The photograph depicts two young men standing atop a prominent outcrop at Lake Sambell, with buildings visible on the further shore. 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 population. Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper. Obverse: nil. Reverse: 3471 / Velox (paper mark)beechworth, beechworth lake, lake sambell, l.h. sambell, mcconvill, rocky mountain mining company, rocky mountain mining co, minister of lands, forward beechworth committee, wallace park-lake sambell development scheme, wallace park lake sambell development scheme, lake, sambell, j. mcconvill, recreation, reserve, park, transformation, repurposed, redeveloped

The photograph depicts a view across the water at Lake Sambell. The image dates from approximately 1960. 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. Residents of Beechworth have worked to raise funds to improve the Lake Sambell reserve several times, such as efforts in the 1930s and 1940s to raise the banks several feet to deepen the water for swimming purposes. Fundraising campaigns include the ‘Ugly Man’ competition conducted on behalf of the Wallace Park-Lake Sambell Development Scheme. The latter competition was run by the Fire Brigade Bend’s team as part of a larger competition called the ‘Mile of Pennies’; it was won by Mr Len Knight of Beechworth’s Commercial Hotel. The ‘Mile of Pennies’ was conducted at a Carnival held on New Year’s Eve, 1947. It was proposed by the Beechworth and District Progress Association. As well as improving swimming facilities, funds were raised to install a caravan park facility near the lake. Funds were also donated by commercial entities, such as £250 received from Zwar Bros. Pty Ltd. The photograph is significant as it shows the level of development of Beechworth in the early to mid-Twentieth Century. Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paperObverse: nil. Reverse: 3470 / Velox (paper mark)beechworth, beechworth lake, lake sambell, lake, beechworth and district progress association, forward beechworth committee, ugly man, mile of pennies, wallace park lake sambell development scheme, wallace park-lake sambell development scheme, zwar bros, zwar, l.h. sambell, j. mcconvill, minister of lands, commercial hotel, len knight, rocky mountain mining company, rocky mountain mining co, gold rush, redevelopment, transformation, community fundraising

The photographs in this set depict views across the water at Lake Sambell. The images date from approximately 1960. 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-19th 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. Residents of Beechworth have worked to raise funds to improve the Lake Sambell reserve several times, such as efforts in the 1930s and 1940s to raise the banks several feet to deepen the water for swimming purposes. Fundraising campaigns include the ‘Ugly Man’ competition conducted on behalf of the Wallace Park-Lake Sambell Development Scheme. The latter competition was run by the Fire Brigade Bend’s team as part of a larger competition called the ‘Mile of Pennies’; it was won by Mr Len Knight of Beechworth’s Commercial Hotel. The ‘Mile of Pennies’ was conducted at a Carnival held on New Year’s Eve, 1947. It was proposed by the Beechworth and District Progress Association. As well as improving swimming facilities, funds were raised to install a caravan park facility near the lake. Funds were also donated by commercial entities, such as £250 received from Zwar Bros. Pty Ltd.The photographs are significant as they show the level of development in Beechworth in the middle of the Twentieth Century. Four sepia and black and white rectangular photographs printed on matte photographic paper. 3469.1: Obverse: nil Reverse: 3469-1 3469.2: Obverse: nil Reverse: 3469-2 3469.3: Obverse: nil Reverse: 3469-3 3469.4: Obverse: nil Reverse: 3469-4beechworth, beechworth lake, lake sambell, lake, beechworth and district progress association, forward beechworth committee, ugly man, mile of pennies, wallace park lake sambell development scheme, wallace park-lake sambell development scheme, zwar bros, zwar, l.h. sambell, j. mcconvill, minister of lands, commercial hotel, len knight, rocky mountain mining company, rocky mountain mining co, gold rush, redevelopment, transformation, community fundraising

The photograph depicts a view across the water at Lake Sambell. The image is thought to date from the 1960s so may show the lake during a period of drought, such as that experienced across South-Eastern Australia in 1967. 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. Residents of Beechworth have worked to raise funds to improve the Lake Sambell reserve several times, such as efforts in the 1930s and 1940s to raise the banks several feet to deepen the water for swimming purposes. Fundraising campaigns include the ‘Ugly Man’ competition conducted on behalf of the Wallace Park-Lake Sambell Development Scheme. The latter competition was run by the Fire Brigade Bend’s team as part of a larger competition called the ‘Mile of Pennies’; it was won by Mr Len Knight of Beechworth’s Commercial Hotel. The ‘Mile of Pennies’ was conducted at a Carnival held on New Year’s Eve, 1947. It was proposed by the Beechworth and District Progress Association. As well as improving swimming facilities, funds were raised to install a caravan park facility near the lake. Funds were also donated by commercial entities, such as £250 received from Zwar Bros. Pty Ltd.The photograph is significant as it shows Lake Sambell at lower water levels, such as may have been experienced during period of drought.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paperObverse: nil Reverse: 3470beechworth, beechworth lake, lake sambell, lake, beechworth and district progress association, forward beechworth committee, ugly man, mile of pennies, wallace park lake sambell development scheme, wallace park-lake sambell development scheme, zwar bros, zwar, l.h. sambell, j. mcconvill, minister of lands, commercial hotel, len knight, rocky mountain mining company, rocky mountain mining co, gold rush, redevelopment, transformation, community fundraising, drought, 1967, 1960s