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WINDMILLS - OTHER
Please note that these watermills are restricted to those powered by water wheels - undershot, overshot, breastshot & Pelton. They do not include water turbines.
New South Wales / Tasmania / Victoria
There is a reference for this water powered stamp mill still existing in 1870, when it is described as having eight stampers but at the time only driving four of these. This is also presumably the 'Great Western Machine' mentioned in 1872 as crushing for 'TONKING and party' in 1872. By July 1873 it had been sold to Williams Co. (Williams Gold Mining Co). image 1 image 2
- see also - The Wheel of Industry. The Excelsior was in a state of inactivity by June 1859, which resulted in it changing title and management to new owners GRIFFITHS, WALKER & Co by July that year.
The Reefer Battery was on the Adelong Creek downstream of Adelong and Adelong Falls. It was operational in 1915. view image
The Ritchie Gold Battery operated until WWI. The machinery was driven by two large waterwheels with water from the Adelong Falls.
By December 1858 "SCULLEY's party" had completed and set in action a waterwheel on the Adelong Creek and were currently sinking a pump hole which they hoped to bottom in a few days.
The Kalafat alluvial claim was next to the 'Wynyard Mining Co' on the north side of the creek and had been in existence for several years by 1872, at which time it was being managed by A.D. SHEPHERD. It used overshot waterwheels to keep the water down and do the winding.
This was an alluvial claim in the creek below the town of Shepherdstown that several parties had tried unsuccessfully to develop until A.D. SHEPHERD started a company under his management called the 'Wynyard Gold Mining Co'. Shepherdstown, on the south side of the creek was named after A.D. SHEPHERD and was actually in the process of formation in 1872 when this mine was being established. The services of Mr PLOTT, a practical miner, were acquired and by March 1872 a 3.1 kilometre race was built to bring water to two different water wheels. The first was a reversible wheel and was used to raise wash dirt to the surface and the second was an overshot wheel, which had the twofold jobs of draining the mine and forcing air into the ventilator.
This belonged to 'MOON & Co' and was under construction in October 1858 and operational under the control of Henry HAYES by August 1859. It was a few hundred metres downstream from the site of the original Reefer Mill. The wheel was driving one battery and crushing three to four tonnes per twenty four hours in October 1859, but was supposed to shortly receive two additional batteries.
This water powered machine was operating in October 1858.
There is some confusion in the sources as to whether this mill is the correct reference or the information may refer to another mill operated by EDWARDS. However, there is a reference for it still existing in 1870 when it is operating for the owner and is not a public mill. The water wheel was 7.315 metres in diameter and operated by having "..an engaged segment turning a large wooden shaft and three batteries of stamps with angular shanks, a Chilian mill and wooden amalgam barrel are attached."
This was the former Excelsior battery, which was taken over by GRIFFITHS, WALKER & Co by July 1859 and is recorded as crushing ore under its new name as the Wheel of Industry by August. A reference in October that year lists it as having eight stampers plus a Bredin basin and being capable of working three to four tonnes every twenty four hours.
By July 1873 it was reported that they had purchased EDWARDS' machine and had started crushing. An additional 4 stamps were added to the mill. Unfortunately this solution to their problems was not to last, and a flood on the 17th of January 1874 swept away the dams and races and inundated the lower floors of the machine floors. Either the damage was greater than listed, or they wanted to upgrade or they shifted site, because the company bought a battery of twelve heads from the Adelong Co, Stony Creek about May that year. It is presumably these that first saw action on the 1st of April 1875 and were described as being two boxes of stampers of 330 kilograms each.
The tramway between the mine and the mill was completed by April 1875. An 1876 report lists the manager as Mr HARTFORD and the power of the wheel as being equivalent to fifty horsepower. At that stage it had three batteries, two of six stampers and one of four stampers. They were powered by a wheel of 5.49 metres diameter which was 2.13 metres 'on the breast'. There were also two Denny's Pulverisers driven by a separate water wheel of similar diameter but only 1.52 metres 'on the breast'.
By April 1881 the company is listed as the Williams Amalgamated Goldmine and was in the hands of the Liquidator. The whole of the plant was purchased by about June that year by David WILSON and the following month he advertised all of the equipment for sale.
