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WONTHAGGI STATE COAL MINE (EASTERN PRECINCT)
STATE COAL MINE ACCESS ROAD WONTHAGGI, BASS COAST SHIRE

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Victorian Heritage Register
WONTHAGGI STATE COAL MINE (EASTERN PRECINCT) SOHE 2008
WONTHAGGI STATE COAL MINE (EASTERN PRECINCT) SOHE 2008
WONTHAGGI STATE COAL MINE (EASTERN PRECINCT) SOHE 2008
0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Area Back tunnel incline
0198 Wonthaggi SCM Eastern Area Plan
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 drill work14
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 crib in roof12
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 steel beam52
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 fork20
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 dunny16
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 thin seam54
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 trolley55
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 rollers46
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 lamphouse interior25
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 loco28
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 sawmill48
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 winder engine footings 61
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 lamp house24
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 lizzie27
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 SCM underground winch49
H0198 Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Precinct H198 July 2007 PM2 air door04
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Statement of Significance

What is significant?

The Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Area operated from 1919 to 1947. The Historic Reserve site includes the underground mine areas of the original No.1 bench, with three tunnels and portals, embankment and footings for winding machinery, footings for brace and electricity substation, mullock and slack heaps, railway embankment, and a number of buildings and pieces of machinery brought to the site from other parts of the State Coal Mine.

At the beginning of the twentieth century black coal from New South Wales powered Victoria's railway system, gasworks and manufacturing industries. In 1909 a prolonged strike on the New South Wales coalfields threatened Victoria's economic viability, and the Victorian Government sought to end its dependence by mining its own, poorer-quality coal deposits in South Gippsland at Wonthaggi which at the time was sparsely settled and possessed no transport links with Melbourne. The first shipment of Wonthaggi coal occurred on 25 November 1909 being dispatched by bullock teams to Inverloch and thence by ship to Melbourne. Three months later transportation by rail commenced after the Railways Department constructed a line 27 miles from Nyora in the record time of ten weeks. In 1910 the Government laid out a model township and by 1921 Wonthaggi had a settled population of over 5,000 making it one of the largest towns in Gippsland.

The Wonthaggi State Coal Mine, established in 1909, developed into a huge mining complex which operated until 1968. Within the first year of operation a power station was built to supply electricity to the whole area and installation was under way of the necessary engineering works for mining, ventilation, water drainage, haulage, and coal processing. At a very early stage, the mine also had a brickworks, which operated initially to construct the power station. The mine's peak period of employment was the year 1925-26 when 1,821 men were employed. During its operational life, the Wonthaggi State Coal Mine produced 16.74 million tons, making the field the largest black coal producer in the State's history and the fourth largest in Australia.

At a separate mining area (in the Kirrak Basin) at the east of the township, mining on three separate bench areas occurred from 1919 to 1931, producing over 1.2 million tons. The Eastern Area site was the most south-easterly of the workings of the Kirrak basin and the more productive of the two main areas opened in the Kirrak basin. New infrastructure was required because the area was too far from existing plant. The No.1 bench at 242 metres was reached in 1916 but a down throw fault delayed reaching the No.2 bench at 731 metres. The No.3 bench at 1200 metres was reached in 1919. By 1920 the yield was 350 tons per day. A down cast shaft for ventilation was completed in 1922. Seams in the Nos. 1 and 2 benches were narrow and contained dirt bands, but the No. 3 bench seam was cleaner, 1 metre thick and more productive. Work began in 1924 to take the main heading through another fault to the 4th bench. This heading was used for haulage and the No. 18 shaft (No.18) was started in 1926 was used for ventilation and transport of ponies and men. Coal was first produced from the No.4 bench area in 1930.

How is it significant?

The Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Area is of historical significance to the State of Victoria

Why is it significant?

The Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Area is historically significant as part of the State's most significant black coal mine. The State Coal Mine reflects Victoria's endeavour to become self sufficient in the provision of vital black coal supplies to the State's railways and industry in the early twentieth century. The Eastern area including the underground workings has the potential to educate in relation to this important aspect of Victoria's history.

The Wonthaggi State Coal Mine Eastern Area is significant as a representative example of a black coal mine from the first half of the twentieth century. The underground workings of the Eastern Area Historic Reserve have the potential to educate on important aspects of this industry, including the technology and working conditions of mining coal by hand and the complex organisation of labour required in such a mine.

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    • Permit Exemptions

      WONTHAGGI STATE COAL MINE (EASTERN PRECINCT) - Permit Exemptions

      General Exemptions:

      General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.

      Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.

      Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.

      Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.

      Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.

