User:Billingd/Gold rush diversions

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This page is to track work on Victorian gold rush river diversions[1]. "Where an auriferous river or creek formed a peninsula, it was common for alluvial miners to cut a tunnel or an open channel through the isthmus, at a level to divert the water course and lay bare the goldbearing gravels of the steam bed.'[2]

Literature

The key references are the Victorian Heritage Register and reports from 1998-1999 of the Victorian Goldfields Project. [3] [2] [4] [5] [6]

There are also local history books, which are often privately printed and difficult to obtain. [7] [8]

Many of the tunnels are considered tourist attractions, and are included in bush walks or scenic drives. When the tunnel site is in an area controlled by Parks Victoria, the park notes usually provide maps and descriptions. These are not listed here, but are referenced on the individual tunnel pages.

There should be references to diversion tunnels in gold rush era literature, encylopedias, etc.

Research

According to the Victorian Goldfields Project[2]

"Some thirteen such diversions have been recorded in Victoria, including the New Adventure tunnel, Omeo; Tunnel bend diversion, Gaffneys Creek; Thomson River tunnel, Platina; Jericho tunnel, Jordan River; Goulburn River tunnel, Flourbag Creek; Gibbo River tunnel, Benambra; Houghtons or McKoys Flat tunnel, Nicholson River; Big Peninsula tunnel, Upper Yarra; Blow Holes tunnel, Daylesford; Lerderderg tunnel, Blackwood; Evelyn tunnel, Pound Bend, Warrandyte; Delegate River tunnel, Bendoc; and Harrison’s Cut, Dargo. Historical information has been found about only six of these diversions. In all cases, European miners and rangers constructed the diversions dating from 1868 to 1889."

This is not necessarily correct, as the Thomson River Diversion Tunnel was dug in 1912.

Known tunnels

So we need to identify and document:

The above list isn't complete, as we have

Aberfeldy River tunnel

An Aberfeldy River tunnel is mentioned in a bushwalking club trip report[9]. This walk started from Beardmore (VICNAMES 37°49′45″S 146°25′6″E / 37.82917°S 146.41833°E / -37.82917; 146.41833 (Beardmore)) and progressed along the Low Saddle Track to Low Saddle 37°51′56″S 146°24′42″E / 37.86556°S 146.41167°E / -37.86556; 146.41167 (Low Saddle). The tunnel location is probably close to 37°52′7″S 146°25′5″E / 37.86861°S 146.41806°E / -37.86861; 146.41806 (Aberfeldy diversion tunnel)

Gibbo River tunnel

The Victorian Goldfields Project[2] mentions a Gibbo River tunnel near Benambra. There is no mention in the Gippsland[3] volume and I couldn't find it in the Victorian Heritage Database.

Goulburn River tunnel

The Victorian Goldfields Project[2] mentions both Tunnel bend diversion, Gaffneys Creek and Goulburn River tunnel, Flourbag Creek. Most likely these both refer to the Tunnel Bend diversion tunnel on the Goulburn River.

Work within wikipedia

Need to look at the cross-linking of articles, as some of the alluvial mining articles, such as Placer mining have a US focus.

References

  1. ^ Diversions, eGold Electronic Encyclopedia of Gold in Australia, retrieved 2010-09-15
  2. ^ a b c d e "Historic Gold Mining Sites in Hepburn Mining Division, Report on Cultural Heritage", Victorian Goldfields Project, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, April 1999, archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-03-08
  3. ^ a b "Historic Gold Mining Sites in Gippsland Mining Division, Gazetteer: State & Regional Significant Sites", Victorian Goldfields Project, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, February 1998, archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-03-08
  4. ^ "Historic Gold Mining Sites in the South West Region of Victoria, Report on Cultural Heritage", Victorian Goldfields Project, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, August 1999, archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-03-08
  5. ^ "Historic Gold Mining Sites in the St Andrews Mining Division", Victorian Goldfields Project, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, July 1999, archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-03-08
  6. ^ "Historic Gold Mining Sites in the North East Region of Victoria, Gazetteer: State & Regional Significant Sites", Victorian Goldfields Project, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, July 1999, archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-03-08
  7. ISBN 0-646-20674-5
    .
  8. ISBN 9781-875329-96-0
    .
  9. ^ a b Aberfeldy River Diversion Tunnel trip, Strzelecki Bushwalking Club, 2005-04-30, archived from the original on 2009-10-29, retrieved 2010-09-13

Category: Victoria (state) gold rush river diversions

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