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04 August 2025


UNIQUE MINING PURSUITS and SOME FIRSTS in MINING in AUSTRALIA

Some unique mining undertakings by Mining Companies and Speculators, some achieved, some wishful thinking, some should have just stayed at home...

CHAPPELLS AERIAL TRAMWAY - 1873
Believed to be the first structure of its type employed in Australia, it was a part of Chappells battery.

PETERSENS CABLE TRAMWAY - 1873-74
To Service the Mining Companies between Fischer & Beards down to Cock, Dywer and Attwoods on Hawkins Hill.

PROPOSAL TO DRAIN the AQUIFIER under HAWKINS HILL - 1872
By the Gigantic Drainage and Tunnelling Company

ELECTRIC POWER for the HAWKINS HILL FIELD - 1894
Use of water and the fall of Nuggetty Gully to generate power

CLOSURE of MINING OPERATIONS on HAWKINS HILL - 1898-1906
The intention of the closure was to investigate driving a deep tunnel under Hawkins Hill to drain old and current workings. The first notification was for:
Reserve No.691 dtd 1898
and later replaced by:
Reserve No.851, dtd 1902
Under pressure by those who had kept their mining interests on Hawkins Hill during this period the Government relented and revoked Reserve 851 on the 3 October 1906 and mining operations were allowed to resume.

GOLDEN GULLY & TAMBAROORA SLUICING COMPANY - 1911
A 10,000,000 gallon Dam, a 500 feet wide Dam Wall, and What Went Wrong!

MINERAL EXPLORATIONS Pty Ltd
ORIOMO EXPLORATIONS Pty Ltd, and
HILL END ALLUVIALS Pty Ltd - 1936-39

Not only a Brief Story but also a Brief History, and What Went Wrong!
and another lesson learn't...do not hydraulically sluice upstream from your source of water!