Photograph taken in the early 1900s at Fiddes Quarry, a granite quarry used as a source of stone for many of Beechworth's historic buildings.This item is of historic significance as it provides evidence of the type of industrial and mining activities occurring historically around Beechworth as well as providing context to the source of the granite used in local buildings.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paperquarry, fiddes quarry, granite, industrial, beechworth, stone

In 1906, the Anglo-Australian Brewery Company had purchased the Spring Creek brewery after the death of Frederick Allen. A.A. Billson, M.L.A., by then a director of Anglo-Australian Brewery, then converted the premises into a jam and fruit preserving works. The Beechworth District Jam, Pickle and Fruit Preserving Company Ltd started fruit preserving in 1907. In 1912, the jam works was sold to a Melbourne company, who traded as S.S. Jam Co./S.S. Jam Factory until around 1915. Three rectangular photographs - one sepia postcard and two black and white copies printed on paper3121.1 (reverse): Post Card / Correspondence. [vertical centre-line] Address only. / [stamp placement of rectangular "Kodak.Austral." wordmarks] Employees Beechworth / Jam Factory / about 1900 / 84-213-1 / 3121.1 / 97 2326 / 10 / Factories / 3121.2 (reverse): Employee's / Beechworth Jam Factory / (previously Allens Brewery) / early 1900s / 84-213-1 (Repro) / 3121.2 / Factories / [yellow sticky-note: factories] / 3121.3 (reverse): SS Jam Factory / B'worth Jam Factory / Railway Avenue / B'worth / 97 2326 / PH 213 / 3121.3 / jam, jam factory, railway street, fred allen brewery, frederick allen, a.a. billson, beechworth brewery, 1910s beechworth, beechworth factories, twentieth century beechworth, fredrick allen, beechworth district jam pickle and fruit preserving company ltd, s.s. jam factory, s.s. jam, s.s.jam co., preserves, fruit preserving, the anglo-australian brewery company, anglo-australian brewery company, cordial manufactory beechworth, ecks, spring creek brewery, blackberries

The Beechworth Foundry was vital to the industry of the town and surrounding district in the early years of the town’s development. Originally opened as the New Ford Street Foundry by A. Roger in 1858, J Duncan and M Straughair amalgamated and established the Beechworth Foundry in 1867. The business was extensive and operated out of many buildings, each with their own specialisation. All of the buildings pictured in this image are part of the larger Beechworth Foundry. In the late 1860s it employed 16 men. The foundry was fundamental to the running of the town and surrounding district, as it manufactured all manner of items, including tools and machinery for the mining and agricultural industries. The foundry business collapsed in 1896 after the death of it’s founder, John Duncan, the same year (Straughair had died in 1882). The foundry was reopened by W H Phillips in 1905 and taken over by H Delora in 1906 This image is significant as it shows some of the many buildings of the Beechworth Foundry, which was a fundamental business to the running of the town and surrounding district, and supplied many of the tools and machines required for the mining and agricultural industries, as well as other aspects of life between the 1850s and early 1900sSepia rectangular photograph printed on paper. It has rough, torn-looking edgesReverse 97.2321 / BMM A03115duncan, john duncan, j duncan, m straughair, straughair, foundry, beechworth foundry, industry, factory, newtown, new ford street foundry, a roger, roger, w h phillips, phillips, w phillips, h delora, delora, metalwork, farming and agriculture, tools, mining, workmen

This black and white photograph is estimated to have been taken c1900 inside the Burke Museum. Several objects part of the museum collection at the time can be seen, with a high number of Asian influence objects visible; potentially Chinese in origin, as several Chinese villages were located around Beechworth and across Spring Creek, from the mid 1800s. The Burke Museum is part of the Precinct of Beechworth, which was established upon the discovery of gold in 1852. Originally built as the Beechworth Athenaeum in 1857, the museum was later renamed to the Robert O'Hara Burke Memorial Museum, more commonly known as the Burke Museum, in honour of the famous explorer and former Beechworth Superintendent of Police, Robert O'Hara Burke, after his death in 1861 at Coopers Creek during the famed ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition.This photograph is contextually, historically and socially significant due to its connection to both the Burke Museum and Chinese culture in and around Beechworth during the mid-1800s through to 1900s. Around 4700 people of Chinese heritage lived at the Ovens goldfield by April of 1857, representing one-quarter of the entire population at the time. The object holds strong representativeness to the history of the Burke Museum and to the objects in its collection. Its interpretive capacity could be supported and enhanced with other photographs and objects in the collection. Collectively, these records and objects could provide an insight into the museum's collection and its relationship with the origins of the objects.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on paper. Unmounted; taped to paper. beechworth, spring creek, chinese, burke museum, immigration, chinese immigration, ovens goldfield, china, museum, robert o'hara burke, burke and wills expedition, burke and wills, goldfields

