PRIDE AND STRINGER QUARTZ REEF MINING PRECINCT
Other Name
PRIDE AND STRINGER REEF
Location
PIONEER ROAD STANLEY, INDIGO SHIRE
Level
Heritage Inventory Site
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Statement of Significance
SiteCard data copied on 20/01/2025:
What is significant?
The features quartz reef mine workings, including adit portals, shafts, underground workings and surface stopes and associated mullock dumps, as well as ore processing plants, occupation areas and associated infrastructure including sleigh tracks, tramways, dam, and
archaeological sites. The setting of historic mine features in open eucalypt forest in a mountainous landscape is also of significance.
How is it significant?
The Pride & Stringer Quartz reef mining precinct is of historical, social, technological and archaeological significance to the region and to the State of Victoria.
Criterion C – Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of
Victoria’s regional cultural history.
Criterion D – Importance in demonstrating the principle characteristics of a class of cultural
places or objects.
Why is it significant?
The Pride & Stringer quartz reef mining precinct and immediate surrounds are of historic,
social and technologically significant to the State of Victoria. The combined associated sites;
• Are good, well-preserved examples of quartz reef mining in forested mountainous
regions of eastern Victoria.
• The reef workings demonstrate the principal extraction processes of company 19th century quartz reef mining operations.
• The machinery sites demonstrate the process of steam-powered quartz reef mining technology for the haulage and extraction of gold.
• The history of reef workings, the mill sites and the surrounding context provide a powerful opportunity to demonstrate what life was like on the mountain goldfields of
eastern Victoria.
Regional Significance (Heritage Inventory): The regionally historically significant mine was relatively rich and worked for a significant period of time (1860-1902), with only a few years of
suspended operation. It was worked to a significant depth of 360 feet (110 metres) and saw an evolution of ore processing and mining technologies. The mine was an important economic contributor to its shareholders and a relatively large employer.
Technological Significance - Medium/High: The site has several important technologically important sites. The quartz roasting kiln and early crushing mill site clearly demonstrate an
advancement in early quartz reef million process and technologycompared with the later adjacent site of the late 19th century site of the steam powered 10-head battery with latest
gold recovery technology or Berdan pan and vanner tables.
The Engine House Shaft is also unique to the region being a rare comparatively complete example of a steam-powered winding engine house over a deep shaft. The use of poppet
heads and winding engines on the on the surface mountain sides was not necessarily common, with few intact examples remaining (Shamrock at Harrietville H8324-0017). The layout of the features is readily interpretable and the condition of the boiler setting, in particular the flue is good.
Archaeological Significance - Medium/High: All the remnant machinery sites, occupation sites, mine workings and the broader area of the 1890s stamp battery site have potential to reveal further artefacts and features associated with life on a quartz reef mining site from the
early 1860s through to the early 20th century. In particular the machinery sites and mine workings can show and reveal insight into quartz reef mining techniques and methodologies
over a broad period of time.
Historical/Social Significance – Medium: The mine workings from its early discovery by a party of Italian miners, through to the formation of both local mining prospecting companies to
Ballarat and Melbourne based public companies, demonstrate the changes in the evolution of the quartz mining industry during its peak years in the latter half of the 19th century.
Interpretation/Presentation Values – High: The proximity of the site to the adjacent Yackandandah Mountain Bike Park (Yack Tracks), offers good access opportunities for future interpretation of aspects of the site (Consideration must be given to historically fragile or
hazardous features).
Group
Mining and Mineral Processing
Category
Battery/Crusher
