Steele's Reef was opened in 1859 along with a number of other reefs in the Yandoit area. The reef was worked by small mining parties until the late 1880s. In 1887, the Steele's Reef Quartz Mining Company fixed steam pumping machinery and commenced sinking a shaft. The company were unable to find a profitable ore body and after two years work closed down. By this time their shaft had reached a depth of 150 feet. The mine was then taken over by the Pioneer Quartz Mining Company who appear not to have worked the mine. In 1906, the Steele's Pioneer Company commenced work, erecting a winding winch at the old shaft sunk by the Steele's Company. The next year the company erected a 10-head battery, set of poppet legs, a pumping engine. Sinking the shaft a further 100 feet, the company struggled to find payable ore and soon closed down.Colour photographs of the remnants of Steele's mine at Yandoit, Victoria. steele's mine, yandoit, mining, ruins

A number of colour photographs of the remnants of works at Steele's Pioneer Gold Mine, Yandoit, Victoria.steele's, yandoit, steele's pioneer, mining

BHS CollectionYellow and white patterned, spring back Spirax Students No. 594 Note Book containing extracts from mining Catalogues loaned by Mr. Dyett (J. H. Curnow's). Mines mentioned include Ramrod Gold Mine, Hercules No. 1, Central Blue, South Virginia Extended, Alfords Battery, South New Moon,The Gold Mine Clunes, Guildford Plateau, Big Blue, Spring Gully Mine at Chewton, Eureka Central at Chewton, Bdgo Amalg. Goldfields Limited, Koch's Air Station, Cornish Mine, Carlisle Battery, Victory & Pandora Mine, Garden Gully, Londonderry Mine, Princess Dagmar, Golden Age, Suffolk United, Virginia South Extended, South Red White & Blue, Pitfield Plains Glenfine South Shaft, Adelong Dredge & Leases, Bright Valley Dredge, North Chewton (Chewton), Talbot Alluvials Norbury's No. 2 Shaft, Gordon Gold Mine Inglewood, Post Office Hill Mine Chewton, Carlisle & Whittaker Plant Maldon, Bunninyong, Yandoit Mine, North Chewton, Golden Transverse Bdgo, Yandoit Co., Chapman's Gold Mine Chewton, Ross Creek Extended G. M. Coy (Ballarat).book, bendigo, mining auction sales, auction sales mining catalogue auction sales, j h curnow, mr dyett, a richardson, ramrod gold mine, hercules no. 1, central blue, south virginia extended, alfords battery, south new moon, the gold mine clunes, guildford plateau, big blue, spring gully mine at chewton, eureka central at chewton, bdgo amalg. goldfields limited, koch's air station, cornish mine, carlisle battery, victory & pandora mine, garden gully, londonderry mine, princess dagmar, golden age, suffolk united, virginia south extended, south red white & blue, pitfield plains glenfine south shaft, adelong dredge & leases, bright valley dredge, north chewton (chewton), talbot alluvials norbury's no. 2 shaft, gordon gold mine inglewood, post office hill mine chewton, carlisle & whittaker plant maldon, bunninyong, yandoit mine, north chewton, golden transverse bdgo, yandoit co., chapman's gold mine chewton, ross creek extended g. m. coy (ballarat).

Typed copies of catalogues of items to be auctioned at the following mines: South Red, White and Blue 12th April 1938 Central Blue 28th October, 1941 at 11 a.m South Virginia Extended (found inside Central Blue catalogue) Big Blue 21st November, 1939 at 10.30 a.m Golden Transverse Bendigo 3rd September 1941Yandoit Co 19th April 1939 Chapman's Gold Mine Chewton 8th February 1939 Ross Creek Extended G.M. Coy 18th August 1938 Ross Creek Extended G.M.Coy Ross Creek Mines Account Mines Dept Pitfield Plains, Glenfine South Shaft Adelong Dredge and leases 10th February 1943 Bright Valley Dredge 9,10th February 1943 Exchequer Extended North Chewton 18th October, 1939 Talbot Alluvials Norbury's No. 2 shaft 5th May 1941 Gordon Gold Mine Inglewood 30th April 1940 Postg Office Hill Mine Chewton 7th February 1940 Carlisle & Whittaker Plant Buninyong Rand Yandoit Mine North Chewton 19th October 1939 Spring Gully Mine Chewton 14th Decembert 1938 Eureka Central Chewton 26th February 1941The Golod Mine Clunes 15th March 1941 Guildford Plateau 20th Novemer 1940 New Long Tunnel Walhalla 12th February 1941 Napoleon BML 28th October 1941 Alfords Battery Hercules No. 1 Mine 12th February 1942 Ramrod Gold Mine Bendigo 19th March 1942 Bendigo Amalgamated Goldfields Limited 10th and 11th August 1938 Virginia South Extended 1st June 1938