Cocks Pioneer after Flood. Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold & Tin Mine Company was formed in 1899. The company's first power station, located at the eastern end of the valley began operating with its 340 Kilowatt steam-powered generator. By 1909, from 2,500,000 cubic yards worked, reported recovery was 17,284 ounces of gold and 224 tons of tin ore. By 1909, Cocks Pioneer’s power plant had become inadequate and uneconomical. The barge was floated downstream about a mile, but lost time caused the operations to cease. Following testing, a new mine was established by diverting Reid's Creek at a cost of £25,000. Settling dams were built, one of which held 1,935,900 cubic feet. Sold earth banks, built against a wall of stringy bark saplings constructed and laced with vertical props, were built. In 1914, the company was reformed as Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL, another power station was constructed at the western end of the township, near the junction of Clear and Reid's Creeks. From 6,800,000 cubic yards of material processed, the returns were 64,397 ounces of gold and 855 ton of tin. Cocks Pioneer mine then moved the barge downs stream and continued sluicing. In 1929 Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold and Tin Mining Company ceased operations due to a drop in values. Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL carried on large-scale hydraulic sluicing operations until 1941. mining, gold, tin, barge, floods, gold mining, tin mining, cocks pioneer, el dorado, eldorado, men

Image of Cocks Pioneer Mine nozzle. Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold & Tin Mine Company was formed in 1899. The company's first power station, located at the eastern end of the valley began operating with its 340 Kilowatt steam-powered generator. By 1909, from 2,500,000 cubic yards worked, reported recovery was 17,284 ounces of gold and 224 tons of tin ore. By 1909, Cocks Pioneer’s power plant had become inadequate and uneconomical. The barge was floated downstream about a mile, but lost time caused the operations to cease. Following testing, a new mine was established by diverting Reid's Creek at a cost of £25 000. Settling dams were built, one of which held 1,935,900 cubic feet. Sold earth banks, built against a wall of stringy bark saplings constructed and laced with vertical props, were built. In 1914, the company was reformed as Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL, another power station was constructed at the western end of the township, near the junction of Clear and Reid's Creeks. From 6,800,000 cubic yards of material processed, the returns were 64,397 ounces of gold and 855 ton of tin. Cocks Pioneer mine then moved the barge downs stream and continued sluicing. In 1929 Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold and Tin Mining Company ceased operations due to a drop in values. Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL carried on large-scale hydraulic sluicing operations until 1941. mines, mining, hydraulic mining, men, tin, gold, tin mining, gold mining, sluicing, cocks pioneer, el dorado, eldorado

Cocks Pioneer old mine timbers. Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold & Tin Mine Company was formed in 1899. The company's first power station, located at the eastern end of the valley began operating with its 340 Kilowatt steam-powered generator. By 1909, from 2,500,000 cubic yards worked, reported recovery was 17,284 ounces of gold and 224 tons of tin ore. By 1909, Cocks Pioneer’s power plant had become inadequate and uneconomical. The barge was floated downstream about a mile, but lost time caused the operations to cease. Following testing, a new mine was established by diverting Reid's Creek at a cost of £25 000. Settling dams were built, one of which held 1,935,900 cubic feet. Sold earth banks, built against a wall of stringy bark saplings constructed and laced with vertical props, were built. In 1914, the company was reformed as Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL, another power station was constructed at the western end of the township, near the junction of Clear and Reid's Creeks. From 6,800,000 cubic yards of material processed, the returns were 64,397 ounces of gold and 855 ton of tin. Cocks Pioneer mine then moved the barge downs stream and continued sluicing. In 1929 Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold and Tin Mining Company ceased operations due to a drop in values. Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL carried on large-scale hydraulic sluicing operations until 1941. mining, gold, tin, open cut, gold mining, tin mining, cocks pioneer, el dorado, eldorado

Clear Creek Tin Mine, c.1931mines, mining, tin, tin mining, men, sluicing, clear creek, el dorado, eldorado

Clear Creek Dammines, mining, tin, tin mining, sluicing, clear creek, el dorado, eldorado

Clear Creek Tin Mine Dugoutmines, mining, tin, tin mining, sluicing, men, boys, clear creek, el dorado, eldorado