This stamping machine is reported in 1870 as being powered by both an 8 horse power steam engine and a water wheel. At the time, the owner was planning to move his operation about .4 of a kilometre downstream and dispense with the motor. The intended overshot and reversed wheel (which may have been the existing one) was to be 7.925 metres in diameter and 1.37 metres across. The intention was to run it in a hollow, cut into the rock of the stream bed. An internal toothed section was to drive a pinion and axle that was geared onto another pinion on an 18.29 metre wrought iron shaft running through the building to operate three batteries, Chilian mill and iron amalgam barrel. The power from the end of this long shaft appears to have been taken off at right angles.
The move would appear to have taken place as the description suits the operation as described in 1878. Each of the batteries would appear to have had five heads as the total of heads is given as fifteen. There is some discrepancy in the description of this battery if this is the same one listed as the 'Reefers Crushing Machine' in July 1870. This said battery was manufactured by 'P.N. RUSSELL & Co' of Sydney to the design of WILSON and RITCHIE of 'WILSON & Co'. It was about fifteen minutes walk from the township and at the head of the 'Rocky Falls' of the Adelong Creek. The approximately 24 by 9 metre hardwood building with its galvanised iron roof was sited on rock that had to be blasted to make a platform. This time the mill is described as self feeding with "twelve revolving stampers, four in each compartment." The wheel of the same size as listed previously was made of wood with an iron centre and axle. It has 165 compartments or (4 cubic foot) buckets of which only about 65 are full in operation so that in each revolution of the wheel about 7.1 tonnes of water is carried down. The head race is about 80 metres from the machine.
A waterwheel was used at the Cadia Copper Mine. Date not known. view image
A waterwheel was used to run a three stamper battery in the gold mining operations at Kiandra. There were still visible remains of the wood and metal waterwheel in 1953. image 1 image 2
There was a waterwheel at the Boonoo Boonoo Gold Mine near Tenterfield in 1910. view image
TOPThe Anchor mine near the township of Lottah near St Helens had a large waterwheel. At one time it had the largest waterwheel in the Southern Hemisphere.
TOPThe 'Harrietville Deep Lead Mining Company' purchased the water wheel from the Beechworth watermill c1890 to power a crusher on the 'Victoria' dredge.
These images show all that remained of the waterwheel at the Forest Creek Battery near Castlemaine in 1968. image 1 | image 2
[1887 - ?] Situated about 1 kilometre north of town, along North St. Used for crushing quartz ore at the Garfield Gold Mine, which opened in 1887 and closed in 1911. One of the world's largest water wheels. During 1887, two heavy walls, constructed from large blocks of stone, were built to a height of 35 feet to carry a 70 ft diameter wheel. The water wheel had 220 or 222 wrought-iron buckets and was reported as revolving (according to the force of water) in 45 to 55 seconds, driving a 15-head (some said 25-head) battery from 70 to 86 falls to the minute. The water was obtained from a water race, carried by a flume about 790 feet long, on a sapling frame from 20 to 58 feet high.
The foundations are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. A number of these wheels were constructed in the area once a reliable water supply was established in the form of Expedition Pass Reservoir. They were fed by a very large, elevated timber mill-race, which drew water from the Expedition Pass Reservoir. The mines had to pay for the usage of the water but it meant they were spared the increasingly lengthy trip to find timber to operate their boilers. 2008 image | 1887 image | 1895 image
A three headed stamper driven by a waterwheel was located on the upper reaches of the Dargo River, at the foot of the Morning Star Spur. There were also other waterwheels on the Dargo.
Gold was discovered at Donnelly's Creek in 1862 and a rush ensued. There was at least one waterwheel there.
This mine was worked from 1864 and was about 8 kilometres north east of Enoch's Point on the left branch of Enoch's Creek. The company was formed in 1865 and a 8 stamp battery powered by a 30 ft diameter water wheel was erected in 1866. The original company forfeited the lease and the plant was sold to the bank. Later in 1898 it was again worked and a water power battery is recorded as being erected.
In 1864 an 8 or 12 stamp Drysdale & Co battery powered by a 35 ft water wheel was constructed on the Homeward Bound Reef on the Raspberry Creek. It was still considered usable in 1894 when it was moved 600 metres up the creek.