      Specific Exemptions:

      General Conditions: 1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object. General Conditions: 2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible. Note: All archaeological places have the potential to contain significant sub-surface artefacts and other remains. In most cases it will be necessary to obtain approval from the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria before the undertaking any works that have a significant sub-surface component. General Conditions: 3. If there is a conservation policy and plan endorsed by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it. Note: The existence of a Conservation Management Plan or a Heritage Action Plan endorsed by the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria provides guidance for the management of the heritage values associated with the site. It may not be necessary to obtain a heritage permit for certain works specified in the management plan. General Conditions: 4. Nothing in this determination prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions. General Conditions: 5. Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authorities where applicable. Regular Site Maintenance : The following site maintenance works are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995: a) regular site maintenance provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits; b) the maintenance of an item to retain its conditions or operation without the removal of or damage to the existing fabric or the introduction of new materials; c) cleaning including the removal of surface deposits, organic growths, or graffiti by the use of low pressure water and natural detergents and mild brushing and scrubbing; d) repairs, conservation and maintenance to plaques, memorials, roads and paths, fences and gates and drainage and irrigation. e) the replacement of existing services such as cabling, plumbing, wiring and fire services that uses existing routes, conduits or voids, and does not involve damage to or the removal of significant fabric. Note: Surface patina which has developed on the fabric may be an important part of the item's significance and if so needs to be preserved during maintenance and cleaning. Note: Any new materials used for repair must not exacerbate the decay of existing fabric due to chemical incompatibility, obscure existing fabric or limit access to existing fabric for future maintenance. Repair must maximise protection and retention of fabric and include the conservation of existing details or elements. Fire Suppression Duties : The following fire suppression duties are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995, a) Fire suppression and fire fighting duties provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits; b) Fire suppression activities such as fuel reduction burns, and fire control line construction, provided all significant historical and archaeological features are appropriately recognised and protected; Note: Fire management authorities should be aware of the location, extent and significance of historical and archaeological places when developing fire suppression and fire fighting strategies. The importance of places listed in the Heritage Register must be considered when strategies for fire suppression and management are being developed. Weed and Vermin Control : The following weed and vermin control activities are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995, a) Weed and vermin control activities provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits; Note: Particular care must be taken with weed and vermin control works where such activities may have a detrimental affect on the significant fabric of a place. Such works may include the removal of ivy, moss or lichen from an historic structure or feature, or the removal of burrows from a site that has archaeological values.

      Landscape Maintenance : The following landscape maintenance works are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995 landscape maintenance works provided the activities do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits

      watering, mowing, top-dressing and fertilising necessary for the continued health of plants, without damage or major alterations to layout, contours, plant species or other significant landscape features

      Management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard; Pruning of Amenity Trees AS 4373.

      Removal of plants listed as noxious weeds in the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.

      Public Safety and Security : The following public safety and security activities are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995, a) public safety and security activities provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground structures or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits; b) the erection of temporary security fencing, scaffolding, hoardings or surveillance systems to prevent unauthorised access or secure public safety which will not adversely affect significant fabric of the place including archaeological features; c) development including emergency stabilisation necessary to secure safety where a site feature has been irreparably damaged or destabilised and represents a safety risk to its users or the public. Note: Urgent or emergency site works are to be undertaken by an appropriately qualified specialist such as a structural engineer, or other heritage professional. Signage and Site Interpretation : The following Signage and Site Interpretation activities are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995, a) signage and site interpretation activities provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground structures or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits; b) the erection of non-illuminated signage for the purpose of ensuring public safety or to assist in the interpretation of the heritage significance of the place or object and which will not adversely affect significant fabric including landscape or archaeological features of the place or obstruct significant views of and from heritage values or items; c) signage and site interpretation products must be located and be of a suitable size so as not to obscure or damage significant fabric of the place; d) signage and site interpretation products must be able to be later removed without causing damage to the significant fabric of the place; Note: The development of signage and site interpretation products must be consistent in the use of format, text, logos, themes and other display materials. Note: Where possible, the signage and interpretation material should be consistent with other schemes developed on similar or associated sites. It may be necessary to consult with land managers and other stakeholders concerning existing schemes and strategies for signage and site interpretation. Mineral Exploration : The following Mineral Exploration activities are permit exempt under section 66 of the Heritage Act 1995, a) mineral Exploration activities provided the works do not involve the removal or destruction of any significant above-ground features or sub-surface archaeological artefacts or deposits; b) preliminary non-intrusive exploration, including geological mapping, geophysical surveys, and geochemical sampling and access to shafts and adits; c) advanced forms of exploration (drilling), including the location of drill pads and access tracks where this has been the subject of on-site negotiation and agreement with representatives of Heritage Victoria, DSE and Parks Victoria, and where all significant historic site features have been identified and protected as part of an approved work plan. Minor Works : Note: Any Minor Works that in the opinion of the Executive Director will not adversely affect the heritage significance of the place may be exempt from the permit requirements of the Heritage Act. A person proposing to undertake minor works may submit a proposal to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is satisfied that the proposed works will not adversely affect the heritage values of the site, the applicant may be exempted from the requirement to obtain a heritage permit. If an applicant is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that the permits co-ordinator be contacted.

