Copy of photograph: image shows man filling ore truck, underground. On back Geoff Rigbye trucking from a chute on western leg of Rowe's lode 1190 ft. level Central Deborah Mine, Bendigo, 1952. This is a digital only photograph.bendigo, mining, central deborah mine, bendigo, central deborah mine, rowe's lode, rigbye, mining

Copy of photo: 6 miners sitting down, underground. On back miners at No. 16 L (1270 ft.) plat Central Deborah Mines, Bendigo, 1952. From left Jackie Lewis, Bob Johnson, Bill Landy, Roger Yates, and Les Johnson. This is a digital only photograph.bendigo, mining, central deborah mine, bendigo, mining, central deborah, lewis, johnson, landy, yates, johnson.

Central Deborah Gold Mine history: At its peak, Central Deborah Gold Mine reached a depth of 412 metres. It has 17 separate levels and 15 kilometres of drives and cross cuts (tunnels). The Central Deborah was very much a hands-on mine and the conditions that the miners worked in would be considered shocking by today's standards – being lowered underground in a cage with only two sides, often working ankle to knee deep in water, filling up to 32 ore trucks a shift by hand which were then pushed a mile or more along rails in the drives, working by carbide lamp, breathing in the fumes and rock dust and communication by bells. Geez, they were ironmen. However, at the time working conditions were considered to be among the best on the goldfields at Central Deborah, after all it was one of the only mines that had hot showers. Following Central Deborah Gold Mine's closure, the Bendigo skyline began to noticeably change. Obvious remnants of mining such as poppet heads, engine rooms, service quarters, battery houses and chimneys were steadily disappearing. After intense lobbying by the local community, the Bendigo City Council purchased the still very much intact Central Deborah Gold Mine in 1970 for a mere $6,000 to ensure that a vital link to Bendigo's historic golden past was maintained. The Bendigo Trust was then formed to oversee the operations of the Central Deborah Gold Mine, which led to the surface of the mine being opened to the public in 1971. Initially the surface was open for just 12 hours a week and as the demand for viewing a part of Bendigo's history increased, so did the opening hours. In 1974 the mine was gazetted as a Public Historical Purposes Reserve and attracted such visitors as H.R.H Prince Charles. By far the greatest shortcoming at this stage was that no one could view the underground workings, as these had become flooded. After what could only be described as a monumental effort by everyone involved, Level 2 of the mine was officially opened to the public by the Premier of Victoria, the Honourable John Cain, on 20 June 1986, which brought to fruition a long standing dream.Black and white photograph, looking from bottom of lift shaft towards the surface; light visible at top of shaft. Lift cables and safety mesh on sides of shaft. gold mining, central deborah gold mine, ray beer, mine manager

Copy of photo: Two miners and two people dressed in dustcoats, underground. On back in stopes on the cap of the inner reef No. 8 level Central Deborah Mine, Bendigo, 1949. Left Tom Rowe, visiting American geologists with Frank Chambers (Mines Department, geologist). This is a digital only photograph.bendigo, mining, central deborah mine, bendigo, central deborah mine, tom rowe, frank chambers, geologist, mining, miners, american

Copy of photo: image shows three men eating their crib underground. On back of photo: miners in a crib buddy ( lunch room ) No. 16 L (1220 ft.) Central Deborah Mine, Bendigo. From left 'Bub' Joyce, Freddie Benbow, 'Pedlar' Palmer and 'Lair' Roberts'. This is a digital only photograph.bendigo, mining, central deborah mine, bendigo, mining, central deborah mine, palmer, doyle, benbow, palmer, roberts, crib