Category: Mine Museums and Tours

“The story of quartz mining on Victoria Hill lies at the heart of Bendigo”s historical status as the world”s richest and deepest reefing field. Gold was discovered on Victoria Hill in 1854, and by early 1855 claims had been taken up over its entire extent. The mines worked until 1954 and produced over 22 million…

“Sovereign Hill is an open air museum that depicts Ballarat”s first ten years after the discovery of gold in 1851 and comprises over 60 historically recreated buildings, with costumed volunteers. The gold diggings are the centre point of the complex, featuring a winding creek in which visitors are able to pan for real gold. This…

“The Oriental Claims Historic Area near Omeo showed sufficient promise to encourage pioneers to forge out an existence in remote mountainous areas. At its peak, the Oriental Claims was one of the largest gold sluicing operations in the world. Mining relics and sites can be viewed from taking short walks around the Claims. An interