N. Geological Reserves

N. GEOLOGICAL RESERVES Geological reserves are areas that contain features of geological interest, and are reserved primarily to preserve these features for the public’s education and enjoyment. Such areas often have recreation, nature conservation, scenic, and landscape values in addition to geological features.

Recommendation

N1 That the area indicated on the map and described below be used to: (a) preserve features of geological interest (b) provide opportunities for recreation and education to the extent that this is consistent with (a) above. and that it be permanently reserved under section 4 of the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978 and be managed by the Department of Crown Lands and Survey.

N1 Devils Kitchen (60 ha) Devils Kitchen is the name given to a natural amphitheatre of high basalt cliffs bordering the Woady Yaloak River at Piggoreet. The amphitheatre has been caused by the river establishing a course through a valley filled with lava flowing from volcanoes active in the late Tertiary. The basalt cliffs contain evidence of a number of separate lava flows that filled the valley. Some flows exhibit hexagonal columns that developed during the cooling process. Alluvial deposits in the former stream-bed (deep leads) were mined from beneath the basalt, and the remains of this venture are still in evidence.

The Devils Kitchen Reserve encompasses public land along the Woady Yaloak River south of the West Piggoreet Pre-emptive Right, including the Recreation and Camping Reserve (Rs 8289), ‘Devils Kitchen’, Quarry Reserve, Recreation Reserve (Rs 8623) and the frontage north of allotment 37G, and public land north of allotments 37D and 37H as well as public land along Springdallah Creek from the trestle bridge to its junction with the Woady Yaloak River, Parish of Clarkesdale. http://www.heritage.vic.gov.au/pages/pdfs/BallaratSouth1to99.pdf

SITE NO. & NAME: 72 Try Again G. M. Co. and Tunnelling parties workings. LOCATION: Piggoreet HI NO: H7622-0380 DIRECTIONS: On the east bank of the Springdallah Creek Valley 700 m south of the intersection of the Happy Valley Road and Golden Lake Road. The shaft is 100 m south of the car park at the end of the road into Devils Kitchen. MUNICIPALITY: Golden Plains LAND STATUS: Freehold/Public Land ______HISTORY: TUNNEL COMPANY, described as being north of the Grand Trunk Protection Company and east of the Alpha Co. TRY AGAIN COMPANY (new name from November 1860) TRY AGAIN GOLD MINING COMPANY NEW TRY AGAIN GOLD MINING COMPANY 09.1859 Work started.1170 07.1860 Confirmed that the Linton and Lucky Woman's Leads pass through this company's claim. 1171 09.1860 Have driven several hundred feet but have not yet found the gutter; they may be too high judging by the adjoining claim of the Cleft in the Rock Co.1172 11.1860 Have encountered trap rock abreast of their drive after driving for 900 feet; about 60 feet above their drive is a reef which will pay about 0.5 oz per ton; this reef was found in the Italians tunnel. The gutter which the Cleft of the Rock Co. found is below their tunnel.1173 12.1860 Abandoned their tunnel after 16 months work and will sink a shaft in Devil's Kitchen at the extremity of their claim so as to avoid 150 feet of basalt rock.1174 03.1861 Shaft is down 80 feet.1175 04.1861 Swamped out at 70 feet.1176 05.1861 Brought a splendid engine.1177 06.1861 Machinery on the ground.1178 07.1861 Steam engine nearly fitted up.1179 08.1861 Nearly completed the erection of their machinery, the largest in the district.1180 09.1861 Shaft down 73 feet; putting in pumps and their machinery will be erected in 3 weeks.1181 11.1861 Sinking.1182 12.1861 Have not started yet.1183 Stopped to await machinery.1184 06.1862 Restarted sinking again in Devils Kitchen.1185 12.1862 Getting 92 oz per week.1186 06.1863 Tunnel in 1250 feet; shaft down 250 feet, 7 feet 6 inches by 3 feet 3 inches for the first 150 feet, 9 feet by 4 feet for the remaining 50 feet; machinery includes 20 inch by 36 inch steam

1170Dickers Mining Record, p. 145, in P.Milner, TR-93/16. 1171Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.663 1172Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.668 1173Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.670 1174Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.673 1175Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.688 1176Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.692 1177Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.694 1178Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.698 1179Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.700 1180Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.702 1181Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.705 1182Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.711 1183Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.717 1184Robertson, 1927, p. 5 1185Robertson, 1927, p. 6 1186Robertson, 1927, p. 6 engine for winding and puddling, boiler measuring 32 feet 6 inches by 6 feet 6 inches, puddling machine with cast iron bottom and wrought iron sides, 12.5 inch draw-lift, trucks, and cages.1187 07.1863 Yield of nearly 80 oz per week.1188 10.1863 Unable to puddle for 3 weeks while machinery repaired.1189 02.1864 Using two winding shafts, 2 puddling machines, Round's patent chains, and 15 inch gauge tramway in all drives which is laid with 15 pound rail.1190 03.1864 Improving after being indifferent for several weeks.1191 06.1864 Getting excellent wash-dirt.1192 09.1864 Has great fluctuations and is at a low point at the moment.1193 12.1864 Dividend of about £4 per man per week.1194 1864 Gave good returns throughout the year.1195 03.1865 One of the major mines in the Springdallah locality.1196 06.1865 Yield of 171 oz for a week recently and should be able to maintain this yield.1197 08.08.1865 Three compartment shaft is 7 feet 6 inches by 3 feet 6 inches clear and is down 190 feet; equipment includes a 22 inch by 42 inch steam engine for pumping, winding and puddling, a Cornish boiler: 32 feet 6 inches by 6 feet, a 12.5 inch draw-lift, 2 puddling machines with cast iron bottoms and wrought iron sides, 16 feet in diameter by 2 feet 4 inches high, a 4 foot by 2 foot amalgamating barrel; the puddling machines and amalgamating barrel are belt driven from the steam engine; a quicksilver cradle is used to finish sand from the amalgamating barrel; a Round's patent flat chains, cages; a 14.25 inch cylinder steam engine is being made by Wright of Melbourne for winding.1198 09.1865 Getting excellent returns.1199 17.10.1865 Three days delay due to bursting of blow-off pipe; a 14.25 inch cylinder steam engine for winding purchased from William Wright in Melbourne for £260, which is £60 less than the imported one of the same size; the boiler is 25 feet by 5 feet 6 inches with angle iron stay around flue, it was supplied by J. Birrell Lands for £227 sterling; a third puddling machine was erected for £212 10s; contract let to extend building over third machine and erect a tank, 12 feet by 12 feet by 6 feet, for £74 15s.1200 14.11.1865 Erecting new machinery.1201 12.1865 One of the best paying claims.1202 1865 Continued to give good returns, 90 ounces per week giving 7s 6d per share weekly dividend; shares were selling at £40.1203 02.01.1866 Repairing and overhauling machinery; pumping water out of mine for an early resumption.1204 03.1866 Paying well and have a large extent of ground in their claim.1205 29.05.1866 To stop in a fortnight to clean boiler and install kick ups to do away with doors on trucks.1206 06.1866 Yield last week of 164.5 oz; have struck the Smythesdale Lead in their claim and so have access to this and the Happy Valley Lead.1207

1187Dickers Mining Record, p. 145, in P.Milner, TR-93/16. 1188Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.724 1189Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.725 1190Dickers Mining Record, p.28, in P.Milner, TR-93/16. 1191Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.728 1192Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.729 1193Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.732 1194Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.734 1195Robertson, 1927, p. 6 1196Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.738 1197Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.740 1198Dickers Mining Record, p..25, in P.Milner, TR-93/16. 1199Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.743 1200Dickers Mining Record, p. 229, in P.Milner, TR-93/16. 1201Dickers Mining Record, p. 306, in P.Milner, TR-93/16. 1202Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.745 1203Robertson, 1927, p. 7 1204Robertson, 1927, p.5 1205Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.747 1206Dickers Mining Record, p. 353, in P.Milner, TR-93/16. 24.07.1866 3 days lost spent in cleaning the boiler; 44,052 trucks of wash dirt raised for the quarter.1208 09.1866 Yield for the week was 103 oz 12 dwt.1209 06.1867 Paying regular dividends.1210 26.07.1867 Mine flooded due to stoppage of the Atlas and other mines adjoining; eventually baled out with two tanks. Incline put in to allow horses to bring wash dirt out of large crab hole; 33,857 trucks of wash dirt raised for the quarter.1211 09.1867 Resumed work after several weeks of constant baling along the lead by all mines in the district.1212 16.10.1867 47,000 trucks of wash dirt raised between 7 July and 28 September.1213 12.1867 Yield for the quarter 2395 oz 13 dwt 13 gr.1214 03.1868 Yield for the quarter 2575 oz 17 dwt 12 gr.1215 25.04.1868 50,774 trucks of wash dirt raised for the quarter; 24 hours lost in cleaning the boiler; 12 hours lost due to breakage of pump rods and 12 through breakage of the piston cover of the winding engine.1216 06.1868 Will be worked out in a week; yield for the quarter 1422 oz. 1217 08.1868 Plant and machinery sold at auction for £746.1218 (new company) 01.1870 Shaft down 220 feet; water light; to fix pumps.1219 06.1871 Yield for the quarter 365 oz 8 dwt.1220 12.1871 Fair show of gold but work is suspended pending purchase of a larger steam engine.1221 1871 Average fortnightly yield for the year was 60 oz. 1222 06.1872 Yield for the quarter 484 oz. 1223 12.1872 Yield for the quarter 320 oz. 1224 1872 Average weekly yield for the year was 25 oz. 1225 03.1873 Yield for the quarter 284 oz 11 dwt.1226 06.1873 Yield for the quarter 287 oz. 57 09.1873 Yield for the quarter 303 oz. 1227 12.1873 Yield for the quarter 257 oz 18 dwt.58 1873 Mining ceased between the Trunk and the Lake mines during this year.1228 1860 to 1873 Recorded production of 27,425 oz (or 853.018 kg).1229 Italians Tunnelling Party, Lucky Woman’s 05.07.1862 Getting first rate dividends, as much as £100 per week.1230 CAMPAGLI BROTHERS,

1207Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.749 1208Dickers Mining Record, p.51, in P.Milner, TR-93/16. 1209Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.751 1210Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.757 1211Dickers Mining Record, p.24, in P.Milner, TR-93/16. 1212Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.758 1213Dickers Mining Record, p. 140, in P.Milner, TR-93/16. 1214Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.759 1215Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.760 1216Dickers Mining Record, p. 151, in P.Milner, TR-93/16. 1217Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.760 1218Dickers Mining Record, p.33, in P.Milner, TR-93/16. 1219Dickers Mining Record, p. 147, in P.Milner, TR-93/16. 1220Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.772 1221Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.773 1222Robertson, 1927, p.9 1223Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.775 1224Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.776 1225Robertson, 1927, p.10 1226Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.777 1227Mining Surveyors and Registrars Reports, Smythesdale Division, in P. Milner, TR 86/4, p.778 1228Robertson, 1927, p.10 1229GEDIS Ballarat Mine Data, October 1993. 1230Ballarat Star, p.3 c.2 N. D. Worked on conglomerate; it was mined and left out in the open to weather; the party had a tunnel which went through the wall of the Kitchen; some of this conglomerate is on the surface on the east side of the Springdallah Creek valley.1231 ______

DESCRIPTION OF PHYSICAL REMAINS: There is a concentration of workings running north south in the east wall and flood plain of the Springdallah Creek. These workings extend along a length of approximately 600 m along the valley. Starting from the northern end there are approximately 15 adits into the wall of the creek valley. Only two are open and even then the openings are very small. Several could only be identified by the presence of mullock heaps and these heaps may even have been a second heap from an adit a little higher up. The adits are between 5 and 20 m apart. The area has been grazed for many years and many features associated with mining have been worn away. There is a section of collapsing stone wall below the northern end of these workings, and what may have been the formation of a road. This group of workings extends over a distance of 200 to 300 m. On the river flat below the adits at the southern end of these workings there are some small mounds of quartz wash between 3 and 5 m in diameter and approximately 1 m high. A little further west between the mounds of quartz wash and the creek there are between 10 and 20 shallow sinkings. South of the adit workings described, for a further 100 m the creek valley wall is eroded away in a group of gutters which may have been caused by another set of adit workings, although it appears that there has been some sluicing or washing of material at this site. There are some large conglomerate rocks on the surface here as well as a few pillars of ground that contain wash dirt. On the creek flats below the valley walls near these workings are the remains of a stone walled building 6 m long by 3m wide. A few sections of the lower parts of some wall still remain, as well as a scatter of basalt rocks.

There is a badly corroded wrought iron ore truck near this structure. Approximately 50 m further south the formation of a track runs up and across the slope in a northerly direction before turning and completing the climb up the slope in a southerly direction. On the southern side of the track formation at the base of the valley wall the largest and most open adit in this area has been driven into the valley wall. The cutting leading into the adit is 15 to 20 m long and the mullock heap at the end of the cutting is 10 m long spreading out to be 10 m wide at its base.

This is an interesting collection of workings and may be one of the largest concentrations of adits in this mining district, the landscape is impressive and open. It is not hidden by any tree cover.

Further work is required to determine which companies put in the adits. The Try Again is likely to have been responsible for the large one near the track, but their main working was from a shaft located within Devil's Kitchen.

The only feature at the Try Again Co. shaft sunk in 1861/2 within Devils Kitchen is a heap containing a mixture of mullock and quartz wash. The focal point of the heap appears to have been in the river, but there is no sign of the shaft. The heap has two fingers arranged at right angles, with one running west from their junction and one running south. Each of the fingers is 35 m long by 20 m wide and up to 4 m high. Although the heap is the only feature at this site, its association with the other features both inside and outside Devils Kitchen gives it some importance.

INTEGRITY/CONDITION: Individually the adits are not all in good condition. However the concentration is unusual and creates an interesting mining landscape.

SIGNIFICANCE RANKING: Site Listed Heritage Inventory ______ASSESSED BY RAY SUPPLE 1998.

1231J.Leaske, Personal communication, 10 December 1993.