, um, he had a diary, it's um available in the um archives of Melbourne, um as to what he did do, what was a typical day and uh a typical day was something like this um. As I say, the warden had little or no help until late in the year when a clerk was appointed to assist him with his paperwork. He spent most of his time inspecting applications for Creek claims, granting written authority for the same, and afterwards settling the disputes which occurred. He also settled the disputes of the quartz miners at Symonds Reef and other parts of the district. From the nature of the country, he was compelled to perform most of these duties on foot. Many of the places he had to visit were inaccessible on horseback. He often returned after dark and had so much work to do that he could only attend to his office duties in the early hours of the morning. Consequently, before a clerk was appointed, the miners and storekeepers did not have sufficient facilities for taking out their rights and licences. Mr. Mackenzie was a much respected warden. When he was transferred to a more important field in 1856, the settlement presented him to a banquet dinner, um, such was their respect for him. The most crowded localities of the field were within 1.5 mile of the main camp and were known as Golden Point, where a township was being surveyed in allotments, Tipperary Flat. Redhill, the Landcamp and Simmons Reef. The government officials were stationed at the main camp, which was at Golden Point. By 1856, Golden Point, Redhill and Simmons Reef were all small townships, with Golden Point being the main one. By 18 1856, Blackwood consisted of these small townships and outlying settlements, and had schools, churches, dance halls, and a cemetery in which some of their pioneers, Are believed to have slept beneath wooden headstones with what was known of their names carved on the board. Long Collins, Scotty, Redbill and Sailor Jack were some of the inscriptions on these wooden um headstones. This is according to another article in 1924 by John Drayton. The field in 1855, in June, was in a very unfurnished state. All the miners lived in ragged tents and there were very few buildings. The Police barracks had just been completed, the stable and lockup for the same department were in the course of erection. The stipendary magistrate and warden were sharing the police officer's tent. Which was also used as a police court, warden's office, and mess room. However, a tender had been sent in for the erection of a police court and quarters for the resident magistrate, and another had been sent in for the erection of a local court, warden's house, and stables. They were all soon built. By the end of July, the ragged tents were being gradually replaced by a large number of substantial buildings. Conditions were ideal from the point of view of the digger. His miner's right gave him the freehold of a quarter acre of ground on which to build his humping and establish his garden, as hundreds of them did immediately after getting gold. Fuel was to be had for the cutting. Milk and mutton were supplied by the flocks of goats that roamed the hills and domesticated in the camp, and the gold was plentiful. The Roman Catholic and Wesleyan churches were already being built in the course of erection. A daily coach called the Esta was being run between Melbourne and Mount Blackwood by Cobb and Co. and the price of the fare was 4 pounds. By September 1855, the population had reached 13,000. And over 20,000 people had passed through the area. This is sometimes where we get population dates uh population figures mixed up. At least 20,000 people would have been to Mount Blackwood, but at any one time, the population was 13,000. Almost every nationality was represented on the field. In one week, Warden McKenzie issued 457 miners' rights and 95 business licences. The Roman Catholic chapel was a large tent and that was capable of holding 500 people. Archbishop Gould paid a visit to the field late in September and remarked in his diary how surprised he was to see such large numbers of children. By October, there were over a dozen hotels capable of affording every possible convenience and the diggings had at last got its own post office. Not only alluvial mining, but quartz mining also looked extremely well. At the time in Victoria, um, mining was in a, in a depressed state. And the yields at Blackwood looked very, very good, and that's one of the reasons why so many people flocked here. Um, At Greendale, some of the finest farmland in the colony er was there which, Could supply the diggers with their butter, cheese, bacon, and other edibles at prices which were based on the earnings of the consumers. In these good times, prices were high and the men paid without kicking. They had the money, and it might as well be spent on good food as on inferior grog, some of it anyway. Uh, people in Blackwood were very optimistic about their future and regular reports in the papers seemed to suggest that Blackwood was going to become another Ballarat. And this is true. The reports coming in from uh Blackford, they really did think in 1855 that it was going to be as big as Ballarat. However, um Within