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Diggings Near Grassy Gully, Misery Creek

Location ENFIELD, Golden Plains Shire Level Heritage Inventory Site

Statement of Significance

Victorian Heritage Register
Contextual History:History of Place:
Heritage Inventory History of Site:
According to Finlay, I.S., Plier-Malone, E.N.M., Cochrane, R.M., Buchnall, M., Douglas, P.M. and Caluzzi, J.,
1992, Ballarat Deep Leads and Mines, Geological Survey of Victoria 1:100,000 Deep Leads Map 6, sheet 1,
Department of Energy and Minerals, Victoria, the following companies were operating in the area where the
following diggings were found: Logan and Party; Wittol and Party; Guinam and Party; Star of the East:
Hansen's Co.; Hartridge and Co.; Nick-'O-Time; Tim's Lucky; Hidden Treasure; Midland Counties Quartz
Mining and Crushing Co.;
The Department of Energy and Minerals', GEDIS Ballarat Mines Database, shows that:
1867 to 1869: the recorded production of six companies in this vicinity was approximatley 1140 ozs (or 35.45
kg).
1886 to 1891: recorded production of 7 companies operating in this vicinity was approximately 1715 ozs (or
54.35 kg).1
1896 to 1899: recorded production of the O'Keefe Brothers was 2467 ozs (or 76.56 kg).1
1904 to 1907: recorded production of two companies was 663 ozs (or 20.62 kg).1
Mount Misery Ranges, No. 4 or Southern Division, Ballarat.
09.1868: the success of the Geelong gentlemen at Pinchgut Reef has led to 5 other reefs in these ranges being taken up.
06.1869; companies prospecting these ranges have not had any success.
Mount Misery Creek, No. 4 or Southern Division, Ballarat.
11.1859: almost exclusively in the possession of the Chinese; a few parties of Europeans got between 80 and
200 pounds in a few days but this is confined to a limited space.
12.1859: a considerable influx of Chinese who occupy 2 miles of the creek plus the flat on either side.
01.1860: the Chinese are reported to have 'hit it heavy', with one find paying 250 pounds per man per week.
02.1860 : the Chinese population is decreasing because of the poor ground and the lack of water.
11.1861: 8 or 10 puddling companies are doing pretty well at 3 to 4 pounds per man per week working the old
ground at Mount Misery and Kangaroo Gully.
12.1862: Chinese are now almost in exclusive occupation of the wet gullies in this neighbourhood.
03.1864: continues to yield fair wages.
06.1866: principally occupied by the Chinese.
Mount Misery, Cockatoo Reef at ... , No. 4 or Southern Division, Ballarat.
GOLDEN TUNNEL COMPANY.
12.1881: have driven a tunnel 145 feet toward Cockatoo Reef, expect to drive a further 100 feet.
03.1882: tunnel has been driven 385 feet and the lode has not been struck.
06.1882: tunnel driven 495 without striking the lode.
09.1882: tunnel driven a further 72 feet to 567 feet.
12.1882: have not done any work this quarter.
03.1883: having a trial crushing of stone from near the surface.
Mount Misery Reef, No. 4 or Southern Division, Ballarat.
MIDLAND COUNTIES QUARTZ-MINING AND CRUSHING COMPANY
11.1859: have taken up 2100 feet by 500 feet of the reef under by-law 10 and propose getting powerful
machinery on the ground as soon as possible.
01.1860: working vigorously on their dam, the best seen by the Mining Surveyor, and machinery site where the
crushing plant is being erected.
30.01.1860: proceeding well with their operations; have had good weather to clean out the creek; their dam is
now 10 feet above the creek flow and will hold millions of gallons of water; they appear to have adopted the
American 'river stop' plan which is much used on English railways to dam back rivers; the engine is either on
the ground or coming and crushing is anticipated in three months.
04.1860: almost completed the assembly of their crushing plant.
06.1860: have just commenced crushing; have expended 3000 pounds not including labour.
07.1860: have achieved relative success; their lowest crushing has yielded 10 dwt per ton and they are not yet
into full work.
09.1860: plant sold at auction by the Ballarat firm which supplied it, purchaser will take a proportion of the
yields and the company will be able to continue provided the returns are satisfactory.
12.1860: company to wind up, trials have not been satisfactory and the owners of crushing machinery are
about to remove it.
11.01.1861: crushing plant is to be removed by its owner because he does not have any faith in the reef, this
will produce a dissolution of this company.
22.08.1862: Grassy Gully is the centre of attention at the moment; one party obtained 13 ozs of gold and the
ground is shallow and the ground is being taken up in block claims.
Grassy Gully, Dereel, No. 4 or Southern Division, Ballarat
BUCKLEY AND PARTY (six men)
09.1887: have taken up an old quartz claim and have struck payable gold near the surface; the lode is 3 feet
wide and easily worked; another party is sinking on the same line of reef.