The original battery was moved in 1894 to the east bank of the creek near the Lauraville GMC Tunnel. It was sold in 1905 in a dilapidated condition.
In 1924 the former 15 stamp Wood's Point battery was erected on the site. It was powered by a large water wheel and a 45 ft high trestle carried ore from the mine across the creek to the battery. The battery was in place until at least 1940.
The 'South Federation Co' moved the 10 head battery from the 'Lady Loch Mine' in c1898 and erected a 30 ft diameter and 5 ft wide overshot waterwheel at the company's 'Golden Treasure' battery. The tin buckets were 4 foot wide. It had a 7 foot wide, 3,000 ft long track with a tram track and wooden fluming 27 inches wide and 15 inches deep.
This Pelton wheel was erected on the Saltpetre Creek in 1889. It was a 10 head battery but lack of water meant it could only run for a couple of months each year. The battery was removed in 1898 but appears to have left the Pelton wheel behind. The Pelton wheel was 5 ft in diameter and had 20 x 4 inch cups. Above the battery was a stone retaining dam and race.
Believed to have had a water powered battery. Gooley's Creek is a branch of the Goulburn River.
Believed to have had a water powered battery. Gooley's Creek is a branch of the Goulburn River
The Never Mind Mine was established in 1864 and an 8 stamp water powered mill erected in 1865, with a further 8 stamp Langlands battery added in 1866. At the same time floodgates were added to the race and further improvemnts were made in 1867. In 1871, Holt 7 Party ran a tramline to the battery from their mine on the Sons of Freedom claim. The battery was overhauled in 1875. The site of the battery appears to have been washed or sluiced away.
Believed to have had a water powered battery.
The Sir John Franklin mine erected a 45 foot diameter, 5 foot wide wooden framed water wheel on the bank of the Goulburn river to power two, 5 stamp wooden-framed Roberts batteries in 1899. Water came via a race from the Gooley Creek, a branch of the Goulburn River. The wheel had sheet iron buckets. The mill was on the other side of the creek to the mine so a flume was constructed across the creek.
This Pelton wheel was possibly erected in 1907 and drove a light 4 stamp mill manufactured by Langlands.
Sited on the north side of Guns Creek, south of Harrietville. In c1934 a 5 head battery driven by a Pelton wheel was erected. Bushfires in 1939 damaged the battery. It was repaired c1946 and work continued until c1952.
Located on the Washington Creek on the east bank of the Ovens River. The 'Champion' reef was discovered in 1866. In 1920 the mine was reopened and a Pelton wheel and battery were erected. Work ceased in 1925
Located on the east branch of the Ovens River at the foot of Mt. Smythe, near Baldy Creek. Commenced operations in 1922 and operated until 1924. Used a Pelton wheel to drive a 5 head mill.
In 1915 all that remained of this quartz battery was its chimney and waterwheel, and a few foundations. view image
The company was formed in 1883. The 20 stamp battery was driven by a water wheel christened the 'Hanney'. It was 18 metres in diameter and sourced water via a tunnel linked to the Howqua River through Tunnel Spur, which was built in 1884. From the tunnel a four kilometre water race was cut by hand. Trial crushings were poor and the mine closed down within a year. The Howqua Hills GMC worked the site from 1886 until the the early 1890's. By that time most of the stamps had been removed. The battery was reconditioned in 1892 when the Mountain Chief Mine was reworked for a short time. In 1902 when the Great Rand Proprietry GMC took up the Howqua United and Mountain Chief leases, they erected a 30 stamp battery powered by the old water wheel. The race was extended but water supply was a problem. view image
This mine was discovered in 1866. In 1883 a water wheel powered 6 stamp battery was erected. Water was carried by a race from the Howqua River. The mine closed in 1885.
Sited at the head of Clear Creek. In c1869 the 'Pride and Stringer Leasehold Co' appear to have erected a 20 head battery, which was probably water powered. The mine was not successful and was taken over in 1875 by the 'Beechworth Prospecting Association' with good results, and a company was formed to work there, using the battery. The battery continued to work until c1885, but probably only in a public capacity.