      Landscape: Grazing on the registered land to control growth of vegetation.

      Registered buildings:
      Painting in existing or original colours using traditional painting systems.
      Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.

      Underground Workings:
      Closure of existing tunnels where required for reason of safety.
      Opening of new tunnels where required for reason of safety.
      Maintenance of timbering infrastructure and skip rails.
      Works to maintain tunnel support structures using traditional methods and materials.
      Emergency works to make the underground area safe.

      Registered Objects:
      Movement of registered objects to other locations within the registered area where required for reasons of public safety, conservation and use for interpretive purposes.

      Permit Exemption Policy

      WONTHAGGI STATE COAL MINE (EASTERN PRECINCT) - Permit Exemption Policy

      Underground Works and Haulage Ways Policy:
      The aspect of the significance which distinguishes this site from the other registered parts of the State Coal Mine is the capacity of the underground workings here to be used for educational and interpretation purposes. In order for access to the underground workings to be allowed, the tunnels must be made safe to current standards. In order to make the tunnels safe large scale new works and ongoing maintenance works will be required. Some of these works will involve replacement of old material, introduction of new technologies and new tunnelling, which will compromise the intactness and integrity of the underground site. These underground works form only a small proportion of the total underground workings of the mine which will continue to have relatively undisturbed archaeological potential. In assessing permits for works in this area, the priority of allowing continued safe access will take precedence over adherence to conservation principles, and such works will be permitted. Works to the haulage line which gives access to the tunnels, some of which are above ground, will also be considered in a similar way.

      Where possible and suitable within the requirement to make the underground area and haulage way safe, old materials and technologies should be replaced with like materials and technologies. Original materials should be maintained where possible alongside the new replacement parts.

      Assessment of permit applications for underground and haulage way works will take into account the recommendations of the following reports while they are current:
      "Geotechnical and ground support assessment, underground workings, State Coal Mine, Wonthaggi", Coffey Mining 2006. (Assessed existing ground support, proposed ground support (cable bolts) and general geotechnical inspections.)
      "Parks Victoria Electrical Audit State Coal Mine", Electrical Inspection Victoria Pty Ltd 2004. (This involved inspection and recommendations for both above and below ground.)
      "Parks Victoria - State Coal Mine Ventilation, Fire ,Communications and Emergency Response", SP Solutions 2006
      "Parks Victoria Sate Coal Mine Wonthaggi Ropeway Risk Assessment - Public access to Drift". Sinclair Knight Merz 2006
      "Parks Victoria State coal Mine Wonthaggi Drift Winder Risk Assessment". Sinclair Knight Merz 2005

      Assessment of permit applications for underground and haulage way works will take into account the requirements of the following Acts:
      The Mineral Resources Development Act 1990, Part 5 Division 3 Tourist Mine Authorities, and associated regulations within that Act. Including any relevant subsequent amendments and new acts.
      The Occupational, Health and Safety (OHS) Act 2004 Mines Regulations and its associated regulations, including any subsequent amendments and new acts.

      The requirements for operation as a tourist mine will be taken into consideration in assessing permit applications. Such requirements may include installation, replacement or removal of non-original equipment necessary for tourist mine operations including personnel conveyances, personnel winder, electrics, handrails, safety equipment, communications equipment and interpretive materials.


      Buildings Policy:
      The registered buildings are those which are original buildings from the mining period of this site and original buildings from the other sections of the entire original State Coal Mine. Original buildings from this site should ideally be located in their original positions where evidence for these can be established. Registered buildings originating from other State Coal Mine areas sites may be moved within the site.

      Objects Policy:
      The practice of bringing significant objects from other non-registered area of the State Coal Mine to this site should continue where this can be demonstrated to be necessary for safekeeping and conservation. An archaeological inventory of objects, their provenance and significance should be prepared and objects tagged. Objects which are currently unregistered but which are found to be of high significance should be put forward for addition to the register. Registered objects should be kept on registered land.

Public contributions

Note: Developments may span multiple time periods
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