Gill Reef is a high-grade gold reef located within the Bendigo Goldfield, specifically on the Garden Gully line of reef. In the mid-2000s, Bendigo Mining planned to undertake trial mining and processing of ore from this reef to restart gold production in the region. While it showed promising indicators, the success of commercial production depended on the trial results and the economics of the time. Location: The Gill Reef is part of the broader Bendigo Goldfield and is located on the Garden Gully line of reef. Geology: It is a quartz reef with an estimated grade of 10–15 g/t gold. News reports from 2008 also describe it as a high-grade reef with promising signs of gold. Historical context: Bendigo Mining was preparing to trial mine and process ore from the Gill Reef around 2008 as part of a plan to restart gold production in the area. Trial mining: The company conducted trial processing of ore from the Gill Reef to gather more detailed information about its shape and grade.Three page photocopy of information taken from Bendigo Mining Operations Report. Report details Trial Mining on the Gill Reef. bendigo, gold mining, exploration, bendigo goldfield, bendigo mining, gill reef, processing plant

John Harris Gill was born in Cornwall, England. He migrated to South Australia in 1883, arriving in Bendigo in 1886. John Gill came to South Australia by the sailing ship Orama, after a voyage of 12 weeks in 1883. He arrived in Bendigo in 1886, where he worked as an engine driver. He worked as an engine driver at several of the leading mines and was Manager of the Unity Gold Mine. Bendigo Independent obituary, 6th July,1916 : https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219795892?searchTerm=john%20harris%20gill He lived in Long Gully. His funeral left his son's residence 'Penygausi' in Arm Street Long Gully. His son Mr. J.G. Gill was the Manager of the Unity Mine at the time. Two letters: 1. One page letter from Judith McCarthy to Andrew Mattiske, Bendigo Mining, regarding information on John Harris Gill. 2. One page letter addressed to Judith McCarthy from Andrew Mattiske, Health, Safety and Environmental Manager, Bendigo Mining, Kangaroo Flat Mine. Letter thanks Judith for the information she supplied regarding John Harris Gill, after whom the Gill Reef was named. 3. Copy of newspaper articles (undated) re John Harris Gill received from Judith McCarthyjohn gill, bendigo, gill reef, bendigo mining, long gully, penygausi

'High Grade Ore Uncovered' Bendigo Advertiser, 19th November, 2008. Aerial photo of Bendigo Mining's Kangaroo Flat operation on right hand side of article. Large amounts of gold have been 'recovered from block MB8' and has 'lifted the average grade of Gill reef processed to date by about 27 per cent to 8.1 g/t gold'. 'Significant numbers of gold particles were noted in the development faces, which combined with other visual indicators enabled the geologists to confidently predict very high grade ore'. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Rod Hanson stated that Bendigo 'had a record of producing bonanza grade ore from within larger reef systems.bendigo mining n.l., bendigo, mining, gold, swan decline, doug buerger, bill harris, allan harris, bert rosan

The New Moon Group of mines were located in the Sailors Gully/ Sydney Flat area. Sydney Flat was originally regard as part of Myers Creek, later Myers Flat it was changed to Sydney Flat when mining was established and was changed to Woodvale in the 1920s Sydney Flat Bushland Reserve is near-by. The area is north of Sailors Gully.Draftsman's drawing on cream coloured waxed paper with black print. SYDNEY FLAT is printed in the centre of a grid of streets with no names divided into sections there are names many of the sections including - J Dolman, G Wills, Gill, J Bayliss, Fracis Webb, T Downie, H Turner, J Hodgson, J Gordon, W Booth, J Shadbolt, J S Pearson, C Maroney, I Quin & Co, W Davey, J Kelly. Printed out of the grid is New Moon U and New Moon Cons. Added red handwriting are reef lines including - Christmas, Thistle, Carshalton, Napoleon, Gr nite, New Chum , Moon, Gully, Derby, Hustlers. There is red shading on Gully, Moon and New Chum lines.bendigo, gold, map, mine, margaret roberts collection, new moon mines, sailors gully, sydney flat

