Gold was discovered in Victoria c1850 and people came from all over the world to seek their fortune at Ballarat and Bendigo and surrounding gold fields. This large wooden rocking- box or cradle was used by gold prospectors. A handle on the rocker is pushed back and forth, as the miner put gravel into the top part and finer and heavier particles dropped through a screen, helped along by buckets of water. The bottom part of the device had slats, that caught the heavier metals. After many shovel loads of gravel were pushed through the rocker, the miner would then use his gold pan to sort out the heavy minerals to find gold. Most of the pioneer settlers in Moorabbin Shire left the area to try their luck at gold mining and there was a desperate shortage of workers to maintain the market gardens and supply food to the ever increasing population of Melbourne.This gold prospector's 'cradle' is hand made and typical of those used by many hopeful Moorabbin Shire pioneers as they abandoned their market gardens to try their luck at finding gold in the Ballarat and Bendigo minefields c1850This gold miner's rocker is very old, and very well-used. It is a large wooden rocking- box or cradle used by gold prospectors. A handle on the rocker is pushed back and forth, as gravel is put in the top part of the box so that finer and heavier particles drop through a screen.. The bottom part of the device had slats, that caught the heavier metals. i.e gold particles. The water passed through the shute at the base back into the creek or river.moorabbin, brighton, market gardens, pioneers, early settlers, fruit, vegetable, ballarat, bendigo, gold mining, gold prospedtors, gold rush, were j. b., irish immigrants, chinese immigrants, gold panning, gold digger

The Prospector's Guide is the successor of the miners Handbook published in 1854. Compiled for the Department of Mines Victoria.Yellow Card cover with logo and black printLogo of Department of MInes Victoria. Prospector's guide 1970 Ninth Edition. Department of Mines, Victoriastawell gold

A digital copy of an early black and white photograph of George Locke, Andrew Kirwan and William Chester who were local gold prospectors.A digital copy of an early black and white photograph of George Locke, Andrew Kirwan and William Chester who were local gold prospectors. William Chester and George Locke opened Chester and Locke's Golden Secret Gold Mining Company (N.L.), which was situated on the Yarra Track, Wood's Point, in the Upper Yarra district of Victoria.george locke, andrew kirwan, william chester, chester & locke's golden secret mining company, yarra track, upper yarra district, gold mine

BHS CollectionDiggers & Mining. Diggers and miners. All of the important diggings of the gold era passed through certain distinct stages. First there was a rich find by prospectors. Photo show prospectors checking their panning. ''Prospectors''. Markings: 17 994:LIF I. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

PROSPECTOR'S GUIDE 1958 FOURTH EDITION. Produced by Department of Mines, Victoria. Hard cloth covered bookDept. of Minesgold, prospecting guide, gold, gold mining, prospecting, victoria.

Miner's pick, badly rusted iron in poor condition, no handle. Pick was found in the Whipstick bushland by a gold prospector.bendigo, mining, pick

Department of Mines - Prospectors Guide (Victoria), Third Edition, 1936. Booklet has a brown coloured cover with a cost of 1/-, (one shilling). Marked 'Free Copy'Department of Mines H. J. Green Government Printer.victoria, history, gold mining, geology, and gold pros, gold mining, geology, and gold prospecting.

A Fourth Edition Prospectors' Guide by the Department of Mines, Victoria detailing the location and properties of minerals within the many mines of Victoria, including Bendigo and many smaller towns in 1958.victorian department of mines, prospecting

RAILWAYS COLLECTION The Australian Gold Prospector's Handbook by Barclay Smith Publications. Glossy cardboard cover in black, gold and white 1968 edition - small book with 64 pages with several sketches.Barclay Smith Publicationsbook, gold prospector

Diggers and miners. Diggers and Miners. (Trutt) Digger's tent and equipment. But the digger worked with the primitive implements of the prospector; . . . Photo shows miners and their tent and equipment. Markings: 6 994.5 WAL. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Hints to Prospectors and Owners of Treatment Plants. Notes on how to recover and clean gold, cleaning of a cyanide plant, warnings, explanations, disposal of bullion, premium on gold, and commonwealth gold bounty act. Orang cover. 10 pages.australia, notes about treatment plants.