Clear Creek Tin Mine, c.1931mines, mining, tin, tin mining, steam, engine, men, miners, machinery, clear creek, el dorado, eldorado

Processing shed and sluicing nozzle, probably Clear Creek Tin Minemining, tin, tin mining, clear creek, sluicing, el dorado, eldorado

Drilling tests.mining, gold, gold mining, tin, tin mining, churn drill, drilling, machinery, el dorado, eldorado

The letter book related to outward letters from the Ballarat School of Mines.A bound leatherbound book with marble endpapers. The contents are copies of outward letters from the Ballarat School of Mines from July 1915 to May 1916. Page 807 relates to the Ballarat Eight Hours' Anniversary Committee (J. Kean) Page 906 - Letter from L. Austin (Ballarat School of Mines Registrar) concerning the appointment of Winifred Joy and Hestor Darby as assistants to Miss Abrams to the Ballarat School of Mines Senior Commercial Classes. ballarat school of mines, correspondence, murphy, vaughan, victor greenhalgh, irvine coulter, lancelot austin, l.s.g.p. austin, adcock, james bickett, bickett, tunbridge, tucker, desnoy, phillips, edgar mcconnon, revill tinworth, r.o. buchanan, john dulfer, stanley westcott, wolfram, assay, anzac medallion, beaufort house, ballarat eight hours' anniversary, last chance mine, evan walker, norman carmichael, doney, thomas doolan, harold wakeling, bowman, james early, garry eason, abrams, bennett, duthie, harry fern, hetherington, hutchinson, collyeer, colom, carew-smyth, ponsonby carew-smyth, donald clark, george swinburne, bev syliva, hestor darby, joy winifred, barry judd, c.c. campbell, cathcart centrel gold mining co, adcockbawden, benevolent asylum, ditchburn, doctor spring, doepel and chandler, eureka tile company, pitfield, edwads pyrites works, embling, fleay, c.e. fenner, mount rowan, gower, greenhalgh, c. hosking, murtoa, c.a. hoadley, harold herbert, jolly, kenny, kelsall, kerr, architect, a.m. lilburne, lemmon, andrew land, leipson, h.s. lawson, a. levy, scarsdale gold mines, w.k. moss, fred martell, e.j. mcconnen, read murphy, h. morris, leongatha, maurice claude, j. middleton, j.c. molley, e. merlin, e.f. pitman, p. pringle, rumble, dr robin, edgar richard, g. remfry, g. robertson, james rich, a. ross, d. l. stirling, s. stretch, c. skilbeck, r. strachan, w.k. thomson, grant taylor, j.h. tundbury, v.e. reeves, tin mining co. hobart, vernon, hilda wardle, daylesford, waller, whitloa, w. watson, b. whitington, j.b. robinson, k. hamilton, photography, j.m. sutherland, j.h. scullin, scholarship, w.h. wesley, gundagai, a.t. o'meara, associated smelters port pirrie, assayer, telegraphy, t. williams, d.l. stirling, edward finnis, norman tinworth, j.y. mcdonald, h.s. summers, geology, homeward bound bon accord gmc, e.t. vane, a.d. dunstan, maughan, cox, g.s. richards, westcott, w.l. carroll, turnbull, l. vernon, s. nightingale, cathcart central gold mining company cathcart, a.j. moffit, v.e. reevesr. mcmillan, w. nankervis, w.h. clutterbuck, j.m. wesley, e. dooley, olive mckillop, dana street primary school shelter shed, ballarat junior technical school, british nationality and aliens act, war relief fund, s. hylton bravo, queensland molasses co, ethel merlin, a.e. poulton, commercial, winifred joy, c. adcock, lancelot st.g.p. austin, herbert p. bennett, a. bray, fonald clark, walter collyer, o.f. colom, g.e. desnoy, f.w.r. doney, brian h. duthie, a. gordon, g.m. hetherington, kath hutchinson, baryr judd, j. kean, john y. mcdonald, j. murray, a.f. phillips, c.c. phillips, john mck. sutherland, bev sylvia, r.e. tunbridge, miachel vaughan, p. vawdey, h.j. vernon, harold g. wakeling, pharmacy board, pharmacy, r. cutter, ballarat technical art school building, dalgety & co., h.s.w. lawson, a.h. powell, australian institute of engineers, eight hours' anniversary committee, silberberg, beckman's thermometer, miss abrams business college

