Interpretive sign and 4 photos Central Nell Gwynne Gold Mine, used in display. Central Nell Gwynne was located near the corner of Marong Road and Happy Valley Road. Opened in 1906, ceased operation in December 1949. Total production: 61,884 ounces of Gold. Today's Value: $99,014,400. Photos: a. Colour photo, concrete footings at mine site, April 2012. b. Colour photo, Central Nell Gwynne poppet head, April 2012.Poppet head painted white with red trim. Concrete footings in foreround. c. Central Nell Gwynne mine site 1930's. Poppet head and engine room sheds on LH side, trestle way to primary crusher and crushing battery. Tailing dam in immediate foreground. on RH side. Sand heaps in middle foreground. d. Central Nell Gwynne Mine 1930. Underground view, men holding carbide lamps working at 265 level in mine. Large quartz spur formation visible in foreground.bendigo, mining, central nell gwynne

Photo of Geelong No. 21 at the North terminus with the return destination of Belmont, with the Pilkington glass factory in the background. Has a reflector "T" on the left-hand side at the bottom of the apron formed from small reflectors. It was trialled in 1948, but rejected in favour of battery-powered red tail lights, at the lower corners of tram aprons, fitted gradually from 1949. See also item 9053 for further background. Photographer unknown.Yields information about Geelong tram 21 and the experimental use of a T light reflector.Black and white photograph with notes on the rear.In ink on the rear "T experimental, North terminus 1948"geelong, tramways, north, tram 21, tail lights

This machine was in use in the 1940's during the construction of the tunnels for the Hydro Electric scheme. This particular photograph was taken in the Tailrace Tunnel which brings water from West Kiewa Power Station to the open tailrace in Mt. Beauty and then into the regulating pondage before discharge into the Kiewa River. This machine (or one similar) is on display on the Northern side of the entrance to the Visitor's Centre. The tailrace tunnel (or West Kiewa tunnel) was commenced in 1947 from both ends and the breakthrough occurred on 22nd. July, 1950Shows the size of the tunnel and the machinery used for excavation in the 1940's/50's.Black and white photographHandwritten on back of photograph "Jumbo" in Tailrace Tunneltunnel, machinery, water, tail race

Cast iron mercury bucket, used to hold mercury, potentially in the process of recovering minute pieces of gold mixed in soil and sediments. See research page for description of one process of using mercury to extract gold.gold mines, mining equipment, mercury bucket, miners used mercury in a number of ways to amalgamate gold, with each mill or battery operator having their preferred method depending on the nature of the ore. by the late 1850s the most common way of crushing goldbearing quartz ores or consolidated alluvial cements was in a stamp battery. the battery featured heavy iron stamp heads held in a frame, with each head often weighing up to 500 pounds (226 kg) or more (see msv 1880, page 45) (birrell 2005). stamp heads were lifted and dropped by a rotating overhead cam shaft driven by a steam engine or water wheel. ore was fed into a large cast-iron battery box, mixed with a steady stream of water, and pulverised by the stamp heads. in some batteries, mercury was placed in the base of the boxes to amalgamate with freed gold. the violent agitation of the mercury in the mortar box, however, could cause the mercury to break into myriad tiny globules that were carried away by the water with the tailings, thus losing a certain amount of gold in the process (thompson 1867; ritchie & hooker 1997). the water and sand slurry was splashed by the falling stamps from the box through fine mesh screens and onto inclined wooden tables below the mortar box (figure 2). the tables were covered with copper sheets or plates coated with mercury, which caught and amalgamated with a portion of the gold. the grey putty-like amalgam was periodically scraped off the sheets and retorted in a furnace to collect the gold and recover the mercury for reuse. mercury was inevitably lost from the plates, while poor maintenance resulted in further losses of gold and mercury in the tailings. mercury use and loss from gold mining in 19th century victoria. peter davies1, susan lawrence, and jodi turnbull, department of archaeology and history, la trobe university.