BHS CollectionCopy of an Advertiser Article titled Colonial Bendigo on display. The article mentions an exhibition organised by the Bendigo Art Gallery to celebrate Victoria's 150th anniversary. Mentioned are the artists George Rowe and S T Gill. The photographers Alex Fox and Nicholas Caire. Thomas Ham introduced engraving in a commercial capacity. Edwin Stocqueler and Ludwig Becker are also mentioned. Written above the article is: Mining on Victoria Hill, also known as Ironbark Hill. Dec 1 - 1984. On the back glass plates are mentioned. Also S T Gills water colours, lithographs and engravings. There is a photograph by Nicholas Caire, taken in 1875, showing the excavation of quartz reef and mine buildings, popper legs and chimneys near Ironbark Hill.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - colonial bendigo on display, bendigo art gallery, george rowe, s t gill, alex fox, nicholas caire, thomas ham, edwin stocquelerthe advertiser, ludwig becker, burke and wills, victoria hill, ironbark hill

Ten typed pages of notes and photocopied photos. Notes include Introduction which describes the journey between Bendigo and Eaglehawk. Notes also mention the Signposts at the Victoria Hill with their explanation. Dated 30/8/1971. The four photocopied photos are: (1) Victoria Hill - From Rae's Open Cut with the Central Nell Gwynne Popper Legs and the Victoria Hill Victoria Quartz Mullock in the background. (2) Looking North from Old Chum Hill to the Victoria Hill. (3) Victoria Quartz on Victoria Hill, Ironbark. (4) Rae's 35 Hd. Crushing Battery. Victoria Hill in background, Wm. Rae's early home top right.document, gold, victoria hill, the rich victoria hill and its historical associations, j n macartney, quartz miners' arms hotel, ironbark methodist church, john brown knitwear factory, little 180 mine, conrad heinz, british and american hotel, victoria reef gold mining company, manchester arms hotel, victoria hill from rae's open cut, ironbark (victoria reef gold mines), hercules and energetic, midway, wittscheibe, great central victoria, william rae, william rae junior, mr and mrs conroy, central nell gwynne, moorhead's shop, gill family, gold mines hotel, looking north from old chum hill to the victoria hill, new chum and victoria, old chum, pioneer, burrowes & sterry, rotary club of bendigo south, big 180, north old chum mine, ballerstedt's forst open cut, lansells big 180, george lansell, new chum syncline, lansell's 'cleopatra needle' type chimney, 222 mine, sandhurst or 'needle mine', victoria quartz mine, victoria reef quartz company, victoria quartz company, a roberts & sons, e j dunn, h harkness & sons, new chum drainage scheme, eureka extended, new chum railway, pearl, bendigo advertiser june 16 1910, rae's open cut, quartz roasting, anticlinal arch, prospecting tunnels, floyd's small 5 head crushing battery, great central victoria (midway), midway no2, midway north, ballerstedt's small 24 yard claim, the humboldt, wittscheibe, adventure, advance, luffsman & sterry, rae's 35 head crushing battery, a richardson, the bendigo goldfield 1851 to 1954, the victoria hill 1854 to 1949, australian mining standard special edition 1/6/1899, bendigo mines ltd, mines dept, bendigo advertiser, annals of bendigo, dickers mining record 23/11/1861, bendigo goldfields registry 1871, bendigo and vicinity 1895, mr rae anderson, w n macartney 1st edition 1871

Copy of a newspaper article titled Colonial Bendigo on display. Date written at the top of the page Dec 1 - 1984. Article mentions an exhibition organised by the Bendigo Art Gallery of the early photographers on the gold field. Wet plate photography was used. Other mediums were also used such as engraving, artists drawings, lithography, water colours and diorama. Artists mentioned are George Rowe, S T Gill, Alex Fox, Nicholas Caire, Wet Plate Photography, Thomas Ham, Edwin Stocqueler and Ludwig Becker. There is also a photo by Nicholas Caire, taken 1875. showing the excavation of quartz reef and mine buildings near Iron bark Hill.bendigo, history, long gully history group, the long gully history group - community focus - colonial bendigo on display, bendigo art gallery, george rowe, s t gill, alex fox, nicholas caire, wet plate photography, thomas ham, edwin stocqueler, the advertiser, ludwig becker, burke and wills expedition, mine buildings near ironbark hill, victoria hill

