MT ELLIOT GOLDFIELD
Location
CORRYONG , TOWONG SHIRE
File Number
PL-HE/01/0011
Level
Heritage Inventory Site
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The features of the quartz reef mine workings, including adit portals, shafts, underground workings and surface stopes and mullock dumps and associated infrastructure including track networks as well as occupation sites. The setting of historic mine features in open eucalypt forest in a mountainous landscape overlooking the broad agricultural valley of the Upper Murray Rivers is also of significance.
How is it significant?
The Mount Elliot Goldfield is of historical, social, technological and archaeological significance to the region and possibly 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 principal characteristics of a class of cultural places or objects.
Why is it significant?
The Mount Elliot Goldfield and immediate surrounds are of, social, historical and technological significance. The combined associated sites;
• Are good, well-preserved examples of quartz reef mining in marginal forested mountainous regions of eastern Victoria.
• The reef workings demonstrate the principal extraction processes of small co-operative owned mines, successfully operating upon geologically small reef formations during the late 19th and early 20th century.
• Are historically important for the nature of their discovery and subsequent working of the reefs during the economic depression of the 1890s. Stimulated by the government through the Mines Department, to encourage individuals to leave urban centres and find work and/or prospect in rural and mountainous regions of the colony.
• The history of goldfield, in association with the remnant historic archaeology and features and landscape setting provide a powerful opportunity to demonstrate what life was like for small parties of miners on the mountain goldfields of eastern Victoria.
That a personal, more intimate aesthetic is reflected in the fabric of individual, or small party workings, as opposed to larger company mines. This is evident in the fabric of detailed stonework outside the adits of the Butcher Boy (Pinnacle) and the Christmas Pudding. Suggestive of an individual liberal ethos. A similar element was often seen in the individual dwellings, or homes of miners. Decorative adornments were often added, such as picket fences, tree-ferns and exotic ornamental plantings, etc. This robust architectural element, in the form of the stonework is still evident in the workplaces of the Mount Elliot mines. This element may also be represented in the archaeology of many of the sites of the is locality. This rare individualistic or cultural aesthetic is only occasionally found in the remnant robust fabric of the mountainous goldfields of eastern Victoria.
Regional Significance (Heritage Inventory): The mines and associate features of the Mount Elliot goldfield are important for their historic, social and technological significance.
Technological Significance - Medium: The quartz reef workings of the Mount Elliot quartz reef mines are a good representation of a class of small scale mines, operated upon largely by individuals or small parties during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Archaeological Significance - Medium/High: The Mount Elliot goldfield has potential to reveal archeological features and artefacts that represent smaller scale mine operations of individual and small parties. It has potential to reveal artefacts and features that reflect personal characteristic not necessarily found in larger company based mine workings.
Historical/Social Significance – High: The Mount Elliot goldfield was important regionally and to the greater colony of Victoria with the discovery of a new goldfield during the 1890s depression. It encouraged men (and ultimately their families), to move to the locality and take up prospecting claims or supportive industries. It offered economic opportunities, stimulated by government encouragement, to rural and mountainous regions of eastern Victoria. Many who came to the rush, staying in the district and taking up farming. Descendants of the rush still remain in the district today.
Interpretation/Presentation Values – Medium/High: The goldfield has played an important historic role in the Corryong region. Historically the Mount Elliot goldfield is important in the story of the district. Although access is limited by the surrounding freehold farm land, the history of the field can be told through interpretation material at key locations such as in town at visitor centres, the museum or on Mount Elliot lookout.
Group
Mining and Mineral Processing
Category
Gold Mining Site