Diggers & Mining. Diggers and Miners. Ore from the mines was crushed by the batteries and them treated to remove the gold. This crushed rock, or tailings, was then carried from the mines in water flumes. The tailings usually contained small quantities of gold. Markings: 40 994.5 WAL. Used as a teaching aid. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Documents: Manilla folder - licences to treat tailings with various plans and notes attached. Various notes - tailings licences Central Nell Gwynne and Monument Hill. Plans for areas applied for on leases 10852, 10166,10423,10238. Plans - area applied for tailings licence applications for leases/water right licences. Prospectus Nell Gwynne(BML) Mines N/L. Various notes relating to above Monument Hill Consol. Battery sites and water right licence.MCCOLL RANKIN & STANISTREETbusiness, gold mining, mccoll rankin & stanistreet, monument hill gold mine, battery, water right

Two yellow, cloth, hardcovered books. One is a first edition, and the other is a second edition. Contents include the Stamp mill, battery frame, mortar block, stem, finger jack, water supply, power, amalgamation, retorting, milling systems, millmen and mill crews, mill management, handling pulp and tailing.

The drawing titled "Ballarat Rolling Stock Wiring Diagram - Existing and Proposed Tail Light Installation" shows wiring for both single-truckers and bogie trams. Shows switches, lights, and wiring layout. Does not include a battery that was actually installed. Drawing undated, possibly c1949.Yields information about possible wiring of tail lights in Ballarat trams.Foolscap drawing - faded, undatedsecv, ballarat, tail lights, electrical engineering

Drawing titled "Tramcars tail light and battery charging arrangement", shows battery charging arrangement using the compressor circuit / motor as a resistance. Marked up for switches and compressor. This option was not implemented. Possibly prepared in the Geelong office. See also item 10051 for an associated letter.Yields information about the development of a system to install tail lights on tramcars.Drawing - dyeline printed, dated 20-9-1949 titled "Tramcars tail light and battery charging arrangement", Drawing 8357.tramcars, tail lights, electrical engineering

Drawings 1 - "Tramcars tail lamp and battery charging arrangement" 2 - "Tramcar tail lamp installation, relay modification" Shows the existing interior lamp circuits and the additional wiring required to provide tail lamps using horn-type relays, along with additional lamps and a battery. Second drawing shows modification to the relays. This type of equipment was not used on Ballarat tramcars.Yields information about the development of a system to install tail lights on tramcars.Set of two foolscap drawings, copied using blue carbon paper.tramcars, tail lights, electrical engineering

Note or letter dated 10-10-49, from a Mr Russell to Mr Thomas regarding the installation of tail lights to trams and the annual cost of running these. Suggests using the compressor circuit for this instead. Has a sketch showing the proposed wiring diagram including a battery, which, when the compressor was running would be sufficient to charge the battery. See also item 10046 for a drawing showing this. The smaller hand written notes provide further info and costs.Yields information about the development of a system to install tail lights on tramcars.Set of three documents, hand written on paper.tramcars, tail lights, electrical engineering

Document or memo dated 9/1/1949 - hand written on paper for typing by the Correspondence Branch of the SECV, Metropolitan branch from T H Thomas DTS, to Engineer and Manager, titled "Tail Lights" about the fitting of tail lights to tramcars on the three Provincial tramways. Notes the delays in receiving materials that had been ordered, but preliminary work had been carried out with, batteries received from Sydney and that all tramcars would be fitted by the end of the year.Yields information about the modifications proposed to the tramcars to provide a rear tail light and lights when at a terminus.Hand written draft on SECV draft letter paper - for typing.tramcars, safety, tail lights, lights

Hand written note or timeline of the fitting of tail lights to trams written by T H Thomas from 2-11-1949 to 24/1/1950 setting out the instructions to depots, delivery of materials, inspection of installations, placing orders, issues obtaining batteries, and other materials, and the number of trams completed in each city as at 20-1-1950. See also item 10053 for another memo by W H Thomas.Yields information about the modifications proposed to the tramcars to provide a rear tail light and lights when at a terminus.Hand written note on two plain foolscap sheets.tramcars, safety, tail lights, lights, geelong depot, bendigo, ballarat

Set of two drawings (BA-T8-8100/1 and BA-T8-8100B) showing the installation of tail lights on SEC tramcars and modifications to the battery/trolley pole relay and battery. Both are dated 15/11/1949 and signed by the Manager Ballarat Branch. The actual relay used later was a Post Office type relay contained within a wooden box. See item 10052 for an associated memo and an earlier version of the drawing.Yields information about the modifications proposed to the tramcars to provide a rear tail light and lights when at a terminus.Drawing - dyeline print on plain papertramcars, safety, tail lights, lights, ballarat