Two small pieced of paper with ink handwriting on them. The writing relates to Norman Buley and his Ballarat School of Mines Associateship.norman buley, ballarat school of mines, ballarat school of mines associateship, associate, mining, engineering, mining alumni, engineering alumni, mt bischoff, mt bischoff extended tin mining company

Newspaper supplement titled Bendigo's Century Volume Three: 1920 - 1929. Front page has a photo of The Duke and Duchess of York visit to Bendigo, 1927. Each year has heading of Who's Who, Weather, Sport and Business. First years are 1910 - 1919 titled The way we were. 1920 is titled Prince hailed. 1921 - City racks up a milestone. 1922 - Furore erupts. 1923 - Felons escape from city gaol. 1924 - Bid to finish RSL memorial. 1925 - Foul odour over sewerage plan. 1926 - Lest we forget Bendigo's fallen. 1927 - Royal Visit captures city. 1928 - Four shot in farm tragedy. 1929 - Billie's trip to remember.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - bendigo's century - volume three: 1920 - 1929, bendigo advertiser, duke and duchess of york, cr e m vains, r putnam, a j taylor, j h jackson, w crowley, sandhurst football club, george lansell, st peter's church, bendigo junior technical school, prince of wales, unity mine, mr w wilson, badak tin mining syndicate, mr t w ortonmr h scarborough, mr raleigh, general sir w r birdwood, the soldiers' memorial committee, bendigo city council, rsl memorial hall, captain g c wilson, lietenant r j parer, lieutenant j c mcintosh, cr j p carolin, h k morris, e a morris, turf tavern hotel, rev donald baker, all saints' pro--cathedral, keck's nursery, bendigo amalgamated goldfields, rising sun hotel, leanne mcdonnell, most rev john mccarthy, sir john quick, prime minister billy hughes, state rivers and water supply commission, diptheria, edna stevens, bendigo railway workshops, watson sustenance fund, sir joseph cook, dr lanza, bendigo amalgamated goldfields, bendigo benevolent asylum, miner's phthisis, bendigo gas company, electric light company, bendigo sewerage authority, commonwealth bank, cr curnow, the earl of stradbroke, dame nellie melba, princess theatre, lt-col g hurry, h sw lawson, countess of stradbroke, clunes woollen mills, girton college, mrs polglaise, mrs kennedy, gold discovery memorial, cr m g giudice, victorian co-operative freezing company, bendigo brick and tile company, mr lawson, soldiers' memorial, windermere hotel, toni riley pharmacy, bendigo gaol, mr a a dunstan mla, new red white and blue mine, claude de vere, walter osborne, sir john and lady quick, jonathan smalley, bendigo advertiser, st paul's bells, mr t cambridge, epsom public hall, bendigo school of mines, major lansell, mr h s w lawson, cr david andrew, colonel hurry, mr s bruce, bendigo sewerage authority, eppalock weir scheme, bendigo football league, r s l memorial, major g v lansell, lempriere, mr s m bruce, sandhurst hotel, market square, big hill tunnel, bendigo football league, bendigo united cricket club, south bendigo rex, sacred heart cathedral, hercules mine, gillies, aids & appliance shop, anne caudle centre, fizelle & mulqueen, south new moon mine, bendigo sewerage authority, mr a a kelley, epsom sewerage works, white hills botanical gardens, mr j sternberg mlc, bendigo book of remembrance, bendigo football league, senator general drake-brockman, captain dyett, school of mines, handschin and romus, hanro (aust.) bendigo knitting mills, charles handschin, farmers' union, andrew sunstan mla, country progressive party, john allan, captain g j c dyett, eahlehawk ufs dispensary, data fundamentals, the duke and duchess of york, the hercules mine, cr j a michelsen, lansell family, bendigo agricultural society, huntly shire council, bendigo creek trust, south african war memorial, cr j h curnow, st paul's church of england diamond jubilee, bendigo chamber of commerce, bendigo freezing works, bendigo pottery, bendigo trotting club, new red white and blue mine, the conservatory, cr e g batchelder, hercules mine, billie rigby, bendigo railway station, travellers' aid society, eppalock weir, the state rivers and water supply commission, bendigo railway workshops, frank grove, cr curnow, electric supply company, state electricity commission, australian aero club, bendigo preserving company, jardine, busbridge, feeman, mr h pearce, bfl, fred wood

