Historical information

The modern mine is accessed via the Swan Decline, which commences at the Kangaroo Flat site on the southern outskirts of Bendigo and progresses in a north easterly direction between the Deborah and Sheepshead anticlines, reaching a depth of almost 1000 m below the City of Bendigo. Development of this decline commenced in 1998.
Swan Decline closed and history preserved
In a major rehabilitation milestone at Kangaroo Flat, the Swan Decline Bendigo’s primary gateway to underground mining, was permanently closed in December 2022. Important parts of Bendigo’s gold rush history were also preserved from the onsite office buildings with 19 boxes of records, and 1350 old photos being scanned and provided to the local historical societies and the Goldfields Library Corporation.

A volunteer from the Bendigo Historical Society, Kay MacGregor, also scanned approximately 40 bookshelves of newspaper clippings to assist with recording and preserving geological drilling locations.

Physical description

Black and white photocopies of photographs of Swan Decline, showing some stages of underground construction. Eleven images on 3 pages, dated 16/4/2000 (10 a.m.) show decline walls, rock bolts and markout of tunnel shape. One image shows a utility in the tunnel. Final three images on one page, have notations on the photos: 'opposite SP18 LHS decline', 'just up from previous 3 box positions' and 'just up from tank, same side' On bottom RH side 'spots for scale attention, IT required, all lower decline.' All three images dated 12/6/2000.