This photograph depicts members of the Beechworth Band at a 'Liedertafel' concert in the main hall at the Burke Museum in 1999. The concert was associated with an exhibition titled, 'From the Liedertafel to the Skating Rink: Entertainment in Beechworth 1852 - early 1900s', which celebrated the rich and diverse entertainments that were a part of Beechworth life in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Marching bands, choirs, circus acts, theatrical performances, races, and seasonal activities, such as Mr. Spiller's roller skating rink, founded in the late 1860s, were among the attractions on offer. 'Liedertafel' is a tradition that accompanied German settlers to Australia. It refers to a friendly society of men united by an enthusiasm for singing. The Beechworth Brass Band was formed by Mr. H. Vandenberg in 1887. The Beechworth Liedertafel was established 14 March 1894 at the London Tavern, Camp Street, Beechworth, by Mr. A.A. Billson, and a visiting conductor, Mr. H. Fielder. German clubs, complete with marching bands, athletics associations and Liedertafel choirs, were centres of social activity attracting wide audiences not limited to members of their own ethnicity. Alfred Arthur Billson was the youngest son of Mr. George Billson, who served as Beechworth’s mayor between 1869-1871. In 1872, George purchased the Oven’s Brewery in Last Street, which became Billson’s Brewery, one of the oldest continuing beverage manufacturers in Australia. An active member of Beechworth’s cultural, business and political life around the turn of the century, A.A. Billson served on Beechworth Shire Council from 1884 to 1893, and from 1895 to 1910, with three terms as president (1888–89, 1899–1901, 1908–09). He founded the Beechworth Progress Association in 1891 and produced an ‘Illustrated Guide to Beechworth and Vicinity’ to develop tourism potential. This photograph of the Beechworth Band playing at the Burke Museum is historically significant for the information it conveys about an exhibition at the Burke Museum between September and November 1999. The use of the contemporary Beechworth Band in a 'Liedertafel' performance provides insight into curatorial approaches at the turn of the twenty-first century and improves our understanding of how exhibitions use objects in the Burke Museum's Collection to tell stories about the past in the present. The image is historically and socially significant for attesting to the enduring appeal of local musical associations, which were a popular means of entertainment that fostered social connections among settlers from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Rectangular colour photograph printed on matte photographic paper. Reverse: 7029 / Label: 7029 / Source / Burke Museum / Beechworth / Band / 1999/2000 /liedertafel, beechworth band, burke museum, from the liedertafel to the skating rink, entertainment in beechworth 1852 - early 1900s, gold rush, immigration, beechworth's german heritage, london tavern beechworth, beechworth's first brick tavern, spiller's skating rink, vandenberg's beechworth brass band, protestantism, teetotallism, skating carnivals, beechworth german association, yma's, beechworth skating rink, progress societies, billson's brewery, german-australians, beechworth progess association, lodges, freemasonry, colonial australia

This photograph depicts female singers accompanied by members of the Beechworth Band at a 'Liedertafel' concert in the main hall at the Burke Museum in 1999. The concert related to an exhibition titled, 'From the Liedertafel to the Skating Rink: Entertainment in Beechworth 1852 - early 1900s', which celebrated the rich and diverse entertainments that were part of Beechworth life in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. 'Liedertafel' is a German tradition that accompanied European settlers to Australia. It refers to a friendly society of men united by an enthusiasm for singing. The Beechworth Liedertafel was established 14 March 1894 at the London Tavern, Camp Street, Beechworth, by president, Mr. A.A. Billson, and a visiting conductor, Mr. H. Fielder. The Beechworth Brass Band was formed by Mr. H. Vandenberg in 1887. Marching bands, choirs, circus acts, theatrical performances, races, and seasonal activities, such as Mr. Spiller's roller skating rink, which was founded in the late 1860s, were among the entertainments on offer in Beechworth.This photograph of the Beechworth Band playing at the Burke Museum is historically significant for the information it conveys about an exhibition at the Burke Museum between September and November 1999. The use of the contemporary Beechworth Band in a 'Liedertafel' performance provides insight into curatorial approaches at the turn of the twenty-first century and improves our understanding of how exhibitions use objects in the Burke Museum's Collection to tell stories about the past in the present. The image is historically and socially significant for attesting to the enduring appeal of local musical associations, which were a popular means of entertainment that fostered social connections among settlers from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Liedertafel choirs were originally male-only, therefore, the presence of female singers at the 1999 exhibition reflects progressive social and community values with regard to gender and inclusion.Rectangular colour photograph printed on matte photographic paper.Reverse: 7030 / Label: Burke Museum / Liedertafel Exh / Emily Messen, Luetta / Schier, Hannah / Routledge, Sarah / McKinley 2000 (?) / 2000 (?) / liedertafel, beechworth band, burke museum, exhibition 1999, from the liedertafel to the skating rink, entertainment in beechworth 1852 - early 1900s, past exhibitions, performances at the burke museum, european settlers, german community, german choral societies, brass bands, male choir, colonial passtimes, colonial entertainments, cultural traditions, gold rush, immigration, beechworth's german heritage, london tavern beechworth, camp st beechworth, beechworth historic district, beechworth's first brick tavern, spiller's skating rink, vandenberg's beechworth brass band, benevolent societies, intellectual societies, protestantism, billson brewery beechworth, teetotallism, fancy dress carnivals, skating carnivals, fundraising societies, german musicians, crimean war, beechworth german association, freemasonry, yma's, beechworth athenaeum, beechworth skating rink