Two copies of document : nineteen handwritten pages of notes on 'The Rich Victoria Hill and Its Historical Association' Signed by A Richardson and dated 30 - 8 - 1971. and a typed copy of same. Notes include: Introduction, Hotels, Mines, Mining History and descriptions of features where the signposts are. Mines mentioned in the text are: North Old Chum. Ballerstedt's first open cut, Lansell's Big 180. 20 head stamper, Lansell's Cleopatra Needle, Victoria Quartz Mine. Cleopatra's Needle was a square sectioned brick chimney with this four sided pyramidal chimney top with four vents to allow the smoke to escape whatever the direction of the wind. It was demolished in the 1950's as it had a bend in it and it was considered unsafe. Lansell had two other mines with similar chimneys, the '222' in Chum Street and his 'Sandhurst' or 'Needle' mine near the Bendigo, Eaglehawk boundary. Notes prepared by Albert Richardson.mine, gold, victoria hill, victoria hill, the rich victoria hill and it's historical association, j. n. macartney, quartz miner's arms hotel, ironbark methodist church, greek orthodox church, john brown knitwear factory, little 180 mine, geo lansell, conrad heinz, british & american hotel, victoria reef gold mining coy, manchester arms hotel, housing commission homes, ironbark (victoria reef gold mines, hercules and energetic, midway, wittscheibe, gt central victoria, wm rae, mr & mrs conroy, wm rae jr, central nell gwynne, moorhead's shop, gill family, gold mines hotel, david chaplin sterry, pioneer, new chum and victoria, burrowes and sterry, new chum and victoria tribute, rotary club of bendigo south, big 180, victoria quartz mines, jeweller's shop, bendigo and district tourist association, north old chum mine, john wybrandt, ballerstedt's first open-cut, j c t christopher ballerstedt, ballerstedt's mine, bendigo cemetry, lansell's 'cleopatra nedle' type chimney, 222 mine, sandhurst or 'needle' mine, victoria quartz mine, victoria reef quartz company, mr e j dunn, eureka ext'd, new chum railway, pearl, bendigo advertiser 16 june 1910, victoria consols, shamrock, shenandoah, victoria quartz dams, rae's open cut, prospecting tunnels, floyd's small 5 head crushing battery, gt central victoria (midway) shaft, midway no 2, midway north, ballerstedt's small 24 yard claim, the humboldt, the tribute coy, advance, luffsman and sterry's claim, a round shaft, chinese joss house, lansell's fortuna, p m g repeater station, a richardson

Multiple handwritten and carbon copies referring to Victoria Hill. Mentioned in the notes are places of interest between Ironbark and Victoria Hill areas, history of the area and signposts for the Victoria Hill area.document, gold, victoria hill, victoria hill, the rich victoria hill and it's historical associations, j n macartney, quartz miners' arms hotel, ironbark methodist church, greek orthodox church, conrad heinz, john brown industries knitwear factory, little 180 mine, george lansell, british & american hotel, victoria reef gold mining coy, manchester arms hotel, housing commission homes, the ironbark (victoria reef gold), hercules & energetic, midway, wittscheibe, gt central victoria, wm rae, mr and mrs conroy, mrs lavery, central nell gwynne, moorhead's shop, gill family, gold mines hotel, david chaplin sterry, new chum and victoria mine, p m g repeater station, old chum mine, pioneer, rotary club of bendigo south, north old chum mine, ballerstedt's first open cut, lansell's big 180 mine

Copy and a photocopy of notes titled 'The rich Victoria Hill and its Historical Associations. The photocopy does not have copies of the photos. Notes include Introduction, directions for getting to Victoria Hill, North Old Chum Mine 2310 ft deep, Ballerstedt's First Open Cut, Geographical Features, Lansell's Big 180, Crushing Battery, Lansell's Cleopatra Needle type chimney, Victoria Quartz Mine 4613 ft deep, Victoria Reef Quartz Company, Victoria Quartz Company, Victoria Quartz Dams, Rae's Open Cut, Quartz Roasting, Floyd's small 5 Head Crushing Battery, Great Central Victoria (Midway) Shaft, Ballerstedt's Small 24 yard Claim, The Humboldt, The Adventure, The Advance and Luffsman and Sterry's Claim. Copies of photos include: Victoria Hill from Rae's Open Cut, Looking North from Old Chum Hill to the Victoria Hill, the Victoria Quartz Mine and Wm. Rae's Crushing Works.document, gold, victoria hill, the rich victoria hill and its historical associations, j n macartney, quartz miners' arms hotel, ironbark methodist church, john brown knitwear factory, little 180, george lansell, conrad heinz, british and american hotel, victoria reef gold mining company, manchester arms hotel, housing commission homes, the ironbark, hercules and energetic, midway, wittscheibe, great central victoria, wm rae, mr & mrs conroy, moorhead's shop, central nell gwynne, gold mines hotel, david chaplin sterry, new chum & victoria, old chum, burrowes & sterry, rotary club of bendigo south, big 180, north old chum mine, ballerstedt's first open-cut, lansell's bit 180 shaft, victoria quartz mine, victoria reef quartz company, a roberts & sons, mr e j dunn, h harkness & sons, new chum drainage scheme, eureka extended, new chum railway, the pearl, inrush of water, shamrock, shenandoah, victoria quartz dams, rae's open cut, floyd's small 5 head crushing battery, great central victoria (midway) shaft, midway no 2, midway north, the humboldt, the adventure, the advance, luffsman & sterry's claim, chinese joss house, fortuna, p m g repeater station, bendigo and vicinity 1895, j n macartney 1st edition 1871, mr rae anderson, 'gill family, annals of bendigo obituary notices 1904, mining records and australian mining standard special edition 1/6/1899, bendigo advertiser 22/6/1871, b m l records mines department, patterson's goldfields of victoria, dickers mining record 23/11/1861, annals of bendigo, bendigo advertiser 24/7/1933, 27/8/1908, 30/6/1910, 16/6/1910, 17/6/1910, mining reports for 1910, australian mining standard special edition 1/6/1899 p40, bendigo mines ltd, mines department records, the bendigo goldfield 1851 to 1954, the victoria hill 1854 to 1949, wm rae's crushing works

