Historical information

The Monument Hill Gold Mine was at the corner of Old Violet Street and Olive Street. It operated until 1947. The shaft was capped, the poppet legs and mullock removed. A house now occupies the site. The Monument Hill Gold mine depth was over 1200 ft. The donor of the photograph is the grandson of Albert Dunstan, and he recalls that 'the mine was fully operational in the 1940's and I was often able to see my Grandfather at work and watched as men stepped into cages to be lowered to their awful occupation'. Donor's great, great grandfather was John Perry Dunstan, a well respected mine manager on the Bendigo goldfield.

Physical description

Two black and white copies of original photograph. Image shows Albert Ernest Dunstan working in the engine room of the Monument Hill Gold Mine, Bendigo. Albert is at the controls of the engine, lowering and raising the mining cage; he is leaning on the support railing around the elevated platform he is standing on. Letter accompanying images describes the donor's family connection to John Perry Dunstan and Albert Ernest Dunstan, he writes that ' the mine was fully operational in the 1940's and I was often able to see my Grandfather at work and watched as men stepped into cages to be lowered to their awful occupation. I was very surprised that today there is a home sitting above what was once a very deep mine'.