This photograph depicts two members of the Beechworth Band at a 'Liedertafel' concert in the main hall at the Burke Museum in 1999. The concert related to an exhibition titled, 'From the Liedertafel to the Skating Rink: Entertainment in Beechworth 1852 - early 1900s', which celebrated the rich and diverse entertainments that were a part of Beechworth life in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. 'Liedertafel' is a German tradition that accompanied European settlers to Australia. It refers to a friendly society of men united by an enthusiasm for singing. The Beechworth Liedertafel was established 14 March 1894 at the London Tavern, Camp Street, Beechworth, by president, Mr. A.A. Billson, and a visiting conductor, Mr. H. Fielder. The Beechworth Brass Band was formed by Mr. H. Vandenberg in 1887. Marching bands, choirs, processions, circus acts, theatrical performances, races, fancy dress and roller skating carnivals, were among the vibrant and diverse entertainments offered in Beechworth during the gold rush period. Race meetings were revived with a gala atmosphere at Baarmutha on New Year's Day and Easter Monday in the early 1880s. 'Spiller's Skating Rink', which premiered at St. Georges Hall in August 1869, was accompanied by the 'Beechworth Fire and Drum band'. In 1888, Beechworth had two skating rinks in operation, the Columbia Elite at Oddfellow's Hall, and the Beechworth Skating Rink, corner Camp and Last Streets, Beechworth. Vandenberg's Beechworth Brass Band was reported to have provided musical entertainment for patrons at both venues.This photograph of the Beechworth Band playing at the Burke Museum is historically significant for the information it conveys about an exhibition at the Burke Museum between September and November 1999. The use of the contemporary Beechworth Band in a 'Liedertafel' performance provides insight into curatorial approaches at the turn of the twenty-first century and improves our understanding of how exhibitions use objects in the Burke Museum's Collection to tell stories about the past in the present. The story of Liedertafel's and Beechworth Brass Band is historically and socially significant for understanding the role played by German immigrants in building Victorian communities. In settler communities, cultural associations centred on artistic, recreational and sporting activities not only provided a popular means of entertainment, but fostered social cohesion among settlers from diverse ethnic backgrounds.Rectangular colour photograph printed on matte photographic paper. Obverse (On keyboard): Technics / Reverse: 7028 / Label: Liedertafel / exh. / Beechworth / Band / 1999/2000 /liedertafel, beechworth band, burke museum, from the liedertafel to the skating rink, entertainment in beechworth 1852 - early 1900s, gold rush, immigration, beechworth's german heritage, london tavern beechworth, beechworth's first brick tavern, spiller's skating rink, vandenberg's beechworth brass band, protestantism, teetotallism, skating carnivals, beechworth german association, yma's, beechworth skating rink, progress societies, billson's brewery, german-australians, roller skating history

Taken in the early 1900s, the postcard depicts two girls dressed in old style, white knee length dress which was common for this period for young women. This compared to the ankle length styles which were acceptable for adult women. We can also see an example of early bridge construction and engineering, notably made from timber rather than from stone or steel, noted in the postcard as Snow's Bridge. Sepia rectangular postcard printed on card Obverse: Snow's Bridge/Beechworth Reverse: Dear Julie/ I received your pretty PB/ We haven't gone away yet. Mr Stokes/ asked me were you going to be/ married. He wished you luck/ (I wonder/ if he meant it.) We sent the Magpie to Annie to-day. I haven't got any/ word about going to a [unknown]/ yet. We had a great Friendly Societies/ day yesterday but it rained a bit/ Sally is going to get a [illegible] silk/ dress. When are you to be married?/ Mr Pounceby is back at Allen's shop./ [unknown]. We are going to Belle's for a [unknown] if we can. With Love from Lilly. bridge, beechworth, snow's bridge, children, childhood, postcard

A postcard taken of Reid's Creek in Beechworth, taken in the early 1900s. This image is a representation of early automboile usage in the Beechworth area, with the car crossing the Reid's Creek bridge. Taken in Sepia tone it also has a detailed look of the foundations of the early bridge.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photograph paperObverse The Rose Series P.10534 / Copyright Reid's Creek, Beechworth, Vic Reverse Left Side of Reverse: Published by the Rose Stereograph / Armadale, Victoria Top of Reverse: Post Card /Printed drawing of a rose The “Rose” Series / De Luxe A Real Photograph / Produced in Australia 1997.2607 Tanley Lower Right of Reverse: 2906 automobile, bridge, reid's creek, beechworth, postcard

Estimated to be taken in the early 1900s, this photograph was likely taken in the federal Hall, Loch Street, Beechworth at a ball-like event. Depicted are 89 attendees dressed in formal evening wear, positioned in tiers and in front of the stage. This photograph provides insight into the lives and activities of residents of Beechworth during the early 1900s. Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matt photographic paper, mounted on card. Obverse: Frazer & Vallance PHOTOGRAPHERS Melbourne Reverse: A02487 / 1997.2952 entertainment album, beechworth, burke museum, regency house, ball, debutante ball, black and white photography