Item used to switch on or off the red tail lights circuit on a tram. Made by the SECV. The board was located next to the 6V battery that was used to power the tram tail lights when the trolley pole was being reversed under a passenger seat.. Demonstrates an item fitted to a tramcar to switch an external lighting circuit.Softwood wood board with a bakelite two pole switch marked "on" and "off" and a Federal 250V 15A rewireable ceramic fuse attached. Has remnants of cloth covered copper wire on the rear. See item 9024 for an associated drawing."12" in blue pencil.fuse, tram 14, tramcars, tramcar maintenance, electrical switching

Item used to switch the power for the red tail lights circuit from the trolley pole to the battery circuit when the trolley pole was being reversed and not able to provide power to the internal and external lights. Made by the SECV. Salvaged from tram 14 during the project to renew the wiring and electrical arrangements of the tram. The box was located adjacent to the driver's windows and would click when the trolley pole was placed back on the overhead.Demonstrates an item fitted to a tramcar to switch an external battery tail lighting circuit.Wooden box made from softwood with bevelled corners, plywood top painted green containing an 8 Ohm "Post Office" type relay (see reference) fitted with two "break" contacts and associated insulated wiring soldered to the relevant contacts. See item 9024 for an associated drawing. Two examples held.fuse, tram 14, tramcars, tramcar maintenance, electrical switching

Diamond Hill was a gold mining village 5 km south of Bendigo and about 1 km west of the Spring Gully Reservoir. Its location is now inaccessible and within the water catchment area. Diamond Hill was reputedly named after a diamond shaped rock on the hill. With the development of mining companies which employed workers with families, a school was needed by 1873 and one was opened at the beginning of the next year. The mining companies included Great Comet Quartz Mining, Golden Fleece Quartz Mining, Albert Tribute, Glasgow Golconda, and Albert Gold Mining and Crushing. Mining continued beyond 1900, as recorded in the Australian handbook, 1903. The Bendigo Mining N.L. company was located nearby, adjoining Ham Street. One page double sided information sheet, produced by Department of Conservation and Environment, April 1991, detailing the mining history of the Diamond Hill area, Kangaroo Flat/Spring Gully area. On the back of the sheet: map of the Diamond Hill historic area, showing location of former mining sites. bendigo mining n.l., bendigo, mining, gold, city of greater bendigo, great comet quartz mining, golden fleece quartz mining, albert tribute, glasgow golconda, albert gold mining and crushing, golden gully, dead dog gully, german miners, british new chum, south golden carshalton, hansel mundy, morning light, mullock tailings, stamp battery,

