We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the place now called Victoria, and all First Peoples living and working on this land. We celebrate the history and contemporary creativity of the world’s oldest living culture and pay respect to Elders — past, present and future.
Please be aware that this website may contain culturally sensitive material — images, voices and information provided by now deceased persons. Content also may include images and film of places that may cause sorrow.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain culturally sensitive material — images, voices and information provided by now deceased persons. Content also may include images and film of places that may cause sorrow.
Some material may contain terms that reflect authors’ views, or those of the period in which the item was written or recorded but may not be considered appropriate today. These views are not necessarily the views of Victorian Collections.
Users of this site should be aware that in many areas of Australia, reproduction of the names and photographs of deceased people is restricted during a period of mourning. The length of this time varies and is determined by the community.
Reuse of any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander material on this site may require cultural clearances. Users are advised to contact the source organisation to discuss appropriate reuse.
Untitled image
Can you reuse this media without permission? No (with exceptions, see below)
All rights reserved
This media item is licensed under "All rights reserved". You cannot share (i.e. copy, distribute, transmit) or rework (i.e. alter, transform, build upon) this item, or use it for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. However, an exception can be made if your intended use meets the "fair dealing" criteria. Uses that meet this criteria include research or study; criticism or review; parody or satire; reporting news; enabling a person with a disability to access material; or professional advice by a lawyer, patent attorney, or trademark attorney.
Please acknowledge the item’s source, creator and title (where known)
Have a question? Contact Parks Victoria - Maldon State Battery
Found next to the stove in the smelt house. Probably used in the gold smelting process.
Cylindrical iron mould, hollow. Four rectangular holes in the walls of the mould, positioned as two sets of opposite holes.
Probably used as part of operating machinery.
Two circular parts with holes in centre to fit onto machine and horseshoes cut out around the edge. 77.1 is much smaller and may be made of leather, whereas 77.2 is rubber and larger.
Unknown use but probably removed from use due to damage to the part.
A pair of circular iron lids concave in shape with three handle like appendages with square holes and a handle on top. The base on the second is thicker and therefore it is a heavier lid
This container would have been used to transport a chemical, but appears to have been repurposed as a bucket for use at the battery complex.
Cylindrical iron bucket with handle, painted yellow with green labelling
"ICI" above two parallel wavy lines within a circle/"alfloi"/"trade mark"/"214" stamped in a rectangle/"Imperial chemical industries"/"of Australia and New Zealand limited"/"1 Nicholson Street, Melbourne"/"Net weight when packed"/"Batch No." /"Tare"/"5 LBS" (same on both sides)
Possibly used to melt substance over the stove in the assay room.
Forged iron oval bowl shaped pot with long hollow cylindrical handles on either side (threaded on one end) and slightly bent.
Used as stampers on crushing machine, possibly discarded because of wear or damage.
Three circular objects. Very heavy weights with protruding cylinder shafts, one is bigger than other 2. With inscription.
.2- "br22, .3- br22", .1- "indecipherable"
Flat belts were widely used in line shafting to transmit power in mining applications. The flat belt is a simple system of power transmission that can deliver high power at high speeds. The belts were used with pulley wheels.
Long canvas belting with frayed edges, wrapped up in coil.
Currently used to store machine parts. Probably used for storage in the past .
Green storage box with compartments and hinged lid, made from wood. Leather and chains attaches lid to the box. It has large wooden handles on either side.
Found in a box possibly used in battery operation.
Two metal wheel shapes joined together by a short shaft. The larger metal wheel has cogs and spokes, the smaller wheel appears to be solid.
Probably used to sift rock or chemicals,
Circular metal piece with a lip around the circumference with 32 handmade holes to form a sieve.It is rusty and battered.
Yes
Used to store tools and other assorted items associated with Maldon State Battery.
