STEELS PIONEER COMPANY

YANDOIT TOWNSHIP ROAD YANDOIT, HEPBURN SHIRE

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Victorian Heritage Inventory

Statement of Significance

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  • History

    STEELS PIONEER COMPANY - History

    Heritage Inventory History of Site: Steele's Reef was opened in 1859 along with a number of other reefs in the Yandoit area. The reef was worked by small mining parties until the late 1880s. In 1887, the Steele's Reef Quartz Mining Company fixed steam pumping machinery and commenced sinking a shaft. The company were unable to find a profitable ore body and after two years work closed down. By this time their shaft had reached a depth of 150 feet. The mine was then taken over by the Pioneer Quartz Mining Company who appear not to have worked the mine.In 1906, the Steele's Pioneer Company commenced work, erecting a winding winch at the old shaft sunk by the Steele's Company. The next year the company erected a 10-head battery, set of poppet legs, a pumping engine. Sinking the shaft a further 100 feet, the company struggled to find payable ore and soon closed down.

    Heritage Inventory Description

    STEELS PIONEER COMPANY - Heritage Inventory Description

    Mullock heap - Large, partly quarried dump (still being quarried)Mining machinery - Two periods of winding engine foundations, all mounting bolts have been removed. Near the road is a large concrete winder bed, 26ft x 14ft, standing 4ft. Abutting the rear of the concrete bed (eastern end) is a large brick engine bed, 18ft x 4ft, and standing 13ft. The latter bed has a stepped brickwork. To the south of the winder bed is a narrow brick mounting bed (16ft x 3ft) which has stone footings; and a large U-shaped brick bed, 26ft x 11ft.

    Heritage Inventory Significance: The site has:Historical significance - Yandoit's main gold producer and largest mine.Scientific significance - well preserved foundations, but little context.SIGNIFICANCE RANKING: Regional

    Recorded by: David Bannear

    Heritage Inventory Site Features: Mullock heapMining machinery site

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