a couple of months all that was gone. No very large fortunes had been made at alluvial mining, but the parties were frequently making as much as 500 pounds or 600 pounds in a few months. The tub and cradle method was cheaply used in the early days, and good gold was obtained. However, for various reasons, many people left the field disappointed and disillusioned, only to give it a bad name. The ground at Blackwood was was extremely tantalising. As all the heavy deposits of gold were found in the in the bedrock, so it happened that thousands of holes were sunk almost touching the gold but without obtaining a colour owing to the unfavourable nature of the rock. Hence there was a great disappointment and many inexperienced miners left. And what really um des destroyed Blackwood as an alluvial mining field was the weather. In September 1855, it started raining and it continued raining right through October. The creeks flooded and all the miners were driven from their claims. At times it was so wet that it was impossible to work at all, and even the quartz miners were affected. Parties then clubbed together and expended an incredible amount of labour, cutting races and and making dams to turn the creek. But in every instance, the races were not 1/10 large enough to carry floodwaters, and the races and dams were totally wrecked. This all but put an end to alluvial to alluvial sinking at Mount Blackwood. And it was realised that it would never be a good digging in the winter season. It put severe financial stress on the alluvial miners, most of whom left for other and drier diggings. By January 1856, the population had been reduced to 7500 people. The court's claims didn't come up to the expectations. And during February and March, heavy rain fell. And in the fortnight ending March 15th, 1856, 3000 people left the field, leaving a mere 3500 remaining. By 1857, the population was 1600. By 1858 it had fallen to 950. In 1864, it had risen to 1800 and it stayed at about that figure until 1869. Um, a little bit later I'll mention something about the saltan mine at Barry's Reef, and the, the date 1869 is important because, The Salton mine was such a great mine that Barry's Reef itself supported a population of 4000 people for 10 years, so um that is um, That's the story with the population of Blackwood up until those days. Um, what I thought I'd like to do, um, I've, I've got some extracts from the Argus here, I don't want to read them all out, but these all came from the Argus of 1855. I, I wrote them out about, 77 years ago and I I I typed them up. The other day and they're just little extracts of what, Was written in the Argus about Blackwood in 1855, and if you piece the articles together, you get a history of the uh field, in those years, in in that year in any case. Just a couple that I'd like to um pluck out. July 7th. 1855. A branch of the Bank of New South Wales is expected next week. At the moment there are 3 licenced hotels and a number of others are being built. There is 1 chapel, chapel. By July 30th, the feature which cannot but be remarked upon by anyone returning to Blackwood after a short absence is the number of substantial buildings which are gradually taking the place of the ragged tents in which we will want to live. RC and Wesleyan churches have already been built and it is rumoured that the Episcopalians are about to bestir themselves. Several buildings have now been erected at the camp, and among them I am pleased to see a substantial lockup which should deter any evildoers. The place seems fairly glamorous at this stage but um it wasn't quite so glamorous um. As this little article points out, Golden Point, where the government camp is and where a township is being surveyed in allotments, is situated on a large sloping bank close upon the creek. On either side it is hemmed in by very steep ranges. Further up the main creek is the celebrated red hill where a considerable quantity of gold has been obtained. Both at the Red Hill and Golden Point, from the want or utter absence of sanitary regulations or preconcerted arrangements for that important object, an intolerable stench salutes the nostrils and passersby. And from the same unfortunate cause, one can easily predicate that when summer comes on, death and the doctor will be the order of the day at those abominably muddy, filthy spots which are the headquarters of the mountain. It wasn't such a, a nice place after all. September the twenty-sixth there are a couple of things there which just, Illustrate what the the day to day life of the of the place must have been like, um. A man posing as a doctor treated a minor last week, and as a result, he died. When a qualified doctor was appointed, it was found that the disease he was suffering from was easily curable, but the treatment that the fake doctor gave aggravated it and led to his death. The miner left a wife and a large family. A very amusing incident occurred last night. At the Red Hill, above the hotel where the telegraph coach starts daily from Melbourne, the ground rises considerably. And on the top of the rise, amidst a line of other tents and shops, is a blacksmith's shop. Opposite the shop, the