DUTTON'S GULLY MINING LANDSCAPE

Dutton's Gully is an alluvial mining landscape. Gold was first discovered in the Ararat Region in 1854, with the first workings consisting of alluvial gold sites (including Dutton’s Gully). After the initial Ararat Rush, shallow alluvial mining in the area slowed and the majority of gold resources were coming from reworked gullies and creek beds by sluicing or puddling parties, or alternatively by shallow shafts. Mining in the area continued into the early 20th century. The stream bed of Dutton Gully was mined during the gold rush period by shallow shafts and through the use of sluices and puddling machines.   

 

Most of the extant mining features are shafts, filled or open, associated with extracting gold from the cement beds contained in elevated terraces. Dutton’s Gully and its tributaries were most likely worked by sluice and/or puddling machines; however, only evidence of the former mining method was found. In one locality a short section of water race was found associated with a small area of ground sluicing. The site contains archaeological remains that relate to the activities of the Ararat Goldfields during the Victorian Gold Rush era.

The site is historically significant as one of the alluvial mining localities in the Ararat Goldfield. It’s also significant in illustrating the technology and consequences of different forms/periods of alluvial gold mining.