Two typed copies of notes titled 'The Rich Victoria Hill and its Historical Associations'. Notes include notes on travel to Victoria Hill, picture from Rae's Open Cut, signpost for items of interest at Victoria Hill, picture Looking North from Old Chum Hill to the Victoria Hill, picture of the Victoria Quartz Mine and Rae's 35 Hd. Crushing Battery.document, gold, victoria hill, the rich victoria hill and its historical associations, j n macartney, quartz miners' arms hotel, ironbark methodist church, john brown knitwear factory, little 180 mine, conrad heinz, british and american hotel, victoria reef gold mining company, manchester arms hotel, housing commission homes, bendigo and vicinity 1895, bendigo advertiser, victoria hill from rae's open cut, nell gwynne poppet legs, robert wallace studios, ironbark 9victoria reef gold mines) hercules and energetic, midway, wittscheibe, great central victoria, william rae's home, mr and mrs conroy, william rae junior, moorhead's shop, gill family, gold mines hotel, david chaplin sterry, john brown knitwear factory, mr rae anderson, annals of bendigo, new chum and victoria, old chum, pioneer, burrowes and sterry's, new chum and victoria tribute, rotary club of bendigo south, big 180, victoria quartz mines, north old chum mine, ballerstedt's first open-cut, j n macartney bendigo goldfields registry 1871, b m l records mines department, john wybrandt, j c t christopher ballerstedt, theodore ballerstedt, from old chum to the victoria hill, george lansell, lansell's 'cleopatra needle' type chimney, 222 mine, sandhurst mine, a roberts & sons, australian mining standard special edition 1/6/1899, dickers mining record 23/11/1861, mr e j dunn, h harkness & sons, new chum drainage scheme, eureka extd, new chum railway, pearl, shamrock, shenandoah, new chum railway, floyd's small 5 head crushing battery, midway no 2, midway north, ballerstedt's small 24 yard claim, the humboldt, the adventure, luffsman and sterry's claim, chinese joss house, lansell's fortuna, p m g repeater station, a richardson, the bendigo goldfield 1851 to 1954, the victoria hill 1854 to 1949

