LONG TUNNEL COMPANY

PATTERSON STREET DAYLESFORD, HEPBURN SHIRE

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Victorian Heritage Inventory

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    LONG TUNNEL COMPANY - History

    Heritage Inventory History of Site: Alluvial mining in the Daylesford (formerly Jim Crow) goldfield commenced in 1853 when rich and extensive alluvial deposits were discovered underlying the thick basaltic or volcanic lava deposits capping the basaltic hills in the neighbourhood of the town and along Spring Creek. The miners tunnelled under the basalt cap and obtained gold from ancient river gravels. These gravels had been deposited in the Tertiary period, up to forty million years ago. The auriferous wash retrieved was treated in puddlers or sluice boxes, and the tailings ( river pebbles) being deposited in heaps at the base of the escarpment. The water for treating the gold-bearing wash was conveyed to the scene of the mining operations in races. Italian Hill was reputedly discovered by Swiss-Italian miners in 1854 and by the 1860, like many of localities in and around Daylesford, Italian Hill was being extensively tunnelled. The most significant venture on Italian Hill, in terms of its duration and total length attained by the tunnel, was commenced in 1860 by a party led by Paganetti. The tunnel was later worked by the Great Tunnelling Company, Long Tunnel Company, Fumberger and party, and Long Tunnel Co-operative Company. By 1875, the tunnel had been driven 2,800 feet; and by 1906 had been driven to a distance around 5,000 feet.1860 Tunnelling - Italian Hill on Wombat Creek 1861 Tunnelling - In Italian Hill a considerable number of miners are now engaged.1869 The Great Tunnelling Co., Italian Hill, are now ready to commence operations.1870 The Great Tunnelling Co. are in 1,515ft.1874 The Long Tunnel, formerly Great Tunnelling Co., Italian Hill, have recommenced and laying down a substantial tramway and iron rails.1875 Long Tunnel is in 2,800 feet, have payable wash.1885 Wombat Hill race is at present rented by Fumberger and party, for the Long Tunnel. 1906 The Long Tunnel Co-operative Company, finding it impossible to continue working in a tunnel which is about 5,000 feet long.1930s Long Tunnel - Water from the tunnel was used in the State Government battery .Walker's worked the tunnel in the 1930s

    Heritage Inventory Description

    LONG TUNNEL COMPANY - Heritage Inventory Description

    Adit - Open adit with large partly quarried mullock heap. The heap and adit are obscured by vegetation.

    Heritage Inventory Significance: The site has:Historical significance - one of Daylesford's most famous alluvial tunnels; also an extremely long tunnel in State terms.Scientific significance - intact aditSIGNIFICANCE RANKING: Regional

    Recorded by: David Bannear

    Heritage Inventory Site Features: Adit and mullock heap

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