Historical information
The Powder Magazine at Beechworth was built in 1859 with the stone boundary walls completed the following year. The building was used to store large amounts of gunpowder for the surrounding mining and quarrying industries. It was closed in 1918 and was left to deteriorate over the following decades.
During the depression, people would camp in the deteriorating building so the council had the roof removed. The roof and the building were restored between 1963-1966 by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and is now structurally sound and open to the public.
Significance
These photographs are significant as they depict a building that is historically significant with the history of gold mining in the area, demonstrating the features of the buildings being designed for the safe storage of black powder.
Physical description
Black and white rectangular photographs printed on paper
Inscriptions & markings
1. Reverse
BMM 8666.1
2. Reverse
Photo/
Noel C Elliston/
Wangaratta/
BMM 8666.2
3. Reverse
Photo The Age (not used)/
13777/
S/S 4 1/16"/
133 Screen/
Copyright stamp/
BMM 8666.3
4. Reverse
Roof has been removed/
BMM 8666.4
5. Reverse
Photo by F Strahan Parkville/
(unknown writing), 1965/
Reduce to 5 5/8 wide/
133 Screen 13777/
BMM 8666.5
6. Reverse
BMM 8666.6/
Replacing roof 1965
7. Obverse
Powder magazine/
proposed to be built/
at Portland
7. Reverse
Enlarge to 4"/
2 H T Blocks/
133 Screen 13955/
Melb University Press/
BMM 8666.7
Subjects
References
- Victorian Heritage Database Descriptive summary and statement of significance for the Powder Magazine
- Victorian Heritage Database Contains statement of significance for the Powder Magazine - Beechworth Historic Area
