A bike trip from Warburton to Traralgon via Walsh's Creek and Theodore roads Upper Yarra catchment.5/16/2017 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/17374019 CUE SHEETTurn left onto Warburton Hwy/B3800.0 km
Continue onto Woods Point Rd/C5110.7 km Continue onto Upper Yarra Dam Rd20.4 km Turn left onto Rd 2223.7 km Rd 22 turns slightly right and becomes Rd Twenty Two23.7 km Slight right to stay on Rd Twenty Two23.9 km Turn right onto Walshs Creek Rd29.0 km Turn right onto Rd Thirty One31.2 km Continue onto Theodore Rd31.4 km Sharp left to stay on Theodore Rd32.1 km Turn left to stay on Theodore Rd41.8 km Turn right onto Warburton-Woods Point Rd/C51143.3 km Slight left67.3 km Slight left onto Warburton-Woods Point Rd/C51168.1 km Slight left to stay on Warburton-Woods Point Rd/C51177.1 km Slight left onto Tinger Spur Track78.7 km Turn right to stay on Tinger Spur Track80.2 km Turn left onto Corry St83.3 km Turn right onto Hurley St83.6 km Turn right onto Ellery St83.7 km Slight right onto Warburton-Matlock Rd/C51183.8 km Turn right onto Coster St83.9 km Turn right onto Noble Spur Track85.2 km Turn right to stay on Noble Spur Track85.5 km Turn right toward Walhalla Rd90.0 km Turn left onto Walhalla Rd90.4 km Slight right onto Bald Hill Track93.3 km Slight left to stay on Bald Hill Track94.1 km Continue onto Johnson Link Track95.6 km Continue onto Clarke Spur-Abbott Link Track96.9 km Continue onto Walhalla Rd97.6 km Slight right onto Victor Spur Track102.3 km Continue straight onto Australian Alps Walking Track102.8 km Continue onto Walhalla Rd103.7 km Continue onto High St116.1 km Slight left onto Walhalla Rd116.6 km Slight left onto Cascade Spur Track E132.1 km Continue onto Walhalla Rd132.2 km Slight right onto Beardmores Track135.5 km Continue onto Low Saddle Track135.7 km Turn right onto Walhalla Rd140.1 km Sharp left onto Plane Track140.3 km Slight right onto Dry Gully S Track142.2 km Slight right onto Binns Rd143.6 km Turn left onto Holmedale Track145.8 km Turn right to stay on Holmedale Track146.1 km Continue onto Binns Rd146.3 km Continue onto Walhalla Rd146.4 km Turn left onto Cricket Ground Track150.2 km Turn left to stay on Cricket Ground Track152.3 km Turn left155.1 km Turn right onto Main Rd/C461155.7 km Slight left onto Coopers Creek Rd162.4 km Turn left to stay on Coopers Creek Rd162.4 km Turn right onto Erica-Thomson Rail Trail162.7 km Turn right onto Tyers-Walhalla Rd/C481166.1 km Turn right onto Walhalla Rd/C461166.2 km Turn left onto Tyers-Walhalla Rd/C481166.2 km Turn left onto Main Rd/C103/C481191.7 km Turn right onto Tyers Rd/C481192.9 km Turn left onto Grey St/C477198.0 km At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Breed St200.4 km Make a U-turn at M1201.2 km At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Grey St/C477202.0 km Turn right onto Tyers Rd/C481204.5 km Turn left onto Archbolds Ln208.5 km Turn right onto Littles Ln210.7 km Turn left onto Brown Coalmine Rd/C103211.3 km Turn right onto Clarkes Rd213.2 km Continue onto Barbor Rd215.2 km Turn right onto Smyths Track216.2 km Photo above is of the triangle picnic area. Between McVeigh's and Matlock on the Yarra track. At this point rainfall to the back of the picture flows eventually into the Murray river and then to South Australia. Rainfall to the bottom left flows into the Yarra river and on wards to Melbourne. Water to the bottom right flows into the Thomson river and then to the Gippsland lakes. Observer (Adelaide, SA : 1905 - 1931), Saturday 12 January 1924, page 45
A TRAMP IN HIGH ALTITUDES. Strange Scenes and People. By Murdlantl. It was a hot morning at the end of January a few years ago that' I, grown tired of the ways of the city, made np my mind to go into the mountains for a spell. I had been in parts of the Australian Alps from time to time, but never yet had I travelled the much-talked of Yarra Track. Some people said it was' the most beautiful and never-to-be-forgotten part of all the ranges. I trained for Warburton, convinced that the further I penetrated the mountains the cooler the weather would be. but in that I was destined to disappointment. It was enjoyable enough travelling by train over the Yarra flats for 45 miles. Warburton was right on the bank of the Crystal River, whose waters fresh-fed from a thousand mountain streams and springs hurried by. Behind the town on either side the river, timbered hills rose till their summits met the sky. Being young and impetuous, I delayed in town only long enough to eat a hearty dinner. It was>19 miles to Upper Yarra, and I decided to walk the distance before nightfall. I had not walked very far out of the town, when the clear summer atmosphere became clouded. The further and faster I walked, the darker it became. Suddenly I came to where fires were burning the grass and scrub on either side of the road. The afternoon was hot, but the fires made it doubly so. Perspiration streamed from my every pore, and soon my clothes were saturated. _ It was an experience, and I accepted it as such. I met a couple of young men and boys, who said they lived back on the river, and were searching for Borne cattle that they feared might not be safe. Through the fired area and I came to more open country. The feet of the hills were wider apart, the