This photograph was taken in the early 1900s, documenting a boy standing beside a large circus elephant with painted polka dots, from a travelling circus which visited Beechworth.This photograph provides insight to the especially noteworthy events and attractions, such-as the travelling circus, that were enjoyed by Beechworth residences during the early 1900s. Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paperReverse: 3414entertainment album, beechworth, burke museum, circus, elephant, travelling circus

A photograph taken in the early 1900s, depicting a race meeting at Baarmutha Park in Beechworth. Patrons are scattered in formal dress, enjoying a band playing beside the grandstand. This postcard provides insight to the lives and activities of the residences of Beechworth during the early 1900s, specifically in their enjoyment of Baarmutha park and its continued role in the Beechworth community. Black and white rectangular postcard printed on card Reverse: POST CARD / Correspondence / Address. / 942 / 78 / Race meeting Baarmutha Park about 1900 / 6957 entertainment album, beechworth, burke museum, baarmutha park, races, race meeting, horse racing, grandstand

Taken in 1908, depicted is a large group of children and adults dressed in formal attire on a nature study. The group is standing on a granite outcrop listening to a man who is using a large boulder as a podium.Nature study was a new subject introduced into the school curriculum throughout the English-speaking world in the 1890s and 1900s that taught students about the natural environment. It was hoped that a concern about the natural environment would be fostered into the school children, who were seen as future citizens of the world, and that they would implement changes to preserve the natural environment when they reached adulthood. Black and white rectangular reproduced photograph (from negatives) printed on matte photographic paperObverse: AN ADDRESS/ ON NATURE STUDY/ Reverse: 6955 (in pencil)/ ©/ DONALD HAYES/ BEECHWORTH (stamped in orange ink)/entertainment album, burke museum, beechworth, nature study, nature, study

Taken in c. 1900, depicted is a large group of adults and children dressed in formal attire gathered on a granite outcrop around a man giving a lecture on nature studies. Some members of the group are standing while others are seated or lounging.Nature study was a new subject introduced into the school curriculum throughout the English-speaking world in the 1890s and 1900s that taught students about the natural environment. It was hoped that a concern about the natural environment would be fostered into the school children, who were seen as future citizens of the world, and that they would implement changes to preserve the natural environment when they reached adulthood.Black and white rectangular reproduced photograph printed on matte photographic paperReverse: 6954 (in pencil)/ ©/ DONALD HAYES/ BEECHWORTH (stamped in orange ink)/entertainment album, beechworth, burke museum, nature study

Taken in c. 1900, depicted is a group of adults and children dressed in formal attire standing and sitting on a granite outcrop that overlooks a valley surrounded by a cluster of eucalyptus trees. The group is participating in a nature study.Nature study was a new subject introduced into the school curriculum throughout the English-speaking world in the 1890s and 1900s that taught students about the natural environment. It was hoped that a concern about the natural environment would be fostered into the school children, who were seen as future citizens of the world, and that they would implement changes to preserve the natural environment when they reached adulthood.Black and white rectangular reproduced photograph printed on matte photographic paperReverse: 6953 (in pencil)/ ©/ DONALD HAYES/ BEECHWORTH (stamped in orange ink)entertainment album, beechworth, burke museum, nature study

Taken in 1910, the photograph depicts a group of young, unidentified women attending a picnic in Bright; a town located in Victoria's high country.The photograph provides insight into the types of leisure activities enjoyed by residents living in Beechworth and surrounding towns. Its historical significance is strengthened by its production in 1910. Consequently, the record can be used as a resource to study the state of the natural environment in Bright at this time.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on board.Obverse: "Ladies Bath" Falls / F. Foxcroft photo / Bright. / Reverse: 1997.2636 / Vera + Dorrie / Picnic at Bright area / 1910 / x / x /entertainment album, picnic, beechworth, bright, victoria, high country, 1900s, leisure

It is believed that the photograph was taken between 1899 - 1903. Depicted is a group of fourteen unidentified young men dressed in Australian military uniforms. A few of them are holding swords. This group were part of the Beechworth Mounted Rifles; a voluntary detachment of the Australian Light Horse Militia. This unit consisted of soldiers from the Euroa, Longwood, Violet Town, Benalla, Thoona, Wangaratta, Rutherglen, and Beechworth Detachments of Victorian Rifles, and subsequently formed into the 8th Australian Light Horse Regiment (Victorian Mounted Rifles). The Victorian Mounted Rifles was gazetted as a volunteer formation on 2 December 1885 with the aim of consolidating all the disparate calvary units dispersed across Victoria into a coordinated and single administrative and military unit. Two contingents of the Victorian Mounted Rifles fought during the Second Boer War (11 October 1889 - 31 May 1902). This conflict was fought between the British Empire and two independent Boer states; the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, over the Empire's influence in South Africa.The photograph is historically significant due to its connection to the Second Boer War and Australian Light Horse Regiment. This significance is enhanced by Australia's involvement in this war, specifically of the Victorian Mounted Rifles. This unit retains a special significance within Victorian culture, as there is a memorial and monument - erected in 1903 - honouring their service on St. Kilda Road in Melbourne. The record has strong research potential. This is due to the ongoing scholarly and public interest in war, military history, and the ANZAC legend. The historic context of this record can provide insight into Australia's history, military and defence policies. Lastly, as the Victorian Mounted Rifles remain a largely unexplored topic in comparison to other military units and divisions, the record presents a unique opportunity for further and important study and research.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper.Reverse: BMM2638 / 071 1NA211 22JAN98 FOTOSUPPLIES........ ........................................ /military album, beechworth mounted rifles, australian light horse militia, second boer war, victorian mounted rifles, australian light horse regiment, military, war, british empire, south africa, 1800s, 1900s, australian army

