Mining Heritage of the Australian Alps - Australian Alps National Parks

More documents

Recommendations

Info

2.1.5 CHARACTERISTICS BY REGION (Detailed discussion on regional characteristics is included in parts F & G of Appendix 9) There are clear regional differences within the study area, and these are tabulated below, in summary. NORTHERN HALF, KOSCIUSKO NP SOUTHERN HALF, KOSCIUSKO NP Mining is a strong theme Mining theme not as strongly developed as Alluvial gold mining, of various types, dominates Alluvial diggings are limited in extent Most productive alluvial diggings are at high altitude, consistent with position of remnant basalt- covered leads Quartz mining poorly developed, with no production of consequence northern half, KNP Alluvial gold mining, of various types, dominates Alluvial diggings are limited in extent Most productive alluvial diggings are at high altitude Quartz mining poorly developed, with only one mine of consequence 7 COBBERAS- TINGARINGY & WONNANGATTA- MOROKA UNITS, ALPINE NP DARTMOUTH & BOGONG UNITS, ALPINE NP AND ATTACHED HISTORIC AREAS Mining is not a strong theme Mining is a strong theme Few gold workings - some base metals mining in far east Alluvial and reef gold mining - Alluvial diggings are linear, and extend for considerable distances along rivers - Most productive alluvial diggings are at lower altitudes, in the base of deep river valleys Quartz mining poorly developed Quartz mining strongly developed, with large numbers of productive mines Quartz mines isolated Quartz mines isolated - Large, productive quartz mining fields Only basic quartz mining Only basic quartz mining - Sophisticated quartz mining technology represented technology represented technology represented, including cyanidation, chlorination, roasting furnaces, large mills, assay works etc Early mining settlements/ Few early mining Characterised by ephemeral Many early mining camps collapsed after settlements/camps - those government-sponsored settlements/camps survived rapid exhaustion of rich that existed collapsed after prospecting camps in east for decades as focus surface alluvial deposits exhaustion of alluvials switched from alluvial to reef gold Mining track networks Mining track networks Principal mining track Mining track networks complex, lightly-imposed complex, lightly-imposed networks relate to substantial and ingrained, and ephemeral, relating to and ephemeral, relating to government-sponsored track relating to on-going widely-distributed, small, widely-distributed, small, cutting to stimulate materials supply to quartz short-lived alluvial short-lived alluvial diggings prospecting in remote areas mining townships & areas, diggings and government-stimulated prospecting in remote areas The large bulk of gold The majority of gold - Significant commercial production occurred in the production occurred in the production occurred from the 1860's, with only minor 1860's (Crackenback, 1850's to the mid-twentieth yields (often from part- Snowy Plain etc) with only century time work & fossicking) minor yields (often from since part-time work & fossicking) since. Toolong & Bogong diggings were the only post-1860's finds of any consequence
2.1.6 ALPINE MINING ADAPTATIONS (Detailed discussion on adaptations is included in part D of Appendix 9) World-wide, the development of thawing techniques for the mining of frozen gravels was probably the only new technology developed for high altitude/latitude mining. Even this was followed by conventional mining. All other adaptations were minor environmental responses that represented alterations necessary to make existing mining and mineral processing technologies work. Seasonal work variations are not confined to the Alps. In some early diggings on the drier central Victorian goldfields, mining and stockpiling ('dry-stacking') was often carried out over summer, with processing undertaken with the arrival of winter rains. Similar operations were undertaken at remote, arid NSW goldfields such as Mt Browne and Tibooburra. The dry northern Australian goldfields could show the corollary, with processing awaiting the arrival of the summer "wet" 5 . Summer-only mining in Alpine conditions cannot be regarded as an Alpine adaptation. Rather, this indicates that the mine operators were unwilling or unable (for economic reasons etc) to adapt their operations to the Alpine environment. Also open to question is the degree to which winter snowfall and cold conditions did in fact restrict mining in