The Orungal was originally built in Glasgow in 1923 for the Khedival Mail Steamship & Graving Dock Company of Egypt and named the S.S. Fezara. Due to the effects on steamship companies of the Great Depression including the steep costs of building new ships and increases in running costs and port charges, no new passenger ships had been ordered in Australia since before World War One. To meet demand for passenger berths, the Fezara (5826 tons) along with its sister ship the Famaka (5856 tons, renamed Ormiston), were chartered by the Australasian United Steam Navigation Company Ltd (A.U.S.N.Co.) in 1927. Both the A.U.S.N.Co and the Khedival Mail Steamship Co. were part of the P&O Group. The Orungal operated in this role as an interstate passenger and mail steamer between 1927 and 1940, being used mainly on the Melbourne to Queensland and Western Australian runs, with 240 single class berths. Following the outbreak of World War Two six of the nine large passenger liners servicing mainland Australian passenger and mail trades were requisitioned by the Government to ferry equipment, troops and supplies. Some of them were converted to armed merchant cruisers and used for patrol work and escort duties in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The Orungal had originally been requisitioned by the government along with the Zealandia on 25 June 1940, to transport troops to Darwin, but was returned to commercial service because "of her unsuitability", perhaps too slow for the demands of the work. Despite being rejected for patrol and convoy duties the Orungal still had a vital role as one of only three passenger liners left to service the mainland Australian trade. Following its requisitioning by the Government shortly after war broke out, it had been fitted out with defensive armament. On its final voyage arriving at Port Phillip Heads from Sydney, Captain Gilling was attempting to enter the Heads ahead of a worsening south-westerly storm and, with a minefield known to have been laid in the area, had been warned by the Navy not to deviate from the swept channel. The captain and crew held fears that in the stormy seas a mine may have been carried away. In the worsening weather a blur of lights at Barwon Heads was mistaken for Port Lonsdale, and the Orungal steamed ashore onto Formby Reef, just east of the entrance of the Barwon River - instead of passing safely through the middle of the Rip. At the Marine Board Inquiry Capt. Gilling - who had been master of the Orungal since 1926 - stated that after becoming uneasy about his position and changing course to starboard one point: " At 10.21 pm I ordered the engine room to stand by and gave instructions for the patent log to be hauled in and for the sounding-gear to be got ready. Approximately two minutes later, in a flash of lightning, I saw land off the port beam. I immediately recognised it as Barwon Heads, and ordered the helm to be put hard to starboard, but the vessel struck before she had time to answer the helm" Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove residents were startled to hear the shrill blast of the ship's whistle, followed by the bright flares and explosions of signal rockets. The Queenscliff lifeboat crew, who had responded to the tragic collision between the Goorangai and another passenger liner the Duntroon in Port Phillip Bay less than 24 hours earlier, were later praised for their efforts in safely taking off all the passengers and crew. Most of the passengers were asleep at the time of the wreck, and were woken up by the commotion, the ship shaking "from stem to stern" and stewards ordering them to lifeboat stations in driving rain. It was a dramatic time with the ship siren wailing and distress rockets being fired. It was reported that "When it was found the ship was safe, the passengers all went to the music room. There they sang and danced for several hours. The ship's orchestra played merrily, and amateur performers among the passengers clowned, danced and sang to keep the laughter going. In the early hours of the morning passengers went to their cabins, most of them to sleep soundly while the keel grated on the rocks". At dawn the Queenscliff lifeboat arrived at the scene having been launched at 2.30am, and cautiously approached the ship which was being "battered by mountainous seas". By 5am oil from a burst oil line was helping to calm seas around the Orungal sufficiently enough for the lifeboat to approach, and all the passengers and crew were taken off in several trips by the lifeboat. A Court of Inquiry later found that the wreck was caused by an abnormal set of current to the north-west and cleared the officers and crew of neglect of duty. The sight of a huge liner almost on the beach saw an unprecedented amount of traffic as people drove an estimated 10,000 cars, using some 60,000 gallons of fuel in a time of strict petrol rationing, to see the spectacle. Salvage operations began in an attempt to refloat the vessel, scheduled for the high tide on 15 December 1940. However, during these operations, at 2.30 am on 13 December 1940, a major fire broke out, believed to have been caused by spontaneous combustion in the boiler room. The ship was soon ablaze, with smoke pouring from its hatches and ventilators, and at mid-morning the magazine exploded fiercely. Of the 60 men working aboard the vessel two were severely burned and had to be taken to Geelong Hospital. The gathered spectators witnessed the eerie sight of the ship's hull glowing red when night fell. The well-known building demolition contractor Whelan the Wrecker bought the salvage rights, and methodically proceeded to dismantle the ship and its fittings. The drama was not yet over for the wreckers when - without warning - the burnt-out hulk was 'attacked' by RAAF for strafing practice. Salvage rights were transferred to another private owner in 1963. By 1945 the combined effects of the exposed location, fire and salvage had seen what was left of the wreck disappear beneath the waves. The site today is marked by two of the four Scotch type boilers sitting upright and exposed at low tide, just north-east of the small boats channel at the entrance to Barwon Heads. Large sections of steel hull plating and framing, and impressively large pieces of ships structure and machinery including masts, booms, deck winches, propeller shaft, flywheel, and a thrust block lie scattered about and make the site an interesting shallow dive. It is interesting to compare the site of the Orungal with the intact remains of similar large passenger ships scuttled in deep water in the Ships' Graveyard, such as the Milora and Malaita. The site is subject to waves and surge, and is best dived on flat calm days The teacup originated from the SS Orungal and was likely used heavily in the ship's life as a passenger, mail and cargo carrier around Australia. The teacup is significant for its connections to SS Orungal and of this ships connected story of being sunk in extraordinary circumstances in the local region. A.U.S.N. Co. Ltd. Teacup salvaged from SS Orungal ss orungal, fezara, world war two, barwon heads, ocean grove