flats had been cleared, and some of them cultivated. At McMahon's Creek there stood a hotel, and in spite of the millions of gallons of pure water that ran by every hour, I sought other refreshment. In the bar I met a man, whom I_ remembered , to have been acquainted with in a mining field in another part of the State. He was employed as an inspector of dredging leases. We talked of mining and raining fields for half an hour, had a last drink, and said goodbye. It was a last goodbye. Not many months after I read his death notice in the papers. He bad to all intents and purposes died a natural death. But a couple of years later his widow passed away under peculiar circumstances. His daughter was put on her trial, and to make sure that the old man had not been poisoned, bis remains were ordered to be exhumed and a careful post mortem examination conducted to find if there were any trace of poison in his stomach. The unfortunate girl was not convicted, but a stigma rested on her. A Haven of Refuge. As I walked further the mountains closed in on the river, and were clothed with the heaviest of timber. It was not ob late as sundown when I reached McVeigh's chateau. It was a veritnble haven of refuge. I was distressed more than I cared to admit. I bathed in a hole in the river round a bed above the hotel, and sat down to a hearty supper. Luckily I carried a change of underclothing in my handbag. I hung my saturated garments on a fence until bed time, then placed them near the fire, where they might dry before morning. I was a stranger to every one, and every one was strange to me. There was a pile of old and new papers on a table in the sitting room. They were^ all past reading as far as I was concerned. I looked through many of them to find some news that I might not yet have read. A number ot men sat on the verandah, and more occupied the bar. They were fossickers from one of the numerous creeks that helped to fill the river, and road-menders, who were repairing the Yarra track. Among them was an old man (since dead) who supplied the Carlton Brewery with their advertisement. "I allers has wun at eleven!" I could say with Hugh Clougli, "There is a stream (I name not its name, lest inquisitive tourist hunt it, and make it a lion, and get it at last into guide books.") Already Pat McVeigh had won a name for his excellent locality, and every summer, tourists were finding their way to his hotel in increasing numbers. He had plans drawn for a large house, and was soon to build one of the best hotels in all the Alps. A Tragic End. McVeigh told me of the heavy road that I had to travel to Matlock, but he scarcely knew mountain roads as well as experience had trained me to them. I waited not to spend a day in so picturesque a place, for every mile of the road furnished satiety for the most aesthetic taste. I wound a long way round the side of a bill till the road turned at a sharp elbow out of a gully and back along the side of another spur. When I thought I was at least five miles out of sight of McVeigh's, I discovered myself on the point of another spur and McVeigh's hotel lying snug nearly beneath me. I looked across a narrow, deep ravine to the point of the headland where I lost sight of the hotel nearly an hour before. So it was for a few hours, winding round headlands and in and out of deep gullies till I came to more level country. There was some grazing land round about and a rest house on the roadside. It was Becker's. They were a German couple, who had migrated from the Fatherland in the goldfield days of the 'sixties. Becker never mined for gold. While trekking from Reefton on the Yarra, to Woodspoint, he located where there was land enough for a home, and sold whisky and meals to the miners for a good many years. Becker and his wife are both dead now, and the old homestead long since consumed by a bushfire. Their end was tragic. He was away when a fire swept on the home. The old lady fled, and fell exhausted on the road. When the old man returned he discovered that all was lost, and went in search of his companion. A falling tree disabled him, and a few weeks later he was past knowing that the fire had consumed his earthly possessions. McVeigh had told me of The Mountain Home, some distance beyond Becker's, and I hurried past without calling on them. A Lonely Homestead. The Mountain Home wee hidden from the outside world by high hiUa and heavy! timber. It was one of the loneliest homesteads that I have come upon. Collins, the proprietor, was away at Woodspoint, and his wife and several children kept the homestead. The woman _ scarcely expected a traveller, and apologized that she had no dinner to offer. I drank a glass of wine—there was little else—and sat down on a dry goods case while she, on my urging, baked a few scones. Scones, with a tin of fish from her little store, were a meal for me. As I ate, she talked, and told me of her troubles. For many years she and her husband kept a mountain home on top of Frenchman Mountain, over which the road from Woodspoint to Jamieson and Mansfield used to pass. Cut time brings many changes and heals many ills. The climb orera Frenchman Mountain was to be : eliminated. A new road bad been cut round the side of the mountain instead of the one over it. The