The 'Homeward Bound Mine' was first worked in 1861. The original 1862 steam powered battery was replaced by an overshot water wheel powered mill in 1864. Water was too short in supply, so in 1865 a another steam engine was installed. However, after several changes in ownership, the mine was taken up by Bigelow & Co in 1873 and they erected a new water wheel powered mill, which was still operating in 1886 and was probably destroyed in bushfires in 1914. The mine was worked sporadically in the intervening years and it is not known if the water wheel was employed in that period.
Erected at the junction of the Lightning and Snowy creeks. The original battery was a two head stamp mill driven from a race, with a 20 foot head of water driving an undershot paddle wheel - all bush ingenuity.
Erected at the junction of the Lightning and Snowy creeks. A 4 head mill with an overshot wheel replaced [1] and was still in use in 1937. It is assumed that this was powered by the 8 - 10 foot diameter Pelton wheel removed by the Forestry Department c1967. This wheel had been shifted to this site from the 'Mt Wills Proprietary Battery' in 1907. Victorian Heritage Council webpage
Formed in 1931 to operate the 'Maude', 'Yellow Girl' and 'Homeward Bound' mines. It apparently used the old 'Yellow Girl' battery for a while. There was a Pelton wheel there.
Sited north of the original battery. Five Pelton wheels installed in 1941 ran the 20 head battery and slurry equipment. The mine closed in 1952 but various parties continued operations in 1967.
This was a company formed in 1912 to work the 'Maude' and 'Homeward Bound' mines. They originally installed a new steam driven battery, but changed to a water driven one in 1916, shortly before the mine closed down.
In 1905 a 5 head water driven battery (Pelton wheel) with gold saving appliances was installed close to the tunnel mouth of the 'Yellow Girl' mine. The mine closed c1917.
This waterwheel on Gills Creek about 2 miles from the mine is the first battery known to be erected on the Mt. Wills field. First operational in 1892 after two years of construction. It was an 8 foot diameter double cupped Pelton wheel and drove a 20 head battery stamp battery, stone breaker and series of classifiers and concentrators. It was a complete disaster and virtually ceased operation by 1893. In 1907 the wheel was removed to the MULHAUSEN battery site on Merrimac Creek, along with 10 of the heads.
These mines were only about 60 metres apart and date from 1869 when the Kingston was known as the 'Cead Mille Faitha' mine and owned by O'DWER & Company, who erected a battery there in 1870. No description of the battery is given. The Wallaby Mine used the battery for trial crushings. By 1873 the Kingston name was being used and both mines were flourishing. In 1875 the Wallaby mine bought the Kingston battery and it appears that it may have been relocated. The Kingston, renamed the Marco Polo, used the Wallaby battery from 1879 for a few years. The battery was repaired in 1883 and worked throughout the 1880's. In c1908 the battery was damaged by a bushfire and a new battery was operational by 1910, but that closed two years later. Remnants of the earlier battery indicate it had 4 stamps.
[1868 - 1871]. The battery for the Unknown mine was purchased by the Londonderry lease and a tramway was constructed to it.
[1871 - ]. The second battery site was higher up the creek nearer the mine. In 1873 the mine was virtually amalgamated with the Retriever mine and worked under tribute. In 1874 ore was crushed there from the Unknown reef until 1876 when a battery was again built at the Unknown mine site. The Londonderry battery was purchased and used by the Surprise Co. in 1888.
The Unknown Mine was on the south side of the Railway Creek and was discovered in 1864. In 1865 an 8 stamp battery powered by a 30 ft diameter overshot water wheel was erected. The direction of the wheel was reversed in 1866, the battery foundations improved, a further 5 stamps added and a 16 hp steam engine added to the plant. The battery was purchased by the Londonderry lease in 1868 and a tramway was constructed to it. In 1871 the battery was moved higher up the creek.
In 1860 a water powered battery was erected by O'CONNOR & Party on the Victoria or Homeward Bound reef. An 8 square headed stamp battery powered by a 20 ft water wheel was erected 50 ft above the Raspberry Creek and 300 ft below the mine. The old stamps were replaced by revolving ones in 1867 and a new 15 stamp battery was erected. [power type unknown].
Mining began on this lease in 1860 and by 1861 a 8 stamp battery, powered by an 18 foot wooden water wheel was operational.