BHS CollectionThe Australian High Commissioner's Visit to Cornwall. Information supplied by Tom and Libby Luke. Mentioned is the visit by the Australian High Commissioner Mr Michael L'Estrange to Trevessa Farm, Cornwall, the birthplace of Sir John Quick. The Cornish Association placed a plaque on Trevessa Farm in 2002. Margaret Bigg, one of the owners of Trevessa Farm can claim to have relatives of the Ellis Family here in Bendigo. On the back is a copy of a Bendigo Advertiser article titled Cornish to honour their patron saint. It was dated March 4, 1992. Article contains some information on St Piran, the patron saint of miners. Also mentioned is the birthplace of Sir John Quick.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - the australian high commissioner's visit to cornwall, tom and libby luke, michael l'estrange, trevessa farm, sir john quick, camborne pool redruth urban regeneration company, dr tim williams, cr graeme hicks, cornwall county council, adrian and margaret bigg, the cornish association, john bolitho, ellis family, bendigo advertiser 4 mar 1992, st piran's day, tin mining, the cornish association of bendigo and district, eaglehawk town hall, eaglehawk dahlia and arts festival, max goldsworthy

This sign was required to be displayed in the vicinity of gold mining sites. Myrtleford district was known to have had 100 sites within a ten mile radius of the town; the sign was recovered by Charlie McFadyen, a local prospector and fossicker, of some 60 yearsThe sign relates to local gold mining activity, a key source of wealth and employment from 1854 to the late 19th century. Such signs continued to be in use during the period between World War 1 and 2,including the period of the Great Depression.Tin rectangular mining sign embossed with a warningInscription: "THIS LAND IS AURIFEROUS AND SUBJECT TO MINING CONDITIONS"auriferous mining

Four men touring near the Cock’s Eldorado Gold and Tin Mining Dredge building site. Cropped image from scanned sheet of negative proofs. Cock's El Dorado Gold & Tin Mining Dredge operated between 1936 and 1954. At the time of its construction, the dredge was the largest in the Commonwealth, producing 2,198 kg of gold.mines, mining, gold, gold mining, men, hats, cock's el dorado dredge, dredge, el dorado, eldorado

This photo depicts a man standing next to a large piece of mining equipment identified as a hydraulic chisel (alternative name: drifter dill or power rock drill). This piece of machinery was used in mining to place holes in the walls of a mine which were then filled with dynamite or other explosives for rock blasting or to make holes for plug and feather quarrying. The additional tools to the right of the photograph and in front of the machinery can be identified as either picks or as feather and wedges, the latter of which were used to split stone drilled by the hydraulic or power chisel. Depending on the date of the photograph, which is not provided, this chisel was either powered by electricity or by hydraulics. The following is written on the drill "R.C. FORD'S PATENT No91 / MELBOURNE VICTORIA 1879". The man depicted in this photograph wears a wide brim hat, a loose fitting white shirt and loose pants. He wears boots and has a medium sized dark beard. This attire, along with his locality in the mine and proficiency with the mining equipment, identifies this man as a miner working in this particular, but unidentified, mine. It depicts an instance of hydraulic chiseling which makes this photograph valuable for the study of mining techniques from a date c1880.The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, images like this one which portray the types of machinery used in mining can reveal important information for technology and highlight the methods used to break apart the earth in order to obtain access to gold and other precious materials during the period this photograph was captured. Further research into RC Ford can potentially reveal even further information pertaining to this photograph. This image is of important historical significance for its ability to convey information about the methods and machinery used to access gold or mine more in general. It also highlights the size of machinery at the time and allows us to compare this to the size of the person standing besides the machinery to better understand the manpower which would have been required to use and set-up this macinery.A black and white rectangular reproduced photograph printed on matte photographic paper.Reverse: 7816/ copy 1/3gold, sluicing, gold sluicing, hydraulic sluicing, gold and tin mine, mining, gold mining, beechworth, burke museum, melbourne, victoria, hat, mining machinery, machinery, r. c. ford