teamsters and co&chdrivers made full use of the easier grade, and the mountain home had lost itB trade. It was then that Billy Collins moved to the Yarra track and bought the right to cater for the travelling public on that road. Billy was somewhere on his way home. He had business in Woodspoint, and took a couple of paek:horses with him. She would have abundance of flour and tea and sugar when Billy returned. I left her to the company of her children and hurried on. Wonderful Trees. Here and there the road wound round the side of a high mountain. One could look down on top of trees that were more than three hundred feet high. In one quick glance one could throw one's eyes over dense _ forests of timber that could keep a million saws busy for many years.The hundreds of millions of trees tliatl I saw for that afternoon need never tear' the woodman's axe. I climbed higher and, higher until I thought I was on ground high enough to allow me to knock at heaven's door. Away to the northward I could see hills that had scarcely more than shed their winter's snow, and south again I could pick out some of the high peaks whose names had been familiar to me since I took my first lesson in geography at school! At last I was nearly on the roof of Australia. I passed over some country that was fairly open, and noticed cattle grazing. A few miles from The Oaks I came to The Springs—more open country, and paddocks fenced. Past The Springs a gang of men were working to repair the road. I stopped to talk, and learnt that it was eight miles further to Matlock. I pushed on and again entered timber country. At last I could look miles to northward, and equally as far to southward. Ahead a clear path spelt Matlock. Outside the highest town in Victoria I met Billy Collins. On learning from me that his family could exist for a day or two longer, he turned back and we both hired beds at Monnighetti's wine saloon. If there is one thing more than another that Matlock is famous for, it is its roaring fires and prodigious meals. I had covered 34 miles of mountain track and was tired, but for all that I managed with extreme difficulty only to consume the meal that was set before me that evening. Collins and I occupied the same room. It was summer, but the heavy pile of blankets on the bed were all required to keep me warm on the roof or the country. Missed the Track. At five o'clock Billy Collins woke mo. It was Sunday morning, but there was nothing to encourage me to slay a day in Matlock. The Loch Fync mine that had yielded a hundred thousand ounces of gold was not working, and the Ail Nations, that boasted a good record, was no longer a rich mine. It was in the hands of tributers. Billy Collins was able to secure the key of the wine bar, and brought rue a glass of wine. Before any one eisa wag astir we were on the road back from Matlock to a point where he put me on a track, which he said was a short walk to Gaffney's- Somehow or another 1 missed following the right track, and instead of avoiding Woodspoint I found myself entering the town before I knew I was near it. A cliapel door was open, and save for the few people hurrying to early Afass, Woodspoint was still sleeping. There was joy in such a morning's walk. The creek that had been soiled and muddied three hundred days in the year when the alluvial miners dug up its bed, or sluiced the wash dug from their claims along its banks, now hurried along, a silver 6tream, as in the days a hundred years before man had appeared on its banks. I walked over the summit of the Frenchman and Inspected the remains of what had been a home of delightful pleasure for 41 years Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Wednesday 26 September 1923, page 8
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ARGUS Sir,—Commenting on the death of Mr. Patrick McVeigh, it was stated in "the Argus" that "in the days of the gold rushes to Wood's Point and Mount Mat-lock he built the structure which is known to the thousands of tourists who have taken the walking route across the Baw Baw Ranges". Twenty-six years ago, before the Warburton railway was built, and long after the "gold rushes", my brother and I walked from Woods Point to Lilydale, having first walked to Wood's Point from Healesville via Marysville. At that time "McVeigh's" was not in existence, and the splendid road which now runs from Walsh's Creek to "the turn- off" on the old Marysville Woods Point road (the "Yarra track") was merely a bridle track, in places almost indistinguishable. I recollect, after a long hot tramp, and on the spot where "McVeigh's" now stands, we discarded our clothing in the virgin bush and had an enjoyable swim in the stream nearby. I may mention that at that period "Nel-son's," "Shaw's," and "the Old German's," catered for travellers on the "Yarra track." Now there is no habitation between "McVeigh's" and Matlock, a distance of 36 miles, and if one chooses to walk he must be prepared to spend a night beneath the stars. Probably it would interest many to know that the original old man of the famous Carlton Ale advertisement, "I allus has wan at eleven," was once employed as yardman at "McVeigh's." "Paddy" McVeigh, with characteristic kindness, looked after the old chap until he died. Incidentally, his photograph adorns the wall of the bar parlour,—Yours, &c., A.B.W. Murrumbeena, Sept. 24. Bears Creek gold mining company. On Bears creek Upper Yarra water catchment as shown on map5/15/2017
Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), Tuesday 12 September 1893, page 6 MINING MEETING. BEAR'8 CREEK GOLD MINING COMPANY. An extraordinary meeting of the shareholders in tho Bear's Creek Gold Mining Company, in tho Upper Yarra district, was held yesterday at Messrs. Meuilell and Cameron's offices, Queen-, streot, Mr. J. Stewart, chairman of directors, presiding. The chairman explained that the meeting was called to authorise the altering of the capital of the company by dividing the existing 100 shares of £20 each into 20,000 shares of 2.-1. each, in order to get a better market, as it was very hard to get anyone to take shares of £20 each. The shares would be a great deal easier to handle, and a larger number of shareholders would also be brought into the company. Several alterations In tho clauses of the articles of association necessary to bring- about the proposed change were then carried unanimously. Messrs. Chas. Rogers and A. V. Edgcuinbo were elected directors, and the meeting concluded. Browns Camp Location Bear's Creek-Donovan's Creek,Upper Yarra
Statement of Significance Browns Camp is of regional significance as a site that demonstrates the nature and scale of sluicing operations in the upper catchment of the Yarra River from the 1860s, and that retains a range of evidence including mining and occupation sites. DescriptionBrown's Camp was an early mining settlement which serviced the Bear's Creek-Donovan's Creek sluicing areas. Many of the tributaries of the Yarra River in the Upper Yarra catchment show evidence of sluicing. This site was surveyed around 1980 by MMBW staff. Evidence remaining at this site included: 7 or 8 hut sites and several bottle dumps (raided by collectors). A water race used for sluicing leads from the Camp to Bear's Creek. A track can be followed from the Camp past the Jumbo Wolfram mine, several old camp sites and other sites containing machinery and old trolley tracks associated with the mine. The Wolfram mine closed after the 1939 fires and now has its entrance blocked by floodwater. There is also evidence of timber procurement in vicinity of mine. (Supple 1991) Physical Conditions: Not revisited Integrity: Intact Anna Fehring and John Frederick Baker at the Travellers Rest Hotel Yarra Track Upper Yarra Catchment Evelyn Observer, and South and East Bourke Record (Vic. : 1882 - 1902), Friday 3 May 1901, page 2
THE YARRA TRACK COUNTRY. The Woodspoint " Standard" says:Our persistent forecast that Woodspoint would establish its reputation as the centre of one of the most important and extensive auriferous fields in Victoria is being rapidly realised. The late finds in the vicinity of Shaw's, ona the main divide, provide' additional justification. Last week we had an opportunity of inspecting the mine lately opened up by the Messrs, Victor, on a spur from the main divide, about three miles from Shaw's hostelry. The reef was discovered by Mr. Thos. Victor, about four months ago, whilst prospecting on one of the feeders of the Upper Yarra, kuown as Little Damper Creek. The spur is of a. very easy grade, and there will be no diml. culty in getting down the macbinery,' which has been already purchased, to the site where it is to be erected. The reef was found by looming, and its cap, uncovered at a depth of about. 4f;. from the surface. It is a well defined quartz formation between solid slate walls, about 8ft. wide, and has been sunk on to a depth of .40(t., from which about 80 tons of rich Stone have' been stacked ready for crushing. As before stated, a battery has been prerchased, a portion of which will in a few days be on the mine. A tuanel has been drives about 100 feet lower down the hill to cut the reef worked ia the shaft, and it is now within about 20ft. of the formrtion. When it is interseoted there will be something like 90ft. of backs to operate on. In the. heap stacked ready for crushing, gold. is plainly visible all over, and, by the courtesy of the owners, we were allow. ed'to pick up a few specimens, which may he seen at the Smnnano oflico. The owners have no intentioii of seeki·g say outside assistance to develop the property, the' stone already stacked coritaining sulficient metal to enable them to pay for the purchase and ereetion of a complete crushing plant. From what we saw of the heap. we, judge that there is at least' '£1000 worth of, gold in the stone already raised, The owners are Mesars T. andt J. Victor, H, Stiggants, and Frank' Jones, About 3 miles west of Victors' mine, another new find has been made, and this also is in private hands and worked entirely by the owners. Messrs. M'Namara and party of three others, have a property on Bear's Creek, about 4 miles above its junction with Donovan's Creek. The trial croshing from. this roof gave 66oze. gold from 21 tons crushed, and three prospectors, like the Victors, purchased (and hlave erected). their own crashing battery. . The battery is one of 10 heads, fivs ofP which are now crushing. 'The power is an overshot wheel of 25ft, diameter.. The party has 150 tons stacked ready for milling. Ohester and Looks (after their recent experience with a gentleman frosa..h. city) have done splendid work in sinking, 'and the claim bids fair to realise all that was promised of it.. https://spaces.hightail.com/space/nCkKcU46hv/files/fi-a8179f1a-ec2c-4aed-97a1-ce14df1648c3/fv-40f06cf0-67d1-4591-8ecb-306cdf4f0f8d/We%20LOVE%20Parks.mp4