the higher parts of the Australian Alps. At Kiandra, the largest high altitude field, up to 2000 people over-wintered in 1860, and this is probably a fairly accurate reflection of the state of depletion of the resources. That is, those miners who were on gold stayed to work as best they could, while the prospectors and unsuccessful diggers moved out. This pattern repeated itself the next year on a smaller scale. Certainly the historical record contains many examples of larger, later mines closing down over winter (eg Red Robin & Brandy Creek, Alpine NP), but there are many that record the trials of struggling through winter (including, strangely, the Red Robin & Brandy Creek). Significantly, winter closing does not appear to be mentioned at the Mt Wills field. For the later generation of grazier/miners in Kosciusko NP for example, there is no doubt that advantage was taken of milder summer conditions to mix mining with summer grazing. The development of Alpine adaptations in Australia and New Zealand could be expected to be limited, compared to the high cordilleras of the USA, or the sub-Arctic fastnesses of Siberia, Alaska and Canada. This is because of the combination of two factors: • The relatively small-scale of the mineral resources involved (in many cases suiting operation by individuals), and • The small size of the Australian and New Zealand Alps, which meant that more temperate lowland areas were generally accessible within a day or two's ride. In the other places, access to the mining areas could involve incredible hardship on journeys of hundreds of kilometres, lasting several months. Under these conditions, summer-only mining was not an option, and miners were forced to adapt to the conditions 6 . Of course, the immense value of some of the resources discovered guaranteed that economic imperatives would dictate the operations of the relevant mines, regardless of the harsh environments. In general, Alpine adaptations will not interpret well in the historic fabric, unless the site is exceptionally well-preserved, with remnant plant, equipment and infrastructure. For the overwhelming bulk of historic mining sites in the Australian Alps, a distinctive Alpine character will be demonstrated in their context, not their fabric. 5 Refer "Prospecting for Gold", I Idriess 1931, Chapter XI, "Dry-Stacking". 6 Refer "Klondike, The Last Great Gold Rush 1896-1899", P Berton 1972, for excellent descriptions of the hardships of travel into the Klondike field. 8
Page 1 and 2: Homeward Bound Sluicing Claim, New
Page 3 and 4: A report prepared by: Rob Kaufman L
Page 5 and 6: REPORT SUMMARY Using This Report Th
Page 7 and 8: Revised Dec 2001, with park extensi
Page 9 and 10: x MAP 2 1 N Drawn R J Kaufman, Dece
Page 11 and 12: AUSTRALIAN ALPS MINING HERITAGE CON
Page 13 and 14: 1.1 BACKGROUND 1. INTRODUCTION Mini
Page 15 and 16: examination of primary sources was
Page 17: Some of the very highest mining sit
Page 21 and 22: has seen began. Estimates of the nu
Page 23 and 24: 1854 Harrietville gold diggings beg
Page 25 and 26: 3. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE 3.1 MINING FIE
Page 27 and 28: DEPOSIT METHODS HERITAGE FEATURES G
Page 29 and 30: 3.5 SITE NETWORKS Cultural landscap
Page 31 and 32: Framework, Theme 3.16). In this sen
Page 33 and 34: NAME VHR No LOCATION ERA KEY FEATUR
Page 35 and 36: NAME LOCATION ERA KEY FEATURES Empr
Page 37 and 38: PLACE LOCATION VIEWPOINT KEY CULTUR
Page 39 and 40: Upper Dargo Diversion Sluice Golden
Page 41 and 42: The key to understanding the influe
Page 43 and 44: Adaptation (Modifying a place to su
Page 45 and 46: Effective protection of mining cult
Page 47 and 48: mining sites are in forested settin
Page 49 and 50: Managers may have special legal and
Page 51 and 52: 6.1 INTRODUCTION 6. PRESENTATION Mi
Page 53 and 54: scenic river valley views. Water ra
Page 55 and 56: P11: "There is potential for rural,
Page 57 and 58: Therefore, the first consideration
Page 59 and 60: ROAD/TRACK* MINING SITES** LOCATION
Page 61 and 62: This Presentation Strategy provides
Page 63 and 64: 3. Provide signed interpretations t
Page 65 and 66: GREY MARE MINE, KOSCIUSKO NP This r
Page 67 and 68: • Sections 8.3 to 8.5 - Recommend
Page 69 and 70:
9.4.4 VICTORIA The major concentrat
Page 71 and 72:
in the form of simple conservation
Page 73:
3. Examine options for installing h
show all

Mining Heritage of the Australian Alps - Australian Alps National Parks

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?