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Frederick the Great Historic Area and Frederick the Great Mine and Cyanide Works
624 Three Chain Road, SEBASTIAN VIC 3556 - Property No 207130

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Greater Bendigo City
Frederick the Great Cyanide Works
Frederick the Great Cyanide Works
Frederick the Great Cyanide Works
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Statement of Significance

(Frederick the Great Mine)

The Frederick the Great mine site is of considerable cultural significance for Victoria, given the age of the artefacts, the context in which they are situated and their remarkable state of preservation. The site displays a sequence of uses or functions over time illustrative of several major phases in Bendigo's mining history (criterion C), it was a success as a mine in terms of production levels, yields and as a business enterprise. It was one of Bendigo's premium mines and was responsible for the establishment of the township of Sebastian (criterion A). The site is part of a network of sites including the cyanide works and the South Frederick the Great mine, and has the ability to answer timely and specific archaeological research question, because the superb state of preservation means there are many features which can aid in the interpretation of less well preserved sites . The site also has the possibility of buried remains (criterion C). The site contains probably the most complete set of artefacts surviving in Victoria to illustrate the above-ground operation of a large gold mine.

(Frederick the Great Cyanide Works)

The sites displays relatively intact artefactsfor a large scale cyaniding operation (criterion B) which has considerable potential to educate and illustrate the cyaniding process (criterion C). The site represents the last phase of mining at the Frederick the Great mine and was instrumental in maintaining the economy of Sebastian during the 1930s (criterion A).

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    • Physical Description 1

      Frederick the Great Historic Area and Frederick the Great Mine and Cyanide Works - Physical Description 1

      (Frederick the Great Mine)

      Main shaft

      Battery- Two storied, wooden framework of 40-head battery, in front of which is a large wooden water tower. Some fire damage has occurred to the north end of the battery framework; part of the framework at the south end has collapsed; generally the timber has decayed badly and the structure is in a poor state of preservation. On the south side of battery is a large brick engine foundation.

      Boiler house- Partly exposed brick flues, several boiler sites and the remains of a square brick chimney base.

      Winding/pumping engine- An arrangement of large wooden horses

      Shaft - May well be open, appears to be covered with sheets of iron. Around the shaft is the remains of a collapsed wooden poppet head.

      Mullock - Remnant of large heap.

      Tailings - Large dumps of tailings lie to the west of the battery site, stretching for some distance to the south.

      South shaft (Bruhn's shaft)

      Located to the south of the tailing dumps, near the southern boundary is an open 3-compartment shaft. The shaft still retains sections of its wooden collar.

      To the south of the shaft is a square concrete winding engine foundation and a linear depression marking the site of a boiler.

      Physical Description 2

      Frederick the Great Historic Area and Frederick the Great Mine and Cyanide Works - Physical Description 2

      (Frederick the Great Mine)

      The site is bounded by Sebastian Road on the south, Three Chain Road on the west, the access road to the north and the pipe track from the Sebastian reservoir on the east.

      Physical Description 3

      Frederick the Great Historic Area and Frederick the Great Mine and Cyanide Works - Physical Description 3

      (Frederick the Great Mine)

      The description is based upon a quick site inspection by David Bannear. All remains, except the battery, were obscured by pepper trees.

      The present threats to the site are: further collapse of the battery structure, fire, site visitors, pepper tree growth cracking brickwork in the battery engine foundation, the brick flues and chimney base, and further rotting of the collapsed wooden poppet head.

      Physical Description 4

      Frederick the Great Historic Area and Frederick the Great Mine and Cyanide Works - Physical Description 4

      (Frederick the Great Cyanide Works)

      Constructed on the southern end of a large tailing dump are two lines of brick cyanide vats. Each line contains 3 vats. Some of the vats still retain the central pillar for the support of agitating devices. The wooden agitating arms (bush timber construction) still survive for some of the vats. There is a tip dray in the vicinity.

      Physical Description 5

      Frederick the Great Historic Area and Frederick the Great Mine and Cyanide Works - Physical Description 5

      (Frederick the Great Cyanide Works)

      The site is bounded by Sebastian Road on the south, Three Chain Road on the west, the access road to the north and the pipe track from the Sebastian reservoir on the east.

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Greater Bendigo - Marong Heritage Study 1999

      Author: Andrew Ward and Associates
      Year: 1999
      Grading: Local

Public contributions

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