The Victorian Mount Morgan gold mine is located 1 km south of Cumberland Junction. It is to the east of the Reefton Spur road in the Yarra Ranges National Park. Healesville Guardian and Yarra Glen Guardian (Vic. : 1898 - 1900), Friday 4 August 1899, page 4 VICTORIAN MOUNT MORGAN GOLD MINE. The following is the report of the cyanide manager (Mr. Henry Wilkinson), dated 15th July, 1899, as presented to the meeting of shareholders of, the above gold mining company held on Monday last:-"In order to thoroughly test the effect of cyanide on the mineral ore of your mine, I took charge of the cyanide works and battery on the 1st June. As I did not consider the plant sufficiently up to date to give satisfactory results, I decided to make certain alterations, which were necessary, before starting crushing. " These have now been completed, and the. battery commenced crushing on the 20th ult., but owing to the limited number of men at work in the mine (for economical reasons) the treatment of the 100 tons has teen retarded. 'The mineral ore I find is similar in 'appearance to the ' blue rock' of the Witwatersrand Goldfields, South Africa, with which I am familiar, only its chemical properties are different, but in; careful and experienced hands should not offer any serious drawback to its treatment by cyanide. From observations and tests made of the ore now under treatment, I can speak hopefully of the suture, and feel very sanguine of obtaining a good extraction at a low cost of treatment. "In order to obtain a high percentage of the gold-bearing pyrites, I would recommend the immediate erection of two Halley's tables to save the clean 'mineral. This would utilise the full battery and vat power at present on the mine, and keep crushing night and day from the tunnel level. With the present plant it would be possible to treat 100 tons per month, and as the clean mineral 'gives a very high assay, the gold yield would soon put your property on the dividend-paying list.?. "The sand crushed in conjunction with the mineral could be stacked, for future treatment. "As the lines may form a valuable asset, I do not foresee any difficulty in their future treatment by cyanide. These are treated very successfully on the South African goldfields and New Zealand. "With- the splendid situation of your plant, and the natural facilities it offers for cyaniding on a large scale, there.can be no question but that the extraction of the gold could be done at a, minimum cost." . Healesville Guardian and Yarra Glen Guardian (Vic. : 1898 - 1900), Saturday 10 December 1898, page 3 VICTORIAN MOUNT MORGAN GOLD MINING CO. The following report from the Mining Manager, just to hand, is published for .the information of the shareholders. At the mine, matters are progressing very well; the new lode at the 120 feet level continues to open up splendidly, in fact, I am now thoroughly satisfied that we have opened up a new lode. entirely distinct from anything which so far has been disclosed on the surface. One of the peculiar features in connection with the new lode is, that the strike is-north-west by-south-east, with an-underlay to the north-east at an angle of.45- degrees.. We have a well defined, foot-wall and hanging-wall. All the country between " Walls" under-laying at same angle as " Walls" is presenting generally a very settled appearance. The distance between " Walls"' is about' 14 -feet,:.the greater part of which is good ore. Running through the ore occasionally are "horses" of blue rock, similar 'country "to the " Walls." -At first I was afraid, that these .' horses" of " mullock ' might seriously interfere with' the' course 'of the ere body, but now I have come to look on those with pleasure, for I find that they may be looked upon as " indicators," for,usually. the.country adjacent to the intrusive rock is richer in- gold than where there is a larger body of ore and no intrusive rock present. Another most important feature to -be noticed is this- presence of the gold in the quartz. This may sound strange to most mining. men, but as yourself and the directors are aware, that in the past the quartz we had was value. less, consequently, considerable value must be placed on -this change, for, in my opinion, we are simply on the 'top of the formation of - a large quartz lode;_which will develop and improve as depth is attained'. My reasons for corning to this conclusion are, that the quartz is not found in isolated pieces 'as it' was in the higher levels, but occurs-.is well-defined veins with a dip and strike similar to walls.