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

1853: The Hustler’s line was discovered in 1853 by an African black named Jonathan Harris, who
found gold on the northern slope of Mac’s or Hustler’s Hill in the lease now held by the
Great Extended Hustler’s Co. In 1854 J Hustler, Jonathan Latham and John Watson bought
Harris’s ground (12ft x 12ft), and purchased several of the adjacent claims. These by
amalgamations became the famous Great Extended Hustler’s mine. Rich gold started at the
surface - the first crushing yielded 26ozs. to the ton - and was worked down the northern
slope of the hill to Ironbark Gully. “The number of shafts sunk on the reef from its outcrop to
the Ironbark Gully gave it more the appearance of shallow alluvial mining than of vein
mining,” says Wm. Nicholas in one of his letters on “The Golden Quartz Reefs of Australia”,
contributed to the ‘London Mining Journal’ in 1884. 1
1853: United Hustler’s and Redan - Some early day reminiscences. The ground comprised
in this company’s extensive lease was first opened in 1853. In that year there were over a
dozen claims working on the co-operative principle. Each of the claims had its own shaft and,
despite the comparatively small holdings, operations were, on the whole, attended with
considerable success. According to the records the spurs and leaders were very rich. There
were no fewer than seven or eight different parallel reefs worked in the group of claims. The
names of the reefs were, starting W., and going E., the Hustler’s, Redan, White, Ragman’s,
Williamson, Maiden, Sophia, and Bignell’s. The last named reef is described as a large
formation. Some phenomenal yields were obtained from the different reefs which, starting
almost from the surface, were operated at comparatively shallow depths. The water difficulty
presented itself at depth was attained, and, as might be expected, retarded the exploitation of
the deeper ground. In 1862 some of the properties were amalgamated, and a 12-head battery
was purchased by the Alabama Co. from Mr Henry Kock, who afterwards built the present
Koch’s Pioneer battery. Following the amalgamation another period of great prosperity was
experienced. There were 11 small companies in possession of the ground in 1876, and it was
agreed that a further amalgamation was advisable. Owing to there being several makes of
stone on the surface, there were at that time three, four, and even five claims abreast, while in
length the claims were very small. At that time the western ground was considered to be
twice as valuable as that on the E. side. The negotiations for consolidation of the various
interests were greatly protracted and it was not until October 1877, that registration was
affected. The K.K Company at the last moment declined to come into the scheme. Its lease
was 47 yards long and 90 to 100 yards wide. For many years the K K Company did little
work, and eventually the United Hustler’s and Redan, as the parent company, secured the
ground, and the K K shaft since remodelled and deepened constitutes the principal base of the
company’s operations in the S. portion of its lease. It is computed that the gold won by the
various claimholders in the locality reached at least 250,000ozs. The present company has
won over 112,022ozs. gold, and its dividend record is £162,827. 2
1853: The need for better crushing equipment constantly occupied the thoughts of the first
quartz reefers. Hustler and Harris had crushed their quartz in 1853 with a dolly. Ballerstedt
was using a primitive stamping contrivance worked by a horse. Some Cornish miners were
doing the same 3
1 Bendigo Advertiser [DMID records] 22/1/1914
2 Bendigo Advertiser [DMID records] 13/2/1912
3 Cusack, 1973, p123