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SCANDINAVIAN LEAD
18 BARKLY STREET TALBOT, CENTRAL GOLDFIELDS SHIRE
SCANDINAVIAN LEAD
18 BARKLY STREET TALBOT, CENTRAL GOLDFIELDS SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
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SCANDINAVIAN LEAD - History
Contextual History:History of Place:
Heritage Inventory History of Site:
Jan 1859: Discovery of Scandinavian Lead by prospectors Carl Olsen, Carl W Hallen and Joseph Bell ... The Maryborough and Dunolly Advertiser estimated 1000 claims had been marked by mid January and on 21 January that newspaper devoted its first classified listing for merchants at the rush, although at this date were at the old township on Back Creek ... Unlike many rushes, this new lead was accessible only after blasting through 30 feet of basalt, the ancient lava flow of Mount Greenock. Confusion about nomenclature reigned: the area was referred to as Good Man's Hill or Back Creek New Rush.
Mid-February: a population of 800-1500 was estimated by the Advertiser and this doubled and trebled in a matter of days. On 15 February the Advertiser correspondent claimed that 'the permanent character of the place is now established beyond a doubt, and an immense number of stores and tents have been removed to it' and while a week later the editor reported formation of the main street.
The rush to the Back Creek has assumed gigantic proportions; several thousand are already congregated on the spot, and every hour of the day fresh bodies of miners are pouring in. Stores and other places of business, as well as grog shanties, are being erected by scores, and in short all the signs are there which denote a monster rush.
By the start of March the new main street had been christened Scandinavian Crescent.
April 1859: The rush to Scandinavian Lead was being compared favourably with 'those glorious epochs', the rushes to Maryborough (1854), Dunolly (1856) and Ararat (1857), and in early March the cry 'it will be as good as Fiery Creek' was perhaps the ultimate accolade.
Scandinavian Lead - Mining progress
The depth of sinking on the Scandinavian Lead was generally 15-20 metres, but progress was slowed by a layer of basalt, often 5m thick or more. Although often decomposed into boulders, blasting with powder was necessary and sometimes tragic in its consequences for the operator. 'The Ballarat miners who throng the lead are too accustomed to difficulties to fear anything' quipped the Advertiser correspondent in mid-April as the lead became increasingly rocky at the north end. (appropriately named Ballaarat Street) ... The small claims were worked by hand windlasses and the basalt rocks, piled with mullock beside the claims, gave a distinctive visual quality to the new mining landscape ... Warden Crespigny refused applications for puddling machines until the rush had consolidated, to avoid the consequent sludge nuisance ... The Scandinavian Lead was traced in a semi-circular configuration with the northern end eventually ending at a mullock bank near Hard Hill, while the southern end crossed Scandinavian Crescent above Oxford Street and joined the previously worked lead on Goodwoman's Hill. A wide branch forked off south of Oxford Street and headed for Mount Greenock but was soon exhausted. The most promising extension was Rocky Lead which ran east across the plains towards McCallum's Creek.Heritage Inventory Description
SCANDINAVIAN LEAD - Heritage Inventory Description
Little trace of old workings. Part of the lead now covered by the township of Talbot. More a historical location.
Heritage Inventory Signficance: Local Alluvial workings have been obliterated, part of lead covered by township of Talbot
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FORMER POLICE RESIDENCE AND LOCK-UPVictorian Heritage Register H0533
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TALBOT GAS WORKSVictorian Heritage Inventory
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ROCK FLAT LEAD WORKINGSVictorian Heritage Inventory
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