This photograph shows a piece of gold mining equipment identified as a mine winch, possibly an air winch cylinder of 1870s RG Ford's Patent design. Throughout the history of mining for gold and other precious materials, the windlass or winch (pictured) was used to bring up buckets full of soil from the bottom of a mine. This soil was then searched for gold/metals before being relocated to a different area. Due to the size and complexity of this particular piece of equipment, this winch may have been used to raise and lower mine carts to the entrance of the mine (often used in coal mining) and could have been used in raising cages up and down (acting as elevators) containing miners if the mine was particularly deep. The actual use of this particular item in the Beechworth locality is undocumented but these are some possibilities based on the use of these pieces of equipment in other mining locations. Mining can have a largely detrimental impact to the environment and therefore, the study of machinery like the one depicted in this photograph can help researches to reconstruct the methods and technologies used in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This particular item appears to have been removed from it's original site where it would have been used to assist with mining. It is possible that this photograph has been taken for recording purposes or as part of a machinery exhibition. Prior documentation records that this piece of equipment had connections to the Rocky Mountains Mining Company. Today, the Rocky Mountains Gold Mining company is famous in Beechworth for having been instrumental in the creation of the Rocky Mountain tunnel. Construction for this tunnel began in 1859 when a group of 12 men blasted a 400ft long tailrace though the rock beneath the town of Beechworth. Today, the 800ft tunnel, completed in 1871, is a popular tourist attraction but during the decades of gold mining, the purpose of this tunnel was to divert water away from the main sluicing operations so miners could better access gold and precious materials. The tunnel was used for this purpose for many years, later becoming useful for the Zwar Brother's tannery and currently as an outfall drain for Lake Sambell. This area continued to be mined until the early 1900s. The period when this item was in use is unclear but it is estimated to have been in the 1870s based on the design and appearance of the image. The gold works at the Rocky Mountain Tunnel closed in the early 1920s but the impact of mining remains in Beechworth today and therefore the study of photographs like this one which contain mining equipment can further understanding of mining in this region.This photograph has historic and research potential for study on the gold mining of the Beechworth region and types of equipment used to locate gold after the initial gold rush of 1853-1854 which resulted in the discovery of the surface gold and required miners to dig deeper to access precious metals. The clarity of the photo, and its good preserved condition, means it can continue to be used for research. This photo is part of a collection of six photos all within the Burke Museum Collection which depict mining equipment.Square black and white photograph on card.7793.1beechworth, mining, goldmining, goldmining equipment, beechworth burke museum

Taken in 1906 this photograph shows the Red Rock Site of Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Mine Sluicing Company with the view looking east. Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold and Tin Mine company was formed in 1899. By 1909 17,284 ounces of gold and 224 ton of tin ore had been recovered from the mine and it was deemed inadequate and uneconomical to continue. the mine was re-formed in 1914 and carried on large-scale hydraulic sluicing operations. Taken in 1906 this photograph shows the Red Rock Site of Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Mine Sluicing Company with the view looking east. Cocks Pioneer Electric Gold and Tin Mine company was formed in 1899. By 1909 17,284 ounces of gold and 224 ton of tin ore had been recovered from the mine and it was deemed inadequate and uneconomical to continue. the mine was re-formed in 1914 and carried on large-scale hydraulic sluicing operations. Sluicing was undertaken in the area from 1900 to 1942 with some short breaks between these periods. The image depicts a location mined by Cocks Pioneer Gold and Tin Sluicing Company (as recorded on the annotation on the card mount). It portrays open cut rocks with a crevice in the center of the image where the sluicing was being undertaken. There is a large timber structure on the left hand side of the picture partially cropped in the frame. 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. 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. 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 north-east. John Cock was the son of a Cornish minor 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 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 the early 1900s. 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.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on gloss photographic paper mounted on board. Obverse: COCKS PIONEER. G. & T. Sluicing Co. N.L./ 1906/ (9)/ No. 1 Bed Rock Site Looking East/ Reverse: 1997.2614 A02614mining, sluicing, gold, tin, john cock, cocks pioneer, sepia photograph, photograph, beechworth, goldfield, el dorado, gold and tin mine, burke museum

