Bendigo General History - Department of Planning and Community ...

christened on 23 October 1866 ... The machine was not a great success, but for some time it was
engaged in crushing hundreds of loads of cement ... The machine ... ceased work during February
1867. 1
June 1863: Another German digger, Sebastian Schmidt, struck good gold at twelve feet in vicinity of the Seven
Mile Hut. Old days were relived even if the rush was brief. The ground was patchy but the
following May, Schmidt and his party opened up the main reef there and for many years the mine
that eventuated, the Frederick the Great, was regarded as one of the soundest and most competently
worked mines in the colony. At last, it seemed, The Whipstick was unlocking its secrets. In
October 1863 the cry of ‘Rush-ho!’ rang out once more and men up-ended picks and streamed
away to the Raywood Rush. The following month, the Oriental Bank of Eaglehawk was displaying
yet another Whipstick nugget - 170 ounces ... unearthed by an eccentric New Zealander, John
Williams in Red Jacket Gully. 2
July 1863: Eaglehawk Division (Mr G.W. Harts, Surveyor) - Mining population - Europeans, 5500; and
Chinese, 650; comprising 5150 alluvial, and 1000 quartz miners. Steam engines - alluvial mining,
2 of 37 horse-power; and quartz mining, 42 of 633 horse-power; all engaged in quartz mining...
Very little of any importance has occurred during the past month. Alluvial mining has been
retarded by the inclemency of the weather, many claims in the flats and gullies having been flooded
and rendered unworkable for the present. At the Sebastian Flat, much damage has been done by
the heavy rain and gales of wind. The lead has not yet fulfilled the sanguine expectations of the
miners; still prospecting is carried on with great vigour and perseverance. In the alluvial flat to the
westward of Myer’s Creek, a party has sunk about 120 feet with great indications of finding a
permanent lead... The Sebastian Flat must be progressing, though slowly, as a company is about to
erect a crushing machine. Several puddling mills have been erected on the banks of the Myer’s
Creek, and are doing good service. The claims about Huntley are still being worked with
advantage. 3
Nov 1863. Auriferous discoveries on the site of the present township of Raywood in November, 1863, caused
a considerable rush, eventuating in the establishment of a borough, including the township of
Neilborough (Elysian Flat). The continuous drought of the year 1864 and up to June (1865)
paralysed alike the exertions of puddlers, quartz miners and alluvial miners, and doubtlessly
retarded new discoveries. 4
1864-65: A lack of water still hampered progress and the severe drought of 1864-65 took toll of several of
the forty-odd companies that had sprung up during the previous eighteen months. 5
1864: Frederick the Great, Sebastian. The Bendigo Advertiser, June 61864, “ We hear that a company of
miners from Clunes have leased the reef on the Sebastian from the owner of the land, Mr. Hugh
Glass, and they intend very shortly erecting massive machinery there”. There were eight men in
the party, known as Charlton and Co. The terms under which they held the ground was a ten year
lease for 400 yards along the reef by 150 yards wide, with a right of 80 acres for drainage purposes
and a 2 acre cart road. The lessees had to erect a crushing battery and pay to Mr Glass, 30% of the
gross gold yield. ... In early September 1864 Charlton and Co. began erection of the machinery,
consisting of a twelve-head battery arranged in two groups of six stamps each. The 12hp engine
was driven by steam and a tramway, which sloped down into the open cut of the reef, was designed
to haul the broken quartz directly into the battery. Members of the syndicate installed the
machinery themselves under the supervision of the Bendigo engineer, Mr Pickles. In order to give
the tailings sufficient run-off, the battery was elevated some 5 feet above ground level on immense
logs for which excavations had been dug to bedrock.
By December all work was completed, and 6 December 1864, was fixed for a grand opening. The
erection of the machinery had cost £1600, but within 6 weeks these expenses were repaid. Later,
the area of the lease was increased to 400 acres with a length of 1137 yards along the reef. The
tribute was reduced from 30 to 12 1/2%. The reef was worked from the surface to 450 feet where
although it increased in size, values decreased and the syndicate disbanded in 1870. Mr Charlton
afterwards brought the ground with the intention of again working the mine, but his death put an
end to these plans. The ground lay idle until 1880, when a new company was formed, having lease
of the area for seven years. During the first two ears the company was unsuccessful. An
experiment, which proved successful, was the leasing to tribute companies of blocks of ground 300
1 Perry, 1975, pp121-128
2 Cusack, 1973, p133
3 Mining Surveyors’ Reports, July 1863
4 Mining Surveyors’ Reports, June 1865
5 Cusack, 1973, p134