Manufactured in the 1960s, this mobile emergency telephone exchange was fitted into a caravan. Part of the Shepparton Division State Disaster Plan, the caravan could be towed to areas affected by disasters to enable communications to recommence. The caravan remained in service until approximately 1974.Mobile infrastructure plays an important role in Australian communications, owing to the often remote and hostile environments in which Australians live and work. Exchanges such as this facilitated phone calls in the aftermath of an emergency, particularly for hospitals, police and other emergency services. Today, Mobile Exchange on Wheels (MEOWs), Cell on Wheels (CoW) and Satellite Cell on Wheels (SatCOW) - which provide temporary landline and broadband services, mobile phone coverage and service in areas without communications infrastructure respectively - are a critical part of emergency response procedures for natural disasters such as fire and flood. Though technology has progressed, the need for rapid service in remote areas remains a present concern of the communications service providers in Australia. This mobile service infrastructure is historically significant as an early example of a service which has evolved over decades, yet is still needed today. The exchange, as a representative example of a vehicle which would provide early-response in a disaster, is socially significant as a facilitator of critical communications needs in devastated communities: access to emergency services and contact with family and friends. The exchange itself, intact from its period of use, provides an insight into technology of the 1970s.Mobile emergency exchange housed in a caravan trailer on 2 wheel base, duralin body, steel tow bar, Caravan divided into 3 sections; the exchange room; the relay room and the main frame room. The exchange room contains 3 switchboards, a folding table, cupboards, benches and switch rack (.1). table (.2), steel bar for attaching the table (.3), back boards of switchboards (.4-.6), switches (.7-.16), box of switches (.17). There is a wall phone magneto, 300 type handset on wall and 2 skylights with wire screens. .11? hat pegs and shelf; there are 2 fluorescent tubes for lighting, all in exchange section. The floor is covered with 2 tone grey tiles and there are wire mesh on outside of windows and a geometric curtain inside behind switch rack. There is a flywire screen door as well as exterior door. The relay room has a sectioned door so half can open at a time. Room contains a cupboard with folding bench top beneath a curtained window. The opposite wall has a bank of batteries and transmission condensers; there is a shelf above window, one fluorescent tube and fuse boxes. Tiles on floor also. The main frame room contains many metres of coiled black covered cable, a black covered magneto wall telephone with 300 type handset; grey plastic jumper cords, a rack of termination points and wire with wasp nests attached. There is a small iron step under door, a fluorescent tube on wall and 3 hat hooks. Roll of Paper Handtowels (.18), cord and handle (.19), red exchange cords and plugs (.20-.22), plastic aluminium runners (.23,.24), headset (.25,.26), logbook (.27), battery readings (.28), box containing papers circuit drawings etc (.29-.93), paper lists off wall (.94,.95). Books, record books etc (.96-.103). Manila folder (.104) containing circuit drawings (105-.124). Wooden drawer (.125), metal drawer containing subscribers master cards, record of faults cards, particular switchboards connected, Junction line cards (.126). Box of valves (.127), box of clamps (.128). Box of 2000 type rack fuses, red 1 1/2 AMPS, black 3 AMP, blue 1/2 AMP (.129). Box of sleeves for covering wire joints (.130), plastic beakers (.131,.132), soap (.133), box of white plastic squares (.134), time switch "Venner BF/43 time switch" Made in England (.135), box of bolts, knobs etc (.136), box of switchboard number indicators (.137), fuse (.138), fuse wire (.139), football card (.140). Box of cartridge fuse 6 AMP (.141). Envelope of drawing pins, rubber bands (.142), black plastic, paper tape centres (.143-.152), metal plug (.153), 2 signs "Beware of vehicles" (.154-.155). Paper listing Naringal East automatic conversion (.156). Green Commonwealth of Australia note pad (.157). Wiring plug for tail lights (.158). Black fuse plugs (.159,.160). Box of bolts (.161). 2 sections of blue plastic coated wires (.162,.163). Gloves used for working on batteries (.164-.167). Wasp nests (.168,.169). White fuse (.170). Photographs of van in use (.171,.172)..1 on front: "ANOTHER / MOBILETRAIL / PRODUCT" "MAX SPEED / 25MPH" "TRAILER BRAKES / --- / " On sides: "EMERGENCY TELEPHONE EXCHANGE" "NO 1" "PMG" "TCQ / GROSS 250 / TARE 182 / LOAD 162" "6" "COUNTRY BRANCH / NORTH REGION / [SHEPPARTON DIVISION]" "LAW'S SIGNS" "Telecom Australia" On back: "DANGER / LONG LOAD" "MQA 3787" .133: "FIR OIL" "AUSTRALIA"mobile telephone exchanges, mobile telecommunications trailers, trailers, transport, natural disaster, black saturday, bushfires, floods, emergency communications

Magdala cum Moonlight Mine c1900 Buildings include the mine managers office, change rooms, crushing battery, retorting room, blacksmith shop and cyanide vats. Fence advertises "Drink RoBur Tea"B/W Photo of Magdala Mine Works in middle distance with two tailing Dams. stawell gold mining

A large ethnic group in the Bendigo area was the Chinese, numbering 400-500 in 1868. There were several large Chinese villages in the Bendigo district of which one was located in Long Gully, near the junction with Sparrowhawk Gully. It was Sir John Quick, former resident of Ironbark, who introduced the first bill into Parliament in 1888 for the disenfranchisement of Chinese holding a Miner’s Right. Chinese miners worked the tailing heaps and discarded ore bodies. It was only the Chinese contractors, who worked the tailings of the quartz reefs. The work of stacking tailing dumps associated with major mine sites was a particular feature of the Bendigo field. The tailings had to be stacked for placement as they washed out of the batteries. It was undertaken exclusively by groups of Chinese workers, who paid the mining companies to stack the tailings with the hope of finding traces of gold. The long sluicing boxes and blankets laid out in lines over the tailings became a familiar feature in the city landscape. It was an essential element of the operations of the mines. The tailings were progressively planted with spiny rushes, pampas grass and peppercorn trees."On the tail end" written by James A. Lerk. Concerns Chinese working mine tailings on the Bendigo Goldfield. Published in Australia by JA & ERS Lerk in 2017. Soft cover. Cover is sepia in tone on the front and back. Title in white with red Chinese figures beside English text. Back cover has inset image of 'Register of Purchases' listing details of individuals. Book includes both color and black and white images. 78 pp. ISBN 9780646978598. Contains index. mining, chinese, mine tailings, gold