telegraph coach had been left for the night without the wheels being chopped. Early next morning, a man was about to mount his horse, and to do it more readily, put his foot on the hind wheel of the coach to get into the saddle. He found his footing was gone and was astonished to see the coach going down the hill at a rapid pace. Luckily the coach stopped after hitting a tent, wrecking the tent and all it contained, and no one was hurt. That was supposed to be funny. Last week at a meeting to raise funds for the building of a Church of England, 60 pounds was raised. Since then, such has been the success of raising funds that the tenders have already been called for the erection of that building. Mr. G. Hamilton delights to placard himself the Australian Russell. And he along with his friends Messr. Gibson, Shearcroft, CP Renaul and Miss E. Thorne have been been amusing the people of Mount Blackwood with concerts and a varied list of dramatic entertainments in the large entertainment room of mine host Gregory at Golden Point. Uh, this is, uh, fairly interesting because, uh, Margot was talking about the printing press. And uh the names are the same. Additional signs of civilization have been lately seen by the arrival of Messrs. Kent and Scott. Enterprising printers, late of Melbourne and Collingwood, who have come here with a printing machine and types. No doubt with proper energy and management, which this correspondent believes these two gentlemen possess, a fortune lies before them. And they put out 1 or 2 copies, didn't they? Um, October 2nd, the optimism of the place again. There is an immense amount of work to be done here in quartz, mining, and crushing in the next 20 years. At Simmond's Reef, for instance, I am, I am informed when first discovered, gold was seen lying on the top of the reef just as openly as you would see gold watches, trinkets, etc. in a jeweler's shop. The fortunate discoverer is is the fortunate discoverer is now likely to become a millionaire. Well we haven't got too many millionaires either. Um October 9th. On the evening of the twenty-eighth, an 11 year old Irish orphan girl fell down a pit whilst playing with some other children. She was immediately carried into the Golden Age Restaurant on the red hill, and Doctor Bent was sent for, but he found that her life was extinct. The next day the magistrate held an inquest and wished a postmortem. As it was presumed she had only died of apoplexy. But the girl's friends objected to this. It was stated that her mother and sister had died in a similar sudden manner. There is no lack of accommodation for anyone or his horse at Mount Blackwell. Besides numerous hotels already open, another. Levy's Golden Point Hotel has just commenced business. It has a fine concert room which is handsomely fitted up and excellently attended. Roger's Hotel at Simmons Reef has just opened up, and another Acres or Yankees's Reeff is in the course of erection. The police have been very active here during the last week or so in search of sly grog sellers and have taken several. Kelly, Webber. Armstrong, Murray, Smith and Keen were each fined £50. Paul Murray, the Frenchman, and Smith, the butcher could not pay their fine and were marched off to the locker. Sunday observance is a controversial topic at the moment, but to numerous storekeepers at Mount Blackwood, Sunday is not even on the calendar. November 6th. On Wednesday last at the Red Hill, there was a dreadful murder. It occurred during a drunken squabble between two Swiss at the Italian independent store. The murdered party's name is Martino Christofanini and the murderer's name is Morelli. The murderer, during the confusion, escaped and there is no clue to his whereabouts. The squabble commenced by gross abuse on both sides when Morelli called his victim an ass. At this, Fernini caught hold of Morelli. A severe struggle ensued when both fell to the ground. Morelli then stabbed Fernini 3 times, according to Doctor Owen's testimony, who made the postmortem for the inquest provided by presided over by Mr. Shooter, the magistrate. It appears that one of the stabs pierced Fernini's heart, who died almost immediately. Poor Fernini was a native of Switzerland and has left a wife and 3 children there to deplore his sudden death. Such is another instance of the deplorable effects of the indulgence in gambling and strong drink. Now there are others there, I don't want to bore you with them, um, and you can read them at your leisure anyway. I'd like to uh finish off if I could just by speaking about um. The way in which mining was carried out in Blackwood for 30 years, it was mainly sluicing after. After 1855-1956 when the alluvial mine ran out, um, the professional mining men moved in and they made their living by sluicing gold. Um, On page 6 there there is um a little bit about uh sluicing and um, What sort of success they had. Um, I'd like to just go on to the Chinese for a moment. Uh, because we do hear a lot about how many Chinese were here and what they did. Um The Chinese arrived in 1858 when 50 Chinamen arrived from Castlemaine. And before the year 1861, the numbers had increased to 200. Contrary to what most people