The photograph printed on this postcard comes from the collection of the Mitchell Library in Sydney. It is sepia in tone and depicts seven men standing and sitting around a mine shaft in the Beechworth region. The photograph has been dated to approximately 1872. This period in history post-dates the Victorian gold rushes which occurred 1852-1853 in Ballarat, Bendigo and Beechworth. During this period, in the 1870s, the surface alluvial gold had been discovered and removed from location. Therefore, in order to reach the deeper and less accessible alluvial gold, diggers began to dig shafts into the earth. These shafts sunk below the ground level by 20 to 30 feet and required timber structures around the entrance and winches to bring the paydirt to the top. The top of this wooden structure is visible behind the man standing in the upper right of the image. This type of mining was highly dangerous as mines often caved in which injured the minors and often resulted in death. Thus, following this period, in the early 1900s, miners opted instead for hydrolic slucing which cut away the earth without the devastating consequences of a mine cave in. This particular group of miners appear to have been unable to afford a horse (then worth around 50 pounds) which were generally used at mines like this to help pull buckets attached to ropes up and down the mine. Instead, this group brought the buckets up and down by windlass. The windlass was a wooden structure mounted over the mining shaft and fitted with a hand-cranked winch which enabled the bucket attached to the rope to be brought up and down.Gold was first discovered in Beechworth in Spring and Reid's Creek in the summer of 1852-1853. At its popularity, this region had approximately 8000 people on the gold fields searching for gold on the banks of these creeks. These periods did not require the use of heavy machinery or the digging of deep mining shafts like the one depicted in this image. Therefore, this image has important connotations for the technologies associated with mining during the approximated 1870s when gold was harder to access. This is a later period in gold history which does not fit into the "gold rush" period. Instead, it occurred after the surface gold had disappeared and therefore, is essential for researchers who are investigating the mining techniques and structures used to reach the alluvial gold which was located deeper under ground in the 1870s. This period predates the use of big heavy machinery used to mine in the 1900s which include dredges. Images such as this one can also impart essential information as to the wardrobe and fashion of men during this period. It also imparts knowledge about the landscape of Beechworth which is useful for people researching the environment and impact of gold mining in the north-east region of Victoria. In addition, since this image is a postcard reproduction of an early Australian image which may date to approximately 1990 it can impart knowledge as to the interests of people during this time period when there may have been an increase into Australian history.A sepia tone facsimile of an early Australian photograph (circa 1872) printed as a postcard.Obverse: BEECHWORTH / Victoria, Australia / Reverse: GM 2 3275 / CORRESPONDENCE / AUSTRALIAN / YESTERYEAR / CARDS / ADDRESS / Published by George Symons (057) 65 3240 / THE MINEHEAD C. 1872 / The easily gleaned gold of the early fields did / not last very long. In order to reach less / accessible alluvial gold diggers began sinking shafts as much as twenty to thirty feet down / and the mines required timbering and winches / to bring the paydirt to the top. / This syndicate has been unable to afford the / luxury of a horse (about 50 pounds) and so everything / must go up and down by windlass and rawhide / bucket. / Photo: Mitchell Library, Sydney / A sepia tone facsimile of / an early Australian photographmining album, gold mine, beechworth, burke museum, mine shaft, postcard, australian yesteryear cards, george symons, the minehead, gold fields, alluvial gold, early australia, c.1872, 1872, gold diggers, north east victoria

The photograph shows Lake Sambell under construction. The present day park and reserve occupies the site of the former Rocky Mountain Mining Company, an open-cut sluice mine that began operations in the mid-Nineteenth Century and operated until the early 1900s, through the peak of Victoria’s Gold Rush. It was converted into a park and leisure area in the 1920s. Lake Sambell was formally opened to the public on Friday 5th October 1928 and was opened by the Victorian Government’s Minister of Lands, Mr Bailey, as part of initiatives to boost the economies and development of country towns. The lake was named after Mr L.H. Sambell, a shire engineer and secretary of the Forward Beechworth Committee who was involved in promoting the transformation of the mining site and promoting plantation forestry and tourism as alternative industries. £300 to begin the process was provided by Mr J. McConvill, a former resident of Beechworth, who is remembered in a street name adjacent to the lake. An article in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser on Saturday, 5th May, 1917, gives some insight into issues in the Rocky Mountain Mining Company’s final years. The writer details the 1917 annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Mining Company, stating that locals present appeared ‘well pleased this important local industry is in such a prosperous condition and that future prospects are so encouraging’. The author describes plans to give workers a bonus as evidence of profit-sharing that would ‘bridge the gulf between capital and labour’. The article concludes, however, with the statement that ‘there is a little arithmetical puzzle in the report in connection with the dredging operations I have been unable to solve.'The photograph is significant as it contributes to knowledge about how Beechworth reinvented itself after the Gold rush period, and more broadly how country towns repurpose and redevelop infrastructure and facilities to meet the present needs of their populationBlack and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paperObverse: Spring Creek diggings, (k)now Lake Sambell / Copied from the George Peach Albums, 19(2)30’s Oct 14 1931 / From the collection of Robert O’Hara Burke Memorial Museum /lake sambell, beechworth, rocky mountain mining co, lh sambell

