MAGNA CHARTA CO

310 SCARSDALE-PITFIELD ROAD NEWTOWN, GOLDEN PLAINS SHIRE

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Victorian Heritage Inventory

Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • History

    MAGNA CHARTA CO - History

    Contextual History:History of Place:
    Heritage Inventory History of Site:
    Italians was on the Italian Gully/Monkey Gully Leads; the July 1860 report gives its location as the confluence of the Monkey Gully and Black Ball Leads;
    BLACK BALL LEAD, at the foot of the old Italian Gully
    22.03.1859: the rush to this locality has increased in importance and is one of the richest gold discoveries ever opened this side of Ballarat, and it may be fairly classed as one of the rushes of the day; the lead of gold when first discovered was confined to the small branch gully about half a mile long which proved very rich, yielding 5 ozs per load; it is only half worked out and the diggers are driving out there ground and paddocking the wash dirt previous to washing up; the lead has now been struck in the main gully and the sinking has deepened to 35 to 50 feet and is rather wet, but the yields here are also good at 1 ozs per load; a prospecting grant has been taken out half a mile lower down and the party has bottomed in reef at a depth of 100 feet and have found gold but expect to go another 10 to 20 feet to strike the gutter; it is a common saying among the diggers that a good rush is always to be known by the number of drunken people about; if this is true, then this is certainly the prince of rushes for it seems to a universal practice among our mining population.
    MAGNA CHARTER COMPANY
    MAGNA CHARTA COMPANY (July 1860)
    06.1860: just passed through the rock at 170 feet and struck a reef that is supposed to be the edge of the gutter.
    07.1860: expected to be in the gutter in a fortnight.
    08.1860: opened a drive to a depth of from the surface of 190 feet and expect to reach the gutter in a few days.
    09.1860: expect to reach the gutter at any time.
    12.1860: on Monkey Gully have at last struck gold after driving in the wrong direction.
    working a tributary which is yielding 8 to 12 ozs per machine and continuing to drive for the gutter.
    05.1861: beginning to pay current expenses.
    06.1861: given up; unable to get calls in lately; poor claim, which is surprising given the richness of the Monkey Gully area.

    Heritage Inventory Description

    MAGNA CHARTA CO - Heritage Inventory Description

    Site 124.01 has a disturbed mullock and quartz wash heap 40m long and 25m wide, which varies in height from 2-3 m. There appears to be more wash than mullock in the heap. The heap is orientated south west to north east. A ruined boiler setting, with some reasonably well defined sections of walling, is located on the north-west corner of the heap. Clearing of the blackberries and earth may reveal more of the structure. The site is infested with blackberries, and it is not possible to locate the position of the shaft.

    Heritage Inventory Significance: Local

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