Historical information

This miner’s pick was of the type used to extract limestone at the Warrnambool limestone quarries, mainly for buildings and walls. This pick cut the sides and the top of the block and then it was levered off with a crowbar at an angle of about 30° to 40°. These blocks were then reduced to the required size using cross cut saws. There were about 12 limestone quarries operating in Warrnambool in the 19th century and limestone was extensively quarried for about 85 years to the 1930s when quarrying ceased. Today there has been a small revival in the Warrnambool area in the use of limestone blocks for building. Warrnambool also once had several bluestone quarries on the outskirts of the town.

Physical description

This miner’s pick has a wooden handle with rounded sides tapering to a wider end. The wood is weather-worn and split in places, especially at the top end. The pick is metal with a curved shape that tapers to a point at one end. The metal near the other end has a cavity into which is inserted the wider end of the wooden handle.