Taken in the 1960s, depicted are approximately twenty-nine male and female spectators at a school swimming carnival on Lake Sambell near the caravan park. Lake Sambell is a beautiful Victorian recreation lake and urban park with a unique history. It was created in the mid-1800s by the Rocky Mountain Mining company during the gold rush era and used as a mining site until the early 1900s, which brought Europeans into the area. It was turned into a reserve for residents in 1920 and is considered an icon of Beechworth as it represents the development of the community, human endeavour, and the spirit of the landscape. This photograph represents the post-gold rush era use of Lake Sambell as a recreational reserve. Swimming carnivals were held at the lake and considered a social event for the Beechworth community.Black and white reproduced rectangular photograph print on paper.Reverse: Community/ Swimming pool 1960s/ near the caravan park/ Lakes?lake swimming pool, lake swimming, beechworth carnival processions, carnival, #beechworth, beechworth 1960s, victoria

Taken in 1920, depicted are four people in a rowing boat on Lake Sambell, Beechworth. From left to right, it is believed that the names of the people are Eric Beard, Mrs Doris Beard, and S/L to Bert Beard. The last two figures are unknown. Lake Sambell is a beautiful Victorian recreation lake and urban park with a unique history. It was created in the mid-1800s by the Rocky Mountain Mining company during the gold rush era and used as a mining site until the early 1900s, which brought Europeans into the area. It was turned into a reserve for residents in 1920 and is considered an icon of Beechworth as it represents the development of the community, human endeavour, and the spirit of the landscape.This photograph represents the community's social use of the lake in 1920.Black and white rectangular photograph print on paper.Reverse: LAKE SAMBELL/ c 1920/ from LTOR/ 1 ERIC? - BERT'S SON/ 2 MRS DORIS BEARD/ 3 S/L TO BERT BEARD/ 4 #beechworth, lake sambell, lake sambell boating, beechworth lake, social, 1920, victoria

Aerial view of Lake Sambell, Beechworth with town views. Lake Sambell is a beautiful Victorian recreation lake and urban park with a unique history. It was created in the mid-1800s by the Rocky Mountain Mining company during the gold rush era and used as a mining site until the early 1900s, which brought Europeans into the area. It was turned into a reserve for residents in 1920 and is considered an icon of Beechworth as it represents the development of the community, human endeavour, and the spirit of the landscape.This photograph represents Lake Sambell with town views.Black and white reproduced rectangular photograph print on paper.Reverse: Stampbeechworth lake, lake sambell, aerial photo, construction, australian landscape, #beechworth, victoria

Taken in 1960, depicted is the construction of Lake Sambell, looking west across the lake. Lake Sambell is a beautiful Victorian recreation lake and urban park with a unique history. It was created in the mid-1800s by the Rocky Mountain Mining company during the gold rush era and used as a mining site until the early 1900s, which brought Europeans into the area. It was turned into a reserve for residents in 1920 and is considered an icon of Beechworth as it represents the development of the community, human endeavour, and the spirit of the landscape.This photograph represents additional construction to Lake Sambell as a recreational reserve.Black and white reproduced rectangular photograph print on paper.beechworth lake, lake, lake sambell, construction, #beechworth, australian landscape, beechworth 1960s, victoria

Taken in 1960, depicted is an aerial view of Lake Sambell and the surrounding township. Lake Sambell is a beautiful Victorian recreation lake and urban park with a unique history. It was created in the mid-1800s by the Rocky Mountain Mining company during the gold rush era and used as a mining site until the early 1900s, which brought Europeans into the area. It was turned into a reserve for residents in 1920 and is considered an icon of Beechworth as it represents the development of the community, human endeavour, and the spirit of the landscape.This photograph represents what Lake Sambell looked like in 1960.Black and white reproduced rectangular photograph print on paper.lake sambell, #beechworth, beechworth 1960s, lake, victoria, australian landscape, mining, rocky mountain mining company

This image depicts a group of local counsellors from the Shire of Beechworth (est. mid to late 1900s). The identities of those within the photo remain unknown. The table and chairs featured in the image were produced in the late 19th century and have been in continual use for more than 100 years. The councellors would likely have convened in the Beechworth Town Hall. A History of Beechworth: Gold was discovered in the May Day Hills district in 1852. A canvas and timber settlement soon developed as prospectors rushed to the area. Over four million ounces of gold was recovered in the first 14 years. Between 1852 and 1857, Beechworth was a gold-producing region and centre of government, boasting many industries and a multicultural population. Beechworth was proclaimed a borough on the 11th of September 1863, a formalisation of the municipal incorporation of the town seven years before. This image is associated with the history of Beechworth; it reveals the identities of local counsellors, persons whose contribution to the Beechworth Shire could otherwise be lost to time. Black and white rectangular photograph, unmounted.beechworth council, indigo shire, local victorian government