- So far we have got the best gold from botton of Ievel. . - -Taking present dip' of " Walls" we can cut the -lode, from tunnel- in' 50 feet of driving which would give us 90 feet of backs to operate on from tunnel to 420 feet. level, and by connecting with wiirze enable us to open up the mine properly, give good ventilation and -allow of systematic work being carried out. -In"order to further prove -the Inde before recommending the Board to the expense of : driving' tunnel I-. intend, during the ensuing week, to" put .in plat 20 feet lower down, crosscut from there.to cut the'lode; which.:I estimate can be cut in 10 feet of driving,' and then connect with winze. ... :.: During.the week the:ore in face was carefully assayed daily, value'r varying from 7 d-t.?? to one ounce per tonn of course, samples of picked ore going considerable higher .; value of ore in face. to=day one; ounce per tonn' 'from two assays. Samples assayed of `sand and slimies for last- eight -hour's run as. it leaves battery.(usual method of sampling.every half-hour) shows' a value of 16 dwts. per tonn:. I am not by any means satisfied with. the percentage of gold being?'saved by battery, and I have' raised four of the plates half an inch. .. The- -plates are 'in bad order at peenit, but- I' have not got the chemicals I require to' improve them, but the postal- authorities ,would not allow us to forward what we require per parcel post- However; I will be in town about.the- end of next week so that I can bring them up with me. - " Battery, you will see, has crushed 60 tons only for 110 hours run, only about two-thirds what it should have done, this is due to the fact that I have had to change the hands taking two of original " feeders" from battery to mine-they are, however, improving. CYANIDE.--Have a quantity of tailings ready for treatment. Yours faithfully, JAS. GITSHAM, Mining manager. Healesville Guardian (Vic. : 1893 - 1898), Friday 19 February 1897, page 2 VICTORIAN. MOUNT IMORGAN GOLD MINING CO. The scheme of reconstructiori of this company as submitted by Mri. E. AMl Cairnes, F.G.S., at the extraordinary meeting of directors; owners, and vendors held on the 25th of January last having been approved of, there is now every prospect of matters connected with the claim proceeding with vigor and with every possible satisfaction to all concerned. \ Mr. Cairnes called at our office.a few days ago, and in the course of his conversation- expressed the fullest confidence in the success of the mine, and now that it had been placed on a more satisfactory footing in its reconstructed form he had no hesitation in predicting flourishing results. By the reconstruction the contributing shareholders will derive by far the greatest benefit, their interests being increased in value at least fourfold, states Mr. G. E. Robinson, legal .manager, in his report; they will hold Ihe sane number of shares in the new co-any as in the ori-in ljwith .these very important differences,that instead, of dividends having to be paid on 200,000 shares they will only have to be paid, even with the reserved shares issued, on 50,000 shares and the sum of £5000 to be paid to owners and vendors from gold won has been wiped out. The following are the reports by Mr. Cairnes and Mr. Robert Clingan, mine manager, which speak for themselves: compliance with yourinstructions to make an exhaustive and further examination of the land demised by lease to the Victorian Mount Morgan Gold Minning Company, No Liability, and to submit a scheme for the future more effectual working of the mine, for the best and most equitable interests of all parties concerned, I beg to sulbmit'the following report for your information, and in doing so shall endeavour to be as brief as possible, avoiding unnecessary details. I left Melbourne on the 8th ultimo, accompanied by Mr. Herbert Nicholas, who remained with me at the mine during my entire work, extending over 15 days, and 'returned with we to Melbourne on the .24th ultimo, Mr. Nicholas can confirm my reports, as much doubt has been thrown upon my previous statements, chiefly through spite, professional jealousy, and. ignorance of the newer scientific discoveries of auriferous matrices. I proved apparently payable gold across the Dyke, on lease area'3561, CastleMnaine, over 500 feet wide. In every proved prospect the gold was in the true ore, which is sandstone evidently the ablsorbent of hydrothermal waters, which in past ages deposited the gold and other materials in solution in the rocks. I can arrive at no other conclusion after a most exhaustive and careful. examination, the numerous prospects tried having been dollied by Mr. Nicholas and panned off by myself. I think the hidden vent of the thermal spring is in the vicinity of the shaft, and the proper ore channel is found by driving, the ore should be very rich, as one sample not showing gold, selected by myself from a depth of 20 feet in the shaft, was assayed at the Bank of New South WVales and gave a return of over 80zs. of gold to the ton, and other assays are reported to have gone much higher, comfirmatory proof. of which can be given. Forming a l~W estimate, the ore passed through in the first 35 feet of the shaft should be worth, taken en masse, ½oz. of gold to the ton. From 55 feet in depth considerable volcanic disturbance has taken place, huge boulders and bands of dense quartzite a dioritic rock, heavily charged with barren cubical iron pyrites, have come in intrusively with' limited particles of ore, which have oozed through still carrying free gold. At 55 feet good ore was again met with, !showing highly payable dish p'rospets