old mine is now mapped and recorded :)

[kawman]

the material coming out of that wombat hole looks very interesting... I wonder if it contains any gold...

The mitta mitta pioneer gold mine.

A 40 hectare up to 75m's deep lead all hydraulically excavated and sluiced.

https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...es/2569/1405186127_pioneer_sluice_photo_1.jpg

https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...2569/1405186171_pioneer_sluice_painting_1.jpg

How it looks presently...

https://www.prospectingaustralia.co...ges/2569/1405186451_current_sluice_race_1.jpg

How interesting it would be to absail whats left with a...um...magnifying glass...

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2569/1405186550_monitor_wall_1.jpg

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2569/1405186577_monitor_wall_2.jpg

A small island of unworked ground I found left in the centre(lucky wombat)..

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/2569/1405186708_lucky_wombat.jpg

441 kg's recovered.

All over by 1904 but I have read elsewhere 1914.

Reasons...

Drought...no water=no monitoring,no monitoring=no sluicing, no sluicing=no gold.

Compliants about the insane amount of silt coming off the tail race directly into the mitta river from e.g dairy farmers.

How much colour was blown out the other end of the old school sluices into the tail race?

I know someone that knows an individual that dredged this race many years ago and averaged 1 ounce a day on his own.(words spoken)

Now just imagine how much colour was blown into the mitta river over the decades while in operation... ... 8.( 8.( 8.( !!!

 

[Goldtarget]

The old wombat isn't too good on the backfilling. He's bound to upset the Greenies. It's amazing what those old timers did cut down the mountains where they could. Amazing stuff.

 

[20x]

The old wombat isn't too good on the backfilling. He's bound to upset the Greenies. It's amazing what those old timers did cut down the mountains where they could. Amazing stuff.

There is a book called 'mitta mining'(cant find mine) that goes into the details of all the work done in the whole area over its rushn period. What amazed me the most was the amount of water races cut into mountain sides throughout the area to feed mines like the pioneer. I think the longest one is about 18 km's long, how the engineers achieved this distance in mountain terrain with precision with very little fall is an amazing effort.

I have wound the clock back in my mind of the whole area and it would have looked worse than a war zone and in the end quite barren. (everything grows back eventually)

I find the preparation that went into this whole area dug by hand very inspirational!

 

[HeadsUp]

abseiling should be on the " do list"

try the 11 inch magnifying glass ?

 

[Tathradj]

It was explained to me once how they got the fall right over a long distance
Either a square of timber with a plumb bob, inclanometer
A glass jar with water in it,
Or simply start a trench and let the water do the talking.
Still, Totally fascinating on what the old timers did.

 

[20x]

It was explained to me once how they got the fall right over a long distance
Either a square of timber with a plumb bob, inclanometer
A glass jar with water in it,
Or simply start a trench and let the water do the talking.
Still, Totally fascinating on what the old timers did.

interesting...but...

the monitors where powered by using the head of water through large diameter pipes and reduced to small diameter to create the pressure. the distance between elevations of the top of the head/dam to the actual beginning of the water source would have had to have been known. maybe they even worked backwards and just kept the fall to an absolute minimum. many obstacles were faced, I have observed where in some places there must have been some type of bridge/trough going over tight gullys, other deep leads being worked and what look like tail races.

I have observed that in 1 area rather than go around a mountain they went through it or the inside of the mountain could possibly have been used as a pipe network
to service surrounding mines. below is a pic of what I think is not a gold mine but a water race plugged up as the mine it fed at that exit ended...

even within this tunnel there is another 'y' junction blocked off the same way. (this is all just a theory I have of how I think it all worked based on what ive seen and read).
the men that worked on these were employed by the mining companys to construct these races. the gold was there but water was the only issue so the mining companys outlayed the expense before production began.

I so wish I could go back in time with a video camera to record this giant network in action as it would have been awsome to see. to hear the echoeing sounds of stampers smashing through the area and in the distance....just kool

 

[dean65]

The mitta mitta pioneer gold mine will need to be visited by myself at some stage. The weather has been very bad this week and I've not been able to get out and explore. The photos below are from the Ballarat region taken during a recent excursion. We start with the Bridge of Death. A series of small tree trunks about 150 years old straddle a shaft about 200 feet deep. The hand rail is loose. When crossing extreme caution is advised.

 

[G0lddigg@]

Wow that first pic I don't mind saying you are completely mad

 

[stoyve]

G'day Dean,
Thanks for coming to the playground the other week,
John and yourself were great company.
I love the photo's you have taken and I'm happy to go to some
other sights in the next month or so if your interested.
Cheers Steve

 

[dean65]

G'day Steve,

We had a great time , despite the weather , and would certainly be up for more sights in the next month or so. Thanks Dean.

 

[Hunting the yellow]

next week ? when the weather gets better I shod have a car I wouldn't mine coming het did you get down that 200ft shaft ?

 

[stoyve]

G'day Dean and HTY,
My car is in getting a new clutch and other work done
but I should be available to show you guys a couple of
Other sites in a couple of weeks.
It was a really good day Dean and I am looking forward
to the next adventure soon,
I will pm you both when I go again.
Cheers Steve .

 

[thedigger]

Wow that first pic I don't mind saying you are completely mad

I total agree,what about dry rot.

Thedigger

 

[Hunting the yellow]

lol the digger thats why i chuck a 20 or 30kg weight on the wood first to test for dry rot and to see if its strong enough to hold weight if it breaks i dont normaly go across it with out portable a fold up ladder

 

[dean65]

Found an interesting mining site today in Rocklyn. One very deep shaft and a number of drives and one adit. Did not go in as I was on my own. Will explore this area further when I have company. Felt like this area had not been explored in many years - very overgrown and no visible path.

 

[MJB]

Your right mate....does not look like anyone has been in there for a very long time. Look forward to seeing some pice from inside when you get the chance.

 

[magneticsand]

Very much enjoying the photos here and elsewhere, thank you.

 

[stoyve]

G'day Dean65,
Steve here from Ballarat,
Since our last excursion a lot has been happening.
I'm moving house at the moment but I'm very keen
to get into some more tunnels.
About a month ago I was out for about 2 hours with
youngest child and found 2 very promising tunnels.
Massive mulloch heaps of slate and quartz.
I will get in touch with you as soon as things free up and
we can have another outing.
ps; the tunnels are not in my playground but are still
only about half a hour away.
I look forward to catching up soon.
Regards Stoyve/Steve

 

[dean65]

Won't say no. That will be great ! Look forward to hearing from you again. Cheers Dean65.

 

[stoyve]

Right back at you.
Cheers Steve