.1 storage box with compartments and lid, painted green, made from wood, leather and are chains attatched from box to lid, trapeze shape, .3 grooves on top of box parallel to wooden supports on lid, latch, nails and bolts attatching wood and inner compartments, leather straps on innner lid and inside main compartment for holding tools, main compartment contains torn newspapers, severed cloths, pieces of rock, pipe peices made of metal and plastic, assortment of metal pieces, paint lids, green bucket with grease, food packaging, tap/valve, metal mesh, leather and plastic pieces, 2 keys/padlocks, nails, nuts, assortment of tools, wooden pieces, wooden handle for screwdriver, broken chair, chalk, pieces of ceramic (Bendigo pottery) , pocket handle with inscription, bottle lids, plastic container, rope/belt for machines, piece of belt, broken canvas strap, peices of broken dark brown glazed textured pottery, large circular threaded joins, large elboiw threaded elbow joins .2 upper left compartment containing brush head, sandpaper and assorted rusty metal objects .3 upper middle compartment containing rusty weighing hook, rusty bolt and scrap metal .4 upper right compartment containing broken tan pottery, rusty threaded T join, unknown green paper with inscription .5 lower left compartment containing white cotton waste, assorted circular rusty metal objects, assorted rusty nails and washers, orange lid with insciption, nut and bolt .6 lower left middle compartment containing unknown assorted metal objects, peice of broken clamp and felt .7 lower right middle compartment containing large rusty nuts and unknown rusty metal objects .8 lower right compartment containing assorted threaded rusty circular metal objects, rusty nut and bolt, metal pump part, rusty mobil oil tin 20litres, old newspaper scraps,
The table was used to separate gold from crushed quartz through vibration movement The Phoenix Foundry, part of James Martin and Company, was established by James Martin, MLC, often referred to as the “Father of Gawler”. The Phoenix Foundry was significant, historically, because it formed part of the leading engineering works in the state in the late nineteenth century when Gawler was one of Australia's most important industrial centres. The company was established in 1848 and ceased operation: in1907
Large Phoenix-Weir concentrating table. Rectangular green and pink painted table, inscription on one side with decorative motives, comprises of slatted table top which creates ridges, wooden channel which is bolted on table top, box with holes in base sitting loosely next to channel, table is joined to gear/s which in turn runs belt wheel, gear/s sits on unpainted concrete block, whole table sits on 2 concrete pillars which are raised, table top is tilted on an angle, wooden trough is on lower side of table and sits underneath which is sitting on rusty tins.
"the phoenix-weir jas martin & co/concentrating table sole makers/gawler. S.A"
A Berdan pan was a grinding pan. The circular pan was set at an angle, and as the pan revolved, a heavy iron ball rotated in the lowest point, grinding sand or mineral to a fine powder. It was frequently used to grind impurities out of amalgam (gold in mercury), and to grind batch-lots of heavy mineral. It is also known as a ball mill.
Two strong wooden A frames supporting large iron pivotable bowl with a large iron ball inside the bowl. There are cogs underneath bowl which are connected to rotating belts extending from main battery shaft. The chute attached below the bowl is directed into a circular metal container. The frame is painted green.
This engine turned belts to power battery operation. Used from C 1910-1920, some are parts missing. 'Tangye' had offices in Sydney.The first gas engine, a 1 nominal horsepower two-cycle type, was sold in 1881, and in 1890 the firm commenced manufacture of the four-cycle gas engine. Incorporated as a limited company from 1881, in 1894 they produced their first hot bulb engine.[2] Richard Tangye was knighted in 1894. After the deaths of Richard (1906) and George (1920), with the family owning the majority of shares, their sons entered the business.[2] In 1919, the company started production of large-scale industrial diesel engines, pumps and hydraulic equipment. Engine production was stopped after World War Two.
A Tangye 35HP suction gas engine. (incomplete). Large green cast iron engine sitting on large white concrete block, with inscriptions on both sides. The green engine has 3 outlet/inlet pipes and joins onto one belt wheel; belt wheel joins onto another belt wheel which is sitting on another white concrete block.
"Tangye/patents/birmingham"
This appears to be a discarded belt wheel used in the operation of the battery.
Large wood and metal wheel. There is a section broken off between two of the side bolts,
To protect face from welding or assay operation.
Medium size, rectangular shaped mask. Mask has a small slot for viewing through, framed in metal and with 12 rivets around rim and two rivets to attach a handle at the base of the mask.
Similar to railway platform scales and may have been relocated from the nearby Maldon Railway station. The history of its use at the battery is unknown.
Large cast iron platform scale, white painted base with 2 wheels. The cast iron plate sits on top of a base with an inscription. There is white and green floral decoration on the frame, which is attached to the base. The white decorative stand with tray and weight measure attached has an inscription.
base- "W. & T. Avery Ltd/makers/London &/Birmingham". Platform- "W. & T. Avery Ltd. Weight measure- LB 14 12 10 8 6 4 2"
Used to hang, organise and store tools associated with the operation of the battery or the assay.
Large white painted, rectangular board made of 5 slats, with rusty nails in board and black painted tool mark silhouettes.
Possibly used for battery or assay operation.
"U' shaped steel, forged part, with two circular ends.
Possibly used to hold spare mechanical parts
Small rectangular shaped wooden box, unpainted, broken straps, maybe previously attached to a lid, solid wood on all sides, double base, inscription written on inside of box. Bolts: 6, double washer: 1, washers: 20, bolts: 7, shoulder flat cylinder:1, stake: 1, scrap metal: 7, screws: 2.
Yes
Possibly used in the operation of the battery or assay.
Bucket formed into a sieve. It has 33 holes and a handle and white paint residue.
Located on-site behind the battery. It's use is unknown.
Long rusty iron rod with round handle on one end, 90 degree angle on other.
Victorian Collections acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