botlh in fee gold :and in minal herefore the future reports from Mai?acr Mr. Rb ert Clingan, .should be: wvatchek with interest. For my own part I do not think there is a qcuestion of doubt as to the great future of your mine if properly prospected and things are not rushed. With a 10-head battery to start with, driven by wat.r power and :aniners erected to save the concentrates, and. the mine propeily opened up, 2dwts, of free gold per ton, utinder careful management, should leave a margin for profit. I feel convinced thast the minne an be placed on a dividend paying basis for about £3000; then, a portion df the profits from the miine? canri he reserved to pay for in-' cre.ased machinery .or .some of the 12,500 shaires heldd in reserve utilized. OOwners aind vendors have such conidence in the proper r that thel do not slat the exorbitu terms demanded them ; with this object in iew the owners and the vendors ask fr reconstruction of the company with?he right for friends to take up niallotted shares. At present they coeider the mine is overloaded, taking theiepressed state of the colony into consileration, and they suggest the followidn basis of reconstruction, laying specialemphasis on the fact that half the mire is to be allotted in paid up shar: to the owners and vendors and thaltthey take no cash, every penny going to mine capital. The following isithe basis submitted for' reconstructon, the owners, vendors and present ontributing shareholders to have the prior right to take up any unallotted !shares :Capital, £12,500 in 50,000 shares of 5s. each, of which the whole is fully paid up. 25,000 paid up sl res to be allotted to the owners, vendors, and promoters. 12,500 shares to be in reserve for the Company for future issue and disposal as required. 12,500 shares to contributing shareholders at 2s. 6d. per share on applicdtion, .nd 2s. 6d.. per sharei, , le-.nt, the of r hesh (less brokerage and expenses) to be placed to the credit of the company. The foregoing having been approved of by the owners and vendors, I recommend the printing of the report and the submission of a copy to each of the existing shareholders for endorsement of their approval thereon.-I have, &e., E. M. CAIRNEs, F.G.S., London, Geological Surveyor, &c., And Vice-President Geological Society of Australasia. Gentlemen,-For the general information of the shareholders the following no doubt will give general satisfaction. At a depth of 54ft. we came on a vugh between two large boulders, and from which dish prospects taken gave returns of free gold. At this point the country is having a more settled appearance. On the 26th November, 1893, we penetrated ' what your worthy chairman characteristically describes as the true ore formation, viz., brecciated sandstone, and from which dish prospects taken by myself gave satisfactory results from a few colors to what I roughly consider a 2½ to 3oz. prospect. You must bear in mind that this is not only one or two prospects taken from picked stone,'but fronm almost every bucket of ore taken from the last 12ft. My brother, Mr. J. C., can fully confirm what I state, as he has been doing the. prospecting for me ever since he returned, taking samples from the buckets as raised from the shaft, and in every instance getting from fair to good prospects, and in no instance failing to get gold, which clearly shows that we are passing through the proper formation or are approaching very near it, at the same time we must not lose sight of the much despised quartz, as I have samples of stone showing gold, and which prospects freely. In conclusion, 1 consider that future prospects of the mine as it looks at present is assured, and I have every confidence that each week I will be enabled to give a better report than the previous one.-I have, &c., R. OLINGAN, Manager. Mr. A. J. Blolton, assayer and gold saving expert, Mlelbourne, reparted as follows pn 4th December, 1896, on stone from the mine forwarded to him for assay:--Shaft 20ft.: Gold, loz. 3dwt. per ton. Shaft 30ft: Gold, 2oz. 6dwt. 16grs. per ton. Shaft 55ft.: 20oz. 2dwt. per ton. MIr. Cairnes informed us that a sample of two tons of ore-merely shaft debris-was recently sent for crushing to Bairnsdale, and realised an average of 7½rlwts. smelted gold to the. the ton, while the blanketings went up to 18dwts. Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), Tuesday 9 June 1896, page 5 GOLD IN SANDSTONE. GOVERNMENT GEOLOGIST'S RE-PORT ON THE REEFTON FIND. Mr. R. Murray, the Government Geologist, has presented an official report to the Minister of Mines on the alleged discovery of a gigantic lode on the Reefton track, some 15 miles north of Marysville, on which a special representa-tive of The Age also reported in yesterday's issue. After describing the locality and the means by which it may be reached, Mr. Murray goes on to say :— The ground has evidently been tested long ago by former prospectors, and it appears that good prospects were obtained in loaming and trenching ; but the present occupiers, Messrs. Clingan and party, have made more exhaustive trials and express themselves satisfied with the results. There is, however, no actual dyke nor lode, but a broad belt or group of silurian rich lands strongly impregnated with pyrites and with