McColl Rankin & Stanistreet, Prospecting and Mining for Uranium in Australia. Book soft cover. Published by Australian Atomic Energy Commission and Department of National Development. Notes for the guidance of prospectors. Photographs, charts and diagrams. Date: September 1954.organization, mining, mining, uranium, mccoll rankin & stanistreet, prospecting and mining for uranium in australia 1954 australia atomic energy commission and department of national development prospectors

Diggers & Mining. Diggers and miners. Walhalla - Gold Town. Log cabins such as this one were often built by the prospectors. Photo shows log cabin in bush surroundings. Markings: 10 995 WAL. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Found at Dreamers Hill Road by Geelong Prospectors Club.6 pieces round lead shot as used in 19th century.ammunition, lead shot

Found at Wet Flat, Linton by Geelong Bottle Prospectors Club.Round Chinese coin with square hole in centre; coin has break in it from the square inside to the outer edge, also damage to the lower edge of the square hole. Coin is believed to date from the 19th century.Chinese symbols on back and front.china, coins, chinese miners

Found at Wet Flat, Linton, by Geelong Bottle Prospectors Club.Round Chinese token with square hole in centre. Chinese symbols on back and front.chinese, tokens

Short handwritten notes on the early history of the New Moon Mine. Mentions shareholders were losing patience. Government came to the rescue by allotting it a sum from the Prospector's Vote otherwise there was no doubt that operations would have entirely ceased.document, gold, new moon mine, early history of the new moon mine, prospector's vote, new argus

Coin found in Happy Valley Crossing area by the Geelong Prospectors' Club.Small coin with square hole in centre, believed to date from 19th century.coins, chinese

Found at old hotel site by Geelong Gold Prospectors Club March 1991.Small green, long-necked bottle.bottles

Found at old hotel site by Geelong Gold Prospectors Club March 1991.Tall, green bottle with lipped, crooked neck.bottles

Getting Gold. Information for the 'Green' prospector trying his hand for the first time. Issued bt y Geo. Brown for the Mines Department, Melbourne. 1935. Brown cover. 42 pages. Name J W Anderson written in pencil on front cover.victoria, history, helpful hints in prospecting

Diggers & Mining. Diggers and miners. Walhalla - Gold Town. In about the year 1860, prospectors discovered rich gold was at Gaffney's Creek and a little later gold-bearing rock was found at Wood's Point. Markings: 7 995 WAL. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

The map outlines the auriferous (gold bearing) areas in Victoria. The information for prospectors was prepared by the Department of Mines in 1894Document: 4 page type written Map: Portion of Victoria divided into Counties of 1891. Auriferous areas with red.Reference section on mapgold, auriferous areas, department of mines, victoria, map of victoria, prospectors, commissioner of crown lands, hon a mclean, alexander black, surveyor general, a mclean

Cottage once stood in the Mafeking area and was owned in the 1920s/1930s by a prospector and timber worker, name unknown.Wooden slab cottage with corrugated iron roof in apparent good condition. Small front yard enclosed in picket fence, bracken in forefront and eocalypt trees at rear.buildings, houses

The handbook was intended for those with little experience who wanted to prospect of fossick.Grey soft covered book of 90 pages. Includes fold out map of a portion of Victoria showing auriferous areas and mineral localities. Also show Counties of Victoria and localities of minerals such as tin, antimony, copper, silver lead, Malybdenite, tungsten ores, manganese, platinum, osmiridium and iron. Chapter heading s include: working alluvial deposits, equipment, geology of Victoria, gold deposits, quartz reefs, indicators, economic minerals, assistance to prospectors, Miners' Right, mining bye-law, mining leases, forest regulations and glossary. Descriptions are given of a god dish, puddling tub, cradle, puddling machine, ground sluicing, boring, windlass, whim, hand dollying, sweeping, California pump, and wing dam.mining, baragwanath, gold, prospector, geology, quartz reefs, alluvial deposits, indicators, victorian goldfields, miners rights, mining leases, forest regulations, sluicing, sluice box, puddling machine, miner's cradle, whim, whip, california pump, gold nuggets, saddle reef, ballarat indicators, state batteries

Diggers & Mining. Diggers and miners. Walhalla - Gold Town. This picture shows some prospectors sinking a shaft at Landy's Dream. Hut on left and mine shaft to the right. In this photo there are still many tall trees around. Markings: 11 995 WAL. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields