Historical information
Suggested reading - David Mitchell, A Forfar Man - Pamela Vestey. (National Library of Australia ISBN No. 0646104977 Second edition - 1996.
Physical description
A discussion paper by Murray Houghton, Warrandyte Historical Society, on the excavation of Pound Bend tunnel and examination of information sources suggesting David Mitchell's association with gold mining at Warrandyte.
Inscriptions & markings
" ... Just what then was Mitchell's actual association with mining in the Anderson's Creek goldfield?
As an initial means to determining this, a number of biographies devoted to the man's lifetime
achievements have been consulted. Some two of these were found to contain rather brief references
to his involvement at Warrandyte. In the 1992 booklet entitled "David Mitchell a Forfar Man" written
by a Mitchell family member, viz., Pamela, Lady Vestey, of Coombe Cottage, there is included a
passge which commences "Another of David Mitchell's early interests was gold mining". This is
appended by the bald statement "In 1870 he formed the Evelyn Tunnel Gold-Mining Company with a
capital of £16,000." The other account of a Mitchell involvement with an unnamed Warrandyte
company is contained in Joan Campbell's 1974 biographical article entitled, "Mitchell, David (1829-
1916) builder, contractor and businessman, etc.", in Volume 5 of the "Australian Dictionary of
Biogaraphy". Campbell mentions that "In 1890 (sic) Mitchell formed a company to mine a channel and
tunnel on the Yarra River at Pound Bend, Warrandyte," i.e., at a period some 18 or so years after it is
known that the Evelyn Tunnel Gold-Mining Company had actually ceased operations. She then
continues with the bizarre statement that "he employed gangs of Chinese to work three miles of river
bed for gold". Neither of these respective excerpts indicate evidence of having been directly
referenced from a legitimate original source, from which either author's contained comments might be
authenticated. For any historian with an enquiring mind these statements demand further
clarification. ..." - Murray Houghton