The photograph, captured around 1900, depicts a large group of minors located in Beechworth. Importantly, this photograph can provide information into the clothing and fashion of minors during this period of history. These men wear loose fitting shirts which are mostly a pale white colour, several wear vests and/or jackets and loose fitting trousers with boots. The majority of men wear wide brimmed hats to protect their skin and eyes from the sunlight. One man has a wooden pipe in his mouth and a few have ties/neckerchief's tied around their necks. The outfits of these miners has the potential to provide insight into their social status, these men are all dressed equally which provides the notion that they are of equal societal standing. The outfits of these miners dating to the 1900s is not dissimilar to photographs of those captured in the 1880s. The location of this photograph is not easy to interpret, but the photograph is recorded to have been taken in the Beechworth region. Displayed in this image is some wild shrubbery and grass where the men are standing/sitting and behind the group is a tin wall or even tin building. At the end of 1899, companies were continuing to search for gold in Beechworth and the surrounds but these attempts were not overly successful. In the early 1900's Quartz mining was occurring but this was done by individuals or smaller parties. It is unclear if these men are mining for gold or for quartz.The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, the study of images like this one which portrays some of the miners who worked behind-the-scenes for these discoveries has the potential to reveal important information regarding society, fashion etc. The date when the photograph was taken is vague but it allows us to form a timeline of mining activities in the North East. This image is of important historical significance for its ability to convey information about society at the time, regarding fashion (which can potentially reveal social status) and mining in Beechworth in 1900. Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on board.Reverse: BMM 8032/ Group(?) Beechworth Mines about 1900/ 80quartz, north east gold, sluicing, gold sluicing, hydraulic sluicing, mining, gold mining, north-east victoria, beechworth, burke museum, 1900, group, miners, hats, vests, ties, wild shrubs, tin, quartz mining

Dredge Workers, c. late 1930s. Cock's El Dorado Gold & Tin Mining Dredge operated between 1936 and 1954. At the time of its construction, the dredge was the largest in the Commonwealth, producing 2,198 kg of gold.mining, gold, gold mining, dredge, cock's el dorado dredge, men, miners, el dorado, eldorado

Supreme Court writ between Alfred Clarke & the Commissioner of Taxation(concerning the Badak Jungle Tin Mine) Rules of Badak Jungle Tin Mining Co. Correspondence from share hlders. Commercial Union Envelope. 'Badak Jungle'. Original acknowledgement for scrip Mr Clark's pack handed to Mr Fletcher, Income Tax Dept. 2/4/1927.MCCOLL RANKIN & STANISTREETorganization, business, gold mining tax, mccoll rankin & stanistreet

1. Regulations relating to Mining lease. 2. Agreement between Bux Tin mine\Badak Jungle & Tengku Ambong Mahamood Bin Al mmrhon Tenku Muda & heirs. 3. Bux Tin Mining\Badak Jungle & Thomas West Orton. Original copy. 4. In J. A Batan aha Tingi (Govt. of Terenggann). 5. Correspondence. Re Badak Jungle (8)MCCOLL RANKIN & STANISTREETorganization, business, gold mining contracts, mccoll rankin & stanistreet

This specimen is Cassiterite in Quartz. Cassiterite is a tin oxide metal that forms in thin crystals which can have a beautiful lustre. Quartz is made of silicon dioxide, also known as silica, and is one of the most common minerals on earth. Cassiterite has been a fundamental source of tin ore for humans throughout history, including today. Tin is an important metal that has a wide variety of human uses in different areas, from dying fabric, to making mirrors, and their most well-known use ‘tin’ cans. Tin cans are primarily made of steel and are coated with tin in order to take advantage of tin’s property of being non-corroding. This is a massive step in the history of food preservation. Tinned food first reached Australia in 1815 with early settlers, and it began to be manufactured here in the 1840s. It was incredibly popular, and was a highly exported product, which would be a contributing factor to the ‘tin mining boom’ of the early 1880s. This specimen was collected at Jingellic, New South Wales, in about 1852. Although the Goldfields of the 1800s are much more well-known, tin mines existed alongside the gold mines which began in the mid 19th century and extended almost one hundred years, to the mid 20th century. Specimens like this would have been used as evidence to justify tin mining operations in the region as an investment. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study. The Geological Survey of Victoria was headed by British geologist, Alfred Richard Cecil Selwyn (1824-1902), who was responsible for issuing over 60 geological maps during his 17 years as director. These maps were all hand-drawn and coloured and became the benchmark for accuracy for geological mapping. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study. A fist-sized solid geological specimen made on one half of tin oxide, which is dark grey, and on the other side of silica, which is brown and cream.burke museum, beechworth, geological, geological specimen