12.1887: intend sinking to 100 feet before taking out another crushing.
Grassy Gully, Dereel, adjoining Hughes and party, No. 4 or Southern Division, Ballarat
FLETCHER AND PARTY
06.1886: have struck the same run of cement as Hughes and party.
09.1886: crushed 25 tons for a yield of 27 ozs 13 dwt, which was a little disappointing.
03.1887: sinking a new shaft to strike softer country and richer cement.
03.1888: making good wages.
06.1888: making good wages.
Grassy Gully Reef, Rokewood, No. 4 or Southern Division, Ballarat.
GRASSY GULLY QUARTZ MINING COMPANY
GRASSY GULLY COMPANY (from the December 1868 report)
10.1868: to erect 12 head battery with all the latest improvements
11.1868: taking down steam engine and boiler at Derwent Jacks; boiler to be tested before carting;
constructing tramway and chimney stack; taking out stone for a crushing 12.1868: erecting machinery; a highly promising mine. machinery on the ground; boiler built in
03.1869: for this whole reef the yield - taking onto account the gold washed from the debris while being
worked - was more than 2 oz per ton.
09.1869: operations obstructed by the volume of water found at the 130 foot level; likeky that pumping
equipment will have to be procured before work can continue.(presumed to be this company)
Grassy Gully, No. 4 or Southern Division, Ballarat.
HERCULES COMPANY
06.1874: newly registered claim on reef discovered by Stevens and Sons; have struck a large body of goldbearing
quartz at 70 feet.
Grassy Gully, Dereel, No. 4 or Southern Division, Ballarat
HUGHES AND PARTY (four men)
03.1886: prospected by John Hughes, a 74 year old miner; a rush has occurred to mine the rich cemented
wash which has yielded 53 ozs 17 dwt 17 gr from six loads with the tailings expected to yield 6 ozs to the ton; a
crushing of 20 tons of tailings is expected to yield 150 ozs; the sinking is 30 feet through 18 feet of hard
cement.
06.1886: yield of £370 per man for the quarter; 5 other parties are sinking and driving in this very hard ground.
09.1886: most of the quarter was taken up with sinking a shaft and driving tunnels; yield of 184 ozs 13 dwt
from a crushing of 66 tons of cement mined in six weeks; despite the expenses this paid a dividend of £143
per man for the quarter.
12.1886: excellent returns; yield of 169 ozs of gold from crushing of 75 tons of cement; valued at £4 3s 9d per
ounce gave each man a dividend of £156 6s for the quarter which gave them a total of £800 per man for the
year.
03.1887: cement is still excellent at 2 ozs 6 dwt per ton; had a dividend of £135 14s per man for the quarter; to
erect a battery which will save 13s per ton for cartage.
06.1887: have not crushed this quarter; 300 tons of cement have been broken out awaiting completion of their
battery.
09.1887: 8 head battery erected; crushed 138 tons for a yield of 142 ozs 10 dwt 12 gr; 50 tons waiting to be
crushed; the cement is 3.5 foot thick and is estimated at 1 oz per ton.
12.1887: still getting returns although not quite as good as previously; proved the existance of a large quantity
of payable ground which should give £5 10s per man per week; in 2 years have paid dividends of £1000 per
man after all expenses including purchase of a battery.
03.1888: have been crushing reef dirt which turned out very poor, better is expected next quarter.
06.1888: results have been good paying £101 per man; are breaking out cement and will shortly have another
crushing.
09.1888: have not done quite as well this quarter.
12.1888: excellent results; dividend of £63 4s for the quarter.
03.1889: still getting fair returns.
09.1889: Fletcher and Party have taken over this claim on tribute but have not yet struck any cement of a
payable nature.
Grassy Gully, No. 4 or Southern Division, Ballarat.
SOMERSET AND CORNISH COMPANY
06.1874: newly registered claim on reef discovered by Stevens and Sons; shaft is 47 feet deep and is 12 feet
into a good looking lode which is 4 to 5 feet wide; propose to sink to 100 feet to prove the value of the mine
before erecting machinery.
09.1874: have sunk 90 feet and driven 30 feet but have not found anything payable; sinking in another part of
their claim and are down 35 feet.
12.1874: operations ceased because of a lack of capital.
Grassy Gully, Dereel, No. 4 or Southern Division, Ballarat
TIPPETT AND PARTY
12.1887: discovered a new reef; lode is 50 feet deep and 2.5 foot wide; it is yet to be tested.
03.1888: lode at 50 foot is not good enough to pay for working and shaft is being sunk to 100 feet to test the
lode.
Grassy Gully, No. 4 or Southern Division, Ballarat.
WHITTLE AND OTHERS
09.1889: struck a reef on the surface which yielded 5 dwt per ton; will test it further.
Grassy Gully, Dereel, adjoining Hughes and party, No. 4 or Southern Division, Ballarat
WILKINS AND PARTY
03.1889: payalble alluvial gold has been struck at a depth of 23 feet.

Group

Mining and Mineral Processing

Category

Gold Mining Site