believe, the most Chinese had ever assembled on the field at any one time was 500 in 1864. The number tended to remain at that figure for a number of years, but it did fluctuate with the seasons, um. You know, we've heard 30,000, 10,000 Chinese, um, once again these figures were, The figures of the, of the water. And uh on his reports he had to give a a report um an an estimation of the population of the whites and the population of the Chinese, and they were done separately. Um, on their first arrival, the Chinamen pegged the main creek for many miles and except in a few cases, held possession of the creek workings for over 30 years. During this period, thousands of tonnes of debris was sluiced into the main water channels, and when floods came it was spread throughout the river. The result was that places in the river that were previously barren of gold became enriched. This gave the Chinaman a splendid harvest. As they cut tail races and faced the creek properly, many Chinese miners made as much as 1000 pounds. A sum which would be considered a fortune in their native land, to which they invariably proceeded when they had amassed sufficient wealth. The Chinese lived in their own camp at Golden Point, which covered 1 acre of ground. They had their own stores, their gambling houses, and their Masonic lodges. The Joss House was at a distance from the churches of the whites, and they lived as decent, law-abiding citizens of a little commonwealth whose regulations were made to meet meet circumstances as they developed. In 1888, there were only about 60 Chinese at Blackwood, most of whom were extremely poor. And the last Chinaman at Blackwood died there early this century. Throughout their long history at Blackwood, the Chinese population were almost exclusively male men. Um, As I say, by 1880 the alluvial diggings at Mount Blackwood were just about exhausted. However, um, there were small numbers of population there getting a, a meagre living out of the place for the next 30 years. Approximately 300,000 pounds worth of gold, uh, that is, Alluvial gold has come from Blackford now that may not seem very much, but 300,000 pounds when the price of gold was er, 3 pounds an ounce, um, that's 100,000 ounces which er, works out to quite a number of tonnes of gold, and er, today, of course, uh it would be worth many, many millions of dollars. Um, Goldfields have A couple of stages, there is the alluvial mining where you just go and dig your, If you've been to Sovereign Hill, you can see they've got the um alluvial mining, the little er shanties and their digging holes, and you've got the quartz mining, and that's the that's what the um the the Sovereign Hill mine is and er, That was the other phase of mining at Blackwood, the quartz mine as well as the, the Louisville, and I I'd I'd like to finish just by saying something about quartz mining. Um Quartz mining was initiated in the district by the discovery of S Simmond's Reef, named after its finder. This was shortly after the alluvial diggings opened, and by August 1855, quartz mining was in fact the leading feature of the field. Using very rude appliances, the yield in the first few months was something fantastic. As much as 100 weight of gold was obtained from the crop of the reef. Many claims were yielding 10 to 15 ounces to the tonne, and uh today if you want to run a quartz mine, if you get an ounce to the tonne, then it would be very profitable. So that's, you know, that's the, the yardstick as to whether a mine is um a good one or not. If you can get an ounce of the tonne, then you're not doing too badly, and uh many claims early in Blackwood were yielding 10 to 15 ounces to the tonne. Court's claims became extremely valuable and were sold for as high as 600 pounds each. Many people would not sell at that price. However, as early as September 1855, would-be quartz miners received a sound warning from a correspondent writing in the Argus. He said do not let glittering facts allow us to forget that all quartz miners are not all lucky. In many cases, 3 to 5 months may elapse before they obtain a decent supply of quartz from their reef, to say nothing of their hard, heavy work, involving in most cases from 60 to 100 pounds per man and even more. This is a warning to people inexperienced in quartz mining to not rush into quartz mining unless they have the money to do it. Many have and have failed and have then had to go somewhere else. Nevertheless, despite warnings such as these, the accounts of gold in quartz reefs sent diggers prospecting over the ranges. And whenever a blow of quartz was discovered, a party was soon formed and a paddock sunk. But as a general rule, no gold found and many miners lost valuable time and money and then left Blackwood discouraged and disappointed by their non-success. Um However, you know, there were a couple of very, very good reefs found at Simmons Reef and Barry's Reef. The um Point about Blackwood, which was probably very unfortunate, was that the the shafts were only sunk to a very shallow depth because the people didn't have very much capital, so that most of the shafts were less than 200 ft. Uh, the shafts at Ballarat on the big mines go