Altering course of Reedy Creek, El Dorado. Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold & Tin Mine Company was formed in 1899. The company's first power station, located at the eastern end of the valley began operating with its 340 Kilowatt steam-powered generator. By 1909, from 2,500,000 cubic yards worked, reported recovery was 17,284 ounces of gold and 224 tons of tin ore. By 1909, Cocks Pioneer’s power plant had become inadequate and uneconomical. The barge was floated downstream about a mile, but lost time caused the operations to cease. Following testing, a new mine was established by diverting Reid's Creek at a cost of £25 000. Settling dams were built, one of which held 1,935,900 cubic feet. Sold earth banks, built against a wall of stringy bark saplings constructed and laced with vertical props, were built. In 1914, the company was reformed as Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL, another power station was constructed at the western end of the township, near the junction of Clear and Reid's Creeks. From 6,800,000 cubic yards of material processed, the returns were 64,397 ounces of gold and 855 ton of tin. Cocks Pioneer mine then moved the barge downs stream and continued sluicing. In 1929 Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold and Tin Mining Company ceased operations due to a drop in values. Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL carried on large-scale hydraulic sluicing operations until 1941. Handwritten across the front: 'Altering course of creek. Eldorado'mining, gold, tin, sluicing, reedy creek, cocks pioneer, el dorado, eldorado, men, horses

C Rankins Almond Orchard & Cocks Pioneer Pond, 1930s. Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold & Tin Mine Company was formed in 1899. The company's first power station, located at the eastern end of the valley began operating with its 340 Kilowatt steam-powered generator. By 1909, from 2 500 000 cubic yards worked, reported recovery was 17 284 ounces of gold and 224 tons of tin ore. By 1909, Cocks Pioneer’s power plant had become inadequate and uneconomical. The barge was floated downstream about a mile, but lost time caused the operations to cease. Following testing, a new mine was established by diverting Reid's Creek at a cost of £25 000. Settling dams were built, one of which held 1 935 900 cubic feet. Sold earth banks, built against a wall of stringy bark saplings constructed and laced with vertical props, were built. In 1914, the company was reformed as Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL, another power station was constructed at the western end of the township, near the junction of Clear and Reid's Creeks. From 6,800,000 cubic yards of material processed, the returns were 64 397 ounces of gold and 855 ton of tin. Cocks Pioneer mine then moved the barge downs stream and continued sluicing. In 1929 Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold and Tin Mining Company ceased operations due to a drop in values. Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL carried on large-scale hydraulic sluicing operations until 1941. mines, mining, farms, farming, almonds, sluicing, rankins, cocks pioneer, el dorado, eldorado

Cocks Pioneer, East El Dorado, early 1920s. Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold & Tin Mine Company was formed in 1899. The company's first power station, located at the eastern end of the valley began operating with its 340 Kilowatt steam-powered generator. By 1909, from 2 500 000 cubic yards worked, reported recovery was 17 284 ounces of gold and 224 tons of tin ore. By 1909, Cocks Pioneer’s power plant had become inadequate and uneconomical. The barge was floated downstream about a mile, but lost time caused the operations to cease. Following testing, a new mine was established by diverting Reid's Creek at a cost of £25 000. Settling dams were built, one of which held 1 935 900 cubic feet. Sold earth banks, built against a wall of stringy bark saplings constructed and laced with vertical props, were built. In 1914, the company was reformed as Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL, another power station was constructed at the western end of the township, near the junction of Clear and Reid's Creeks. From 6,800,000 cubic yards of material processed, the returns were 64 397 ounces of gold and 855 ton of tin. Cocks Pioneer mine then moved the barge downs stream and continued sluicing. In 1929 Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold and Tin Mining Company ceased operations due to a drop in values. Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL carried on large-scale hydraulic sluicing operations until 1941. mines, mining, gold, gold mining, cocks pioneer, sluicing, el dorado, eldorado

