Bushwalking in search of mines

[gcause]

Whenever I come across these old mines I am always amazed that they carved them out of the rock by hand with such primitive tools. Just imagine the back breaking work that went into digging out that tunnel and the air shafts. They were made of sterner stuff than me that's for sure.

 

[G0lddigg@]

yeah i've heard the least favorite job was job was that of the guy holding the "jumper" or chisel while the other guys hit the end with the hammer, scary business.

They used to light fires at the end of a day shift right at the end of the tunnel to weaken the rock and leave it burn overnight, can you image rocking up to work in the monring and crawling into one of these holes trying to breath while the smoke lingers....

 

[Ag Man]

...I am always amazed that they carved them out of the rock by hand with such primitive tools...

Same here. & some were cut so neatly!
Here's one near me that was made in 1860s

 

[The Green Wanderer]

Very true mate, best to leave those be. Could be they are out of date pesticides, fungicides or something nastier...remember DDT??

 

[G0lddigg@]

Very true mate, best to leave those be. Could be they are out of date pesticides, fungicides or something nastier...remember DDT??

I would have been 5 or 6 when that stuff got banned but i've heard of it

 

[loamer]

...I am always amazed that they carved them out of the rock by hand with such primitive tools...

Same here. & some were cut so neatly!
Here's one near me that was made in 1860s

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/113/1383007196_image.jpg

Ag - great photo. Here is a bit of educational fun - try and get a plum-bob and rope and drop down these shafts and check the vertical reference line. The expression will be 'xxxx me - they did this by hand'. These old guys were amazing and every now and then old plum bobs turn up in mullock/dumps etc. BUT they were still dug by hand- truly amazing.

 

[OceanDevotion]

Hey I;m guilty of dumpin down mine shafts but not what you think, was bustin to go to the loo, spotted a tree over hangin a deep vertical shaft, drops me strides hangs me bum over the edge and bombs away??!! after a couple of seconds I heard a weird thud 8) goes back to the car and gets the torch, looks down, unbelieveable !! a bloody big TV, wonder if anyone saw that coming ha ha cheers Frank

 

[shannon]

great pics

 

[Hunting the yellow]

thanks for the picks and info m8 loamer is you ever want to go down some give me a pm ive got all the right gear but i woulden't go down any mine shaft with drums or chemical waste in the bottum of them and those that do dump rupish down a old mine pleaze don't cos it recks it for me and others going down and exploreing them

 

[Jacko]

We came across a large hole among many shafts, at Kanowna WA recently. It was actually wide enough to see in and not all that deep, maybe 20ft. A red belly black had fallen in and it didn't look like he could have got out with the very steep sides. Yes, a fair bit of rubbish dumping in and around the shafts and it's not all old stuff either. Some people don't know the camping rule - take out what you took in, in other words leave no signs that you've been there.

 

[stoyve]

Gday Golddig,
I think I know that adit very well and
also the name of it.
I camp very close to that spot several times
a year.
That particular adit is fun because you can
abseil into it and walk out of it.
The shaft with the chemicals dumped in it
has some nice timber work in it .
Its makes me so angry when people do such
things.
Cheers Steve.

 

[G0lddigg@]

Hey steve

That sounds about right. You can park right near the main sharft?

I was there last week walked in about 60 metres but alot of ground had collapsed and bloked the way. Was hit so full of bloody mozzies tge air was good though.

Did you ever venture the other way?

 

[stoyve]

Yes Golddig,
I've covered a lot of that area,
In that tunnel where the cave in is, that's just dirt
that has come down the shaft over the last 100
years.
The shaft itself has 3 tunnels running off it but they
are on average about 10 metres deep.
When you pass over the pile of dirt in the main tunnel it turns
left about 5 metres and continues straight about
another 10 to 15 metres.
The left tunnel runs for a couple of hundred metres
and comes to a T intersection, if you turn left again
it will bring you to another entrance which is closed
off, the right goes a fare way to a dead end.
The last few year's has seen some prospecting
carried out.
Also the giant mozzies are not mozzies so you
don't have worry about vampires but they
are one of the many common bugs that you find
in the entrance of many audits.
Cheers steve

 

[G0lddigg@]

Hahah I know they arent real mozzies .. my nan used to call them fairies I actually had to wear a head net tgey were so thick this time. Cool glad to hear its all in good condition inside. Let me know if you ever find the adit for the new birthday mine out there.

 

[stoyve]

I know exactly where it is a can show
you it.
That's the adit with the bridge of death
that I showed Dean65, he posted some
photo's of it.

 

[G0lddigg@]

True..... keene as ive got some info on that particular mine......