This photograph was taken in 1911 at Three Mile Creek, about five kilometers south of Beechworth town. Significant digging took place at this location from late 1855, which led to a flood of workers and stores to follow, though daily earnings were slim compared to the nearby Woolshed site. This remained the case even after workers at Three Mile Creek attempted to protest around Beechworth during an election in November 1855. Three Mile Creek was one of seven significant divisions of the Beechworth Mining District formalised by the Governor-in-Council in 1858, though by the time this photograph was taken, the boundaries of the original seven districts had shifted to create seventeen divisions. The Three Mile Goldfields was a site of rich alluvial gold deposits located about 5km south of Beechworth in Victoria. Today, the location of this gold deposit is called Baarmutha. It was a popular area for gold mining in the 1850s but became largely abandoned by the following decade. In 1865, a man named John Pund (a man second from the left in the back row of this photograph shares this surname) recognized that the area could be potentially rich if a better water supply could be obtained. He secured a 15 year license with three other miners. Within the next five years, these men had constructed 19 km of water race going from Upper Nine Mile Creek to Three Mile Creek. By 1881, these four men had delivered 950,000 gallons to the Three Mile Sluicing area which is depicted in this photograph. Pund would later go into partnership with John Alston Wallace who would become owner of the Star Hotel in Beechworth. The Three Mile sluicing location continued to be operational until 1950. The eleven miners in this photograph are: Back row: Led Guthrie, P. Pund, F. Beel, [Unknown] Miller Front row: Paddy McNamara, J. King, W. Beel, [Unknown] Garland, J. Clarke, J. Ryan, H. Bartsh In the background of the photograph is a huge dirt wall that appears to suffer damage caused by hydraulic sluicing. Hydraulic sluicing is a specialised mining technique that involves directing high pressure water flows at dirt to uncover gold. The technique played a significant role in shaping Beechworth's landscape during the gold rush to create the topography seen today.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 the late 1800s and early 1900s. 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. Images, like this one, of Australian gold rush history can reveal important information about the social and environmental impact of this period. This image depicts diggers standing in a mining location and therefore, this image has the capacity to reveal or support significant information for researchers studying the fashion and social status of diggers in Australia in approximately 1911. It can also provide information on the landscape of Australia in this period and the impact of mining for gold on both society and the Australian landscape. The Burke Museum is home to a substantial collection of Australian mining photographs which can be used to gain a deeper understanding into life on the gold fields, technology used in mining, the miners themselves and the impact of the gold digging on the environment.Black and white / sepia rectangular reproduced photograph printed on glossy photographic paper mounted on board.beechworth, beechworth museum, mining, mining team, three mile creek, sluicing, hydraulic sluicing, photography, gold sluicing, gold mining, pund mining

This photograph shows an operator for the Rocky Mountain Mining Company holding a mining drill. The drill is likely a Ford's patent rock drill, used by the Rocky Mountain Extended Mining Company to dig the Rocky Mountain Tunnel that still exists beneath Beechworth as part of gold mining efforts. Work on the tunnel began in 1856 under Robert Dryburgh, but was met with trouble when the tail-race (a channel for removing water) fell. After the land changed hands a few times (see Beechworth: A Titan's Field, p. 99), the newly-launched Rocky Mountain Extended Gold Sluicing Company resumed the tunnelling works in June 1876, starting beneath Newtown bridge. Completed in December 1879, the tunnel was almost 800m long and cost a total of £13,500. The mine was closed in 1921 "after yielding 47,926 ozs of gold and paying £63,639 in dividends". The photograph appears to have been taken against a solid backdrop, rather than at a mine, possibly as a way to demonstrate the equipment the miners were using.The search for gold is ingrained into the history of Victoria and therefore, images like this one which portray the machinery and workers involved 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 the specific types of machines and the methods used to find gold in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The photograph also appears to have been taken out of the drill's standard operating context of a mine, which might convey information about how mining, drills, and mine workers were portrayed in a more presentation-like context. The Burke Museum is home to a substantial collection of Australian mining photographs which can be used to gain a deeper understanding into life on the gold fields, technology used in mining, the miners themselves and the impact of the gold digging on the environment.Black and white rectangular reproduced photograph printed on card.7815 / Copy 1/3 /beechworth, beechworth museum, burke museum, australian museum, mining, gold, rocky mountain mining co., rocky mountain mining company, mining machinery, drill, mining drill, mining company

The photograph appears to depict the of the entrance to the Rocky Mountain Tunnel. The Rocky Mountain Tunnel runs from opening of the tunnel, underneath the Beechworth town, to the Gorge. This tunnel drained the excess water from the upper Spring Creek Goldfield to allow for mining access in the area. The Rocky Mountain Co. blasted through the granite rock to create the original 400ft-long tunnel in 1859, but between 1867 and 1871, the Rocky Mountain Gold Sluicing Co. widened and extended it. At its completion, it measured 14ft deep, 6ft wide, and almost half a mile long. The mining surveyor at Beechworth called it 'without doubt, the greatest undertaking of the kind in the colony'. When the company became the Rocky Mountain Extended Gold Sluicing Co. in the mid-1870s, they continued the tunnelling work. The work was reportedly vital to mining being able to continue at Beechworth and may have established world records in tunnelling through hard rock. The entrance at the Gorge side of the tunnel can be seen from the Beechworth Gorge Walk. The tunnel continues to be an outfall drain for the lake and the town.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 the late 1800s and early 1900s. 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. The Burke Museum is home to a substantial collection of Australian mining photographs which can be used to gain a deeper understanding into life on the gold fields, technology used in mining, the miners themselves and the impact of the gold digging on the environment.A black and white rectangular reproduced photograph printed on matte photographic paper.7814beechworth, beechworth museum, burke museum, australian museum, mining, rocky mountain mining co., rocky mountain mining company, mine, mining company, rocky mountain mine, mine entrance, rocky mountain, gold, gold mining