Riffle Boards on Barge, c1934. In sluicing, riffles are used to trap heavier gold particles as water washes over them. Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold & Tin Mine Company was formed in 1899. The company's first power station, located at the eastern end of the valley began operating with its 340 Kilowatt steam-powered generator. By 1909, from 2 500 000 cubic yards worked, reported recovery was 17 284 ounces of gold and 224 tons of tin ore. By 1909, Cocks Pioneer’s power plant had become inadequate and uneconomical. The barge was floated downstream about a mile, but lost time caused the operations to cease. Following testing, a new mine was established by diverting Reid's Creek at a cost of £25 000. Settling dams were built, one of which held 1 935 900 cubic feet. Sold earth banks, built against a wall of stringy bark saplings constructed and laced with vertical props, were built. In 1914, the company was reformed as Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL, another power station was constructed at the western end of the township, near the junction of Clear and Reid's Creeks. From 6,800,000 cubic yards of material processed, the returns were 64 397 ounces of gold and 855 ton of tin. Cocks Pioneer mine then moved the barge downs stream and continued sluicing. In 1929 Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold and Tin Mining Company ceased operations due to a drop in values. Cock’s Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL carried on large-scale hydraulic sluicing operations until 1941. mines, mining, gold, gold mining, barge, riffles, sluicing, men, cocks pioneer, el dorado, eldorado

This photograph depicts Cock's Pioneer G & T Sluicing site No. 4 in El Dorado. Looking eastwards, the photo captures a wooden and tin building with various mining equipment strewn in the foreground. Underneath the verandah, figures can be seen. These are believed to be a Mr. Hollister (left), Mrs. Breustedt (4th from left), children Min and Chris Breustedt, and Kate Timmons holding a girl's hand. The Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines N.L was one of El Dorado's two largest open-cut sluicing mines of the 20th Century. The other was named the Cocks El Dorado Gold Dredging Company. The Cocks Pioneer Mines operated from 1901 until 1941 and found a total of 117,378 ounces of Gold and 1,673 tones of tin concentrates over these years. The Cocks company was formed in 1898 and operated until 1941. Open cut sluicing involved the use of high-powered hoses which used the centrifugal sand pump system (known as hydraulic sluicing) which broke down the soil which was then processed for gold and other precious metals. From 1914, four years after this image was captured, the company reformed to Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Mines NL (previously it was known as Cocks Pioneer Sluicing Co) and undertook large-scale sluicing operations until 1929 and then 1934-1941. The Cocks Pioneer was an extremely successful mining company during the 20th century. In the Annual Report of the Secretary for Mines for the year 1915, the Cocks Pioneer was the largest producer of gold and tin collecting 5,535 ozs. of gold and £7,500 of tin. Twenty years later in 1935, Cocks Pioneer was still one of the most profitable mines in Victoria, ranking as the second-highest dividend paying mine. The company produced a total of 3,650 kg of gold. El Dorado is located on Reedy Creek and is surrounded by forested country to the north and east. It is 20 km east of Wangaratta in Victoria's regional northeast. John Cock was the son of a Cornish miner who arrived in El Dorado in 1858. Cock founded his gold and tin mining company which ran successfully for many years in the El Dorado region. It was an open-cut sluicing company because of the abandonment of underground mining after this was deemed too dangerous. In 1935 Cock's El Dorado Company commissioned the floating dredge which is still visible in El Dorado today. The dredge was built by the Thompson engineering works, Castlemaine, and weighed over 2,000 tones and today has a place on the Victorian Registers of historic buildings. Interestingly, the name El Dorado does not derive from the gold in the region, but from the Barambogie pastoral run completed by William Baker in 1840-1841. Gold was discovered in El Dorado in 1854 but the gold was too deep for individual prospectors to find, it required the use of heavy machinery.The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, images like this one which portray an open cut sluicing site can reveal important information for society and technology for the date when the photograph was taken. This image is of important historical significance for its ability to convey information about sluicing and the methods used to find gold in 1910. It also shows a location where sluicing was undertook which provides insight into the impact of sluicing on the environment at a time when it was done. This image is important for current research into the history of El Dorado, a small regional location near Wangaratta in Victoria's North East. Therefore, this image has the capacity to be beneficial for research into society and the motivations of those living and working in this region during this period and therefore, has social significance. The Beechworth Burke Museum has additional images relating to gold sluicing and El Dorado which can be analysed and studied alongside images like this one.A black and white copy of a sepia coloured rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on boardObverse: COCKS PIONEER G + T SL CO, N.L. / 1910 - 11 / NO 4 SITE LOOKING EAST / 4 Reverse: 1997.2508 / AUG 29 1909cocks pioneer gold and tin sluicing company, el dorado, mining, sluicing, hydraulic mining, hollister, breustedt, timmons, gold, tin, gold rush, victoria