The second battery, which used a 30 foot iron water wheel, was installed in 1879. The mine worked sporadically up to 1899 before being reopened in the 1900's and staggered on to recommence operations for a time in the 1980's.
When the Gleeson's - Sailor Bill's mines amalgamation took place in 1889 the CLANCY Brother's reef was under way and a 8 stamp battery powered by a 20 ft diameter pitch back water wheel was erected.
The Hungarian GMC erected a 15 stamp water powered battery on Sailor Bill's Creek in 1865 [a 5 stamp mill may originally have been erected]. It was replaced by a 20 stamp steam driven battery in 1866.
Although they began their tunnel in 1872 this company did not begin crushing until 1877, with a 10 stamp mill powered by a 40 ft water wheel situated at the junction of Sailor Bill's and Purdey Creeks. The mine was let to tribute in 1878 due to poor crushings. They added 5 more stamps and a steam engine in 1883, as water was only available 3 months of the year.
The Champion mine site was on the western bank of Standers Creek. It was established in 1865 and a 16 head mill was erected in 1866. An unsuccessful mine which lasted only a short period. In 1871 a tramway was constructed from the Oriental Co. mine nearby to use the battery. It is not known for how long it was used, but in 1886 it was moved to the Golden Fleece mines.
The Champion battery was moved about 3 kilometres along the creek in 1886 where it was used by the Golden Fleece Company mines. Probably an undershot wheel.
This battery actually crushed ore for the Leichardt claim, which was discovered by William WYE in 1886 on the Wye Creek, close to the former town of Wyeton, and sold to STACKPOLE. It had a 15 stamp mill made by Enoch CHAMBERS of Melbourne and Prahran. This was established in 1888 but is described as a steam powered mill although remnants of a cast waterwheel hub, fluming and a water wheel pit are on site.
Discovered in 1865 and in 1866 a water powered 15 head battery was installed. Early in 1867 another 5 stamps were added, along with a steam engine for supplementary power. The mine was shut down by late 1868 and the battery leased for a short time to the Oriental Co. mine. Ten of the stamps were also leased to the Golden Star Company mine. By 1871 the battery was in need of repair. More ore was discovered in 1879 and a water powered mill was ready by 1881 but didn't last long.
There was a 20 head stamper battery driven by a 40 ft waterwheel operated there by the "Toombon Gold Mining Company". Miles of aqueduct were cut along the riverbank to bring water to the wheel. A huge boiler and steam engines were installed to supplement water power for the battery. The mine was established by 1881. Both the mine and its township became known as "Toombon" after this company. The mine flourished for nearly 20 years, and was one of the most productive in Gippsland. But the gold had cut out by 1898 and the mine closed. Toombon mine and its now deserted township are located near Aberfeldy, Central Gippsland Region, and close to the Aberfeldy River.
There were believed to have been 7 waterwheels around Walhalla. 1897 image | 1908 image
This was a 37 ft diameter water wheel used to power a crusher which worked the 'Long Tunnel' dumps. 1885-1895 image | 1918 image
Situated about half a mile below Little Joe Creek. It was supplied by a dam excavated to a depth of 30 ft. The wheel was 30 ft in diameter with 16 pairs of spokes and had 80 buckets which were 4 ft wide. Constructed with a pine belly and shrouding of red gum.
The reef was discovered in 1864 and a waterwheel driving a 4 stamp battery was in operation that year, but was replaced by another battery in 1865.
This waterwheel operated a goldmining battery near Warburton in circa 1895 - 1917. image 1 | image 2 | image 3
The Luck's All mine was in work from 1865 when a 4 stamp, water powered mill was erected. This was added to almost immediately by a 12 stamp battery and a 16 hp steam engine. The water wheel and small mill were moved to the reefs at Acheron in 1875.
In 1875 there was a water powered crushing plant at Warrandyte. As it was located near water level, it was useless during flooding.
Patrick GERAGHTY and William MOORE operated a mine there from 1856 on Fourth Hill. In 1869 it was noted that their water powered crushing plant was unable to engage more than two stamps because of the shortage of water.
In c1877 the Yarra Tunnelling Co. operated a water powered crushing plant on the north bank of the Yarra River. view image
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