down to 2500 ft, so you can see that um, They did only uh scratch the surface in uh a lot of ways. In the early days, the methods of gold extraction were of the most primitive. Quartz reefing was little known of, even in the late 1850s. But the common sense of the men at that time suggested methods of treatment from which results came. Um, on that should be page 8, but it's page 18 there, you can see, um. The Simmons Reef Group. Um The various mines or the leading mines that worked at uh Simmons Reef. These figures are all after 1869. But um. There's 14 or 15,000 ounces of gold there from various companies at Simmond's Reef, Perhaps read that to yourselves later, I I won't go through it. Um, Someone might maybe be able to uh verify this or may know something about the Rogers Big Hill Mine. This was um A striking example or this is, I've forgotten which article this came from, but a striking example of how a mine could succeed when well managed by people who understood their work was afforded by Roger's Big Hill load at S Simmons Reef. In that mine a halfpenny weight of gold for the tonne paid actual working expenses. And 3/4 of a penny weight of gold to the tonne paid actual uh made a profit. The natural conditions of the mine were very favourable. The hill rose very steeply from the river where the battery was located. The ore was sent in chutes to the hopper of the battery, which was worked by a water wheel, and one boy managed the wilt the mill. Mr. Rogers is stated to have made a fortune out of ore that yielded 1.5 penny weights to the tonne. One would certainly believe that he did make a fortune. If we look across the road and saw the tomb of the Rogers family, um, the marble of which was imported from Italy. To make one of the most costly memorials of a pioneer and his kin that has been erected on any gold field in the Commonwealth. That bit of information came from another article. Written by John Drayton. I don't know whether Anyone that uh. Agree or disagree with that. Um Further north of Simmons Reef at Barry's Reef Township. Is the Sultan belt of reefs. Probably the greatest amount of work done on the Blackwood Belt was at the Sultan Company's mine, which was worked from 1869 to 1880. It had a shaft sunk to 914 ft but was not much work below 750 ft. It was an extremely well managed mine with the finest machinery of the times. Valued at approximately 14,000 pounds. It's crushing machinery consisted of a 20 head battery driven by a 60 horsepower steam engine. Altogether it yielded 65,801 ounces of gold. Valued at approximately 264,000 pounds. And 58,562 Pound was paid in dividends. Um, the Salton mine was as good as any of the mines in the, in the, In the, in the state, barring a couple of the really big ones at Ballarat. Um Once again, if you've been to Sovereign Hill, um, You'll notice that mine that they've got there, well, the Saltan mine. The operations for that would have been as big as that, except that the battery house at Ballarat only holds a 10 head battery. Well, the one at the Salton mine was twice as big as that, so that whole operation that you see at Sovereign Hill was right up there at Barry's Reef. Um I won't worry about going on any further. A couple of other good mines I suppose, the Rip Van Winkle mine down at the caravan park, um, there's a little bit in there about it. The red, white and blue mine was another very good mine. And uh the Easter Monday mine is the most recent. Um, I might just leave it there, except to say that at the back of the. Thing here, I have written a list of the gold yields, Of the district Since 1869, you see there are no records really available up until, 1869, so that Actually the first part of this list comes from, That compiled by the mining registrar, Mr. Croaker in 1900. And the second part comes from um. Mr. Williamson, I've forgotten who he was or what he did, but um. I've totaled those up, there's there was 170,000 ounces of gold from all of the quartz reefs since 1869. Valued at approximately 700,000 pounds, now of course before 1869, there were, there were lots of other, there were, there were lots of other yields as well, so um, That's really not an accurate figure. But it's an accurate figure from 1869 onwards. Yeah, I, I, I suppose I could just close by saying that most of them, most of Blackwood is under exploration licence by the mining companies at the, at the moment. In 1970, the Planet Mining Company, I don't know who they are, but um, they held um most of, most of Blackwood. um Western, Western Mining, the big American company, they've held various uh, tracts of land, just probably waiting for the price of gold to go up or um. So that one day they might be able to move in. That's it. Sorry to have taken so long. Before we ask Margot the story. Thank you. Right. observation Uh oh. Yeah, that's um an interesting thing, what. In those days, um. Anything that uh as when when a mine closed down, or even when people left the district, they didn't just sort of leave their houses, they got shifted away. So you know the the whole thing was dismantled. So It could be, it could be true. On behalf of everybody here, I'd like to thank Helen for coming today.