This image is a reproduction of an 1899 original depicting the 'Williams Good Luck Mine' on the Mopoke Reef (also called 'Morepork Gully') in the Dingle Ranges, approximately three miles from Beechworth. The foreground of the image is littered with piles of smashed rock and detritus, known as ‘mullock’, beside a reinforced mine shaft, a vertical access passageway allowing miners to enter the mine and haul ore out using lifting technology such as a poppet heads, whims or windlasses. A group of miners and a dog appear close to an open-sided miner’s hut. Following the discovery of gold at Beechworth in 1852, rushes quickly followed at surrounding creeks and gullies in the district. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, small syndicates of miners continued to work old or abandoned quartz reefs, often persisting without the assistance of heavy machinery to remove the large amounts of rock, in order to obtain yields at ever greater depths. The group of miners in this photograph are Mr. Roger Williams and Sons, who revived operations at the ‘Old Good Luck’ mine on the Mopoke Reef in the Dingle Range near Beechworth around 1892, working the site for more than two decades. An emigrant from Cornwall with experience in the tin mining industry, 19 year old Roger Williams senior sailed to New Zealand in 1840, then to Australia where he spent time in the Bendigo Gold Fields before settling in Beechworth in the early 1860s. Mr Williams senior worked on various mining activities in the district, including the Rocky Mountain Tunnel project. Conversant with the character of gold-bearing reefs in the area, the syndicate dug an eight hundred foot tunnel, digging down as far down as two hundred feet with little capital save their labour, to connect and provide better working access to the mass of reefs and veins in the vicinity. Progress was hampered by poor air quality charged with fumes from dynamite and large quantities of rock had to be crushed to obtain payable yields. The Victorian Goldfields are filled with ruins and remnants of the area's rich mining history, ranging from small alluvial diggings to the remains of huge mining companies. Site names often changed several times throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Some sites were abandoned and forgotten, others were worked continuously over many decades. The names of mines were often repeated at different locations throughout the Victorian Goldfields. For example, there is a Mopoke Gully heritage mine near Fryers Creek, Victoria. 'Mopoke' is a common onomatopoeic name for Morepork and Australian Boobook owls. This image has historical, social and research significance for patterns of emigration during of the Victorian Gold Rush, and the historical, social and environmental impacts of mining at Beechworth at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. As gold became scarce and government support and large company investment waned, poor hard-working miners laboured intensively to make a living through periods of high unemployment. This image can be compared and studied alongside other historical mining photographs and objects in the Burke Museum Collection. It has potential to improve our understanding of miners working conditions and the shifting character of mining in the Beechworth district. Black and white rectangular reproduction photograph printed on matte photographic paper.Obverse: Williams Good Luck Mine Beechworth / Roger! / Reverse: 6858 / burke museum, beechworth museum, beechworth, gold fields, gold rush, victorian gold rush, gold ming history, colonial australia, australian gold rushes, mining technology, beechworth historic district, indigo gold trail, migration, indigo shire, good luck gold mine, victorian goldfields, mining syndicates, gold fever, quartz-mining, small-scale mining, old good luck mine, mopoke gully, quartz reefs beechworth