the brown ironstone resulting from their decomposition, and also with veins and patches of quartz. The rocks consist of quartzites, sandstones and mudstones, contain-ing numerous veins and vughs filled with a mixture of ironstone and quartz resembling some of the ore of Mount Morgan in Queensland ; but as regards general features the resemblance to the descript-tions given of the latter place ceases here. These appear to be more than 100 feet in width and of considerable length, within which gold prospects are stated to be obtainable either by loaming or by crushing and washing samples of the more ferruginous rock. At the principal site of operations there are numerous cross trenches and a shaft about 30 feet in depth on the formation. These all show the ferruginous matter, both pyritous and oxidised, with quartz in veins and vughs occur-ring plentifully throughout the mass, but the oxidised material does not seem to extend far below the surface, and the pyrites predominate with increasing depth. In the shaft there is a succession of alternating hard and soft layers of rock in the form of flatly underlying floors, and intermixed with these are the veins, bunches and vughs of quartz and ferruginous matter, the latter being in all stages from unde-composed pyrites to completely oxidised ore. It is stated that a quantity of the stuff raised from the shaft without special selection was sent to Bendigo for trial, and yielded at the rate of 25 dwt. per ton. I took at random some small samples, and on treatment by ordinary dollying and washing obtained a fair prospect of fine gold, besides much pyrites. There is no doubt there-fore as to the auriferous character of the forma-tion, but before embarking large capital on it I would advise the erection of a small battery and the carrying out of a series of tests at a number of points along the formation, both at surface and at some feet below, so as to ascertain beyond question whether the bulk value is sufficient to justify working on a large scale, for there can be no picking and choosing of the ore. Should such trials prove a fair average bulk yield, even if only a few penny-weights per ton, there need be no fear as to the ultimate success of the undertaking, as the available tonnage is enormous, and there are excellent facilities for working it most economically with water power, which is obtainable in sufficient volume and fall to drive a very extensive milling plant. Con-centrating appliance to collect the pyrites would also be essential. Without, therefore, indulging in too sanguine a forecast I feel justified in recommending further exhaustive tests as above indicated, but would add the caution that there are no pre-sent inducements to cause men without capital to flock to the field. Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924), Thursday 4 June 1896, page 4
A VICTORIAN MOUNT MORGAN. EXTRAORDINARY GOLD DISCOVERY. —Age. If certain facts which have been laid before the Mines Department—they have no official confirmation yet—prove to be correct, a discovery of gold has been made in Victoria that eclipses any previous find in the whole of Australia. The locality is some 12 miles beyond Marysville, on what is known as the Reefton Track, and adjacent to Armstrong's Creek. A report has been prepared on tho discovery by Mr hi. M. Cairnes, a geological surveyor in private practice, for the information of the company which owns the lease, in which “ everything,” it is remarked, “ has been understated.” It appears that a miner who had worked on Mount Morgan was prospecting for quartz in this district, and he came upon stone of similar character to what ho had seen 1 in the big Queensland mine. He concluded from the wide extent over which he found payable prospects in the outcrop and loamings that the entire area pegged out by him “ consisted of the crest of a mountain of ore, and,” says Mr Cairnes, “he had reason for arriving at that conclusion. M In consequence of its similarity to tho great Queensland claim, the mine has been named tho Victorian Mount Morgan Company. The formation is a huge dyke over 50 feet wide, which is said to be payable all over. Fifteen dish prospects taken indiscriminately were carefully dollied and panned off from the various parts of the outcrop embraced within an area of a Bhaft that has been sunk on the. property, of 300 foet north, 300 feet south, 100 feet east, and 500 feet west, and in every instance payable free cold was ob* tain«d, averaging from J ‘ oz to 1 oz to the ton. Going down the phaff, Mr Cairnes states that the ore, judging by tho bands of mineral, appeared to be increasing in richness with depth. From a dish of debris taken from the bottom of the shaft and undollied, about one quarter, after roughly panning off, was clean mineral, showing a good percentage of free gold. Mr Cairne3 adds that he had. traced the gold by outcrop, and floaters sufficient to warrant his estimating tho ore by millions instead of thousands of tons. Some five tons of stone which were troatod at Bendigo gave “ a yield by actual crushing equal to loz lOdwtof gold per ton.” Tho Government Geologist will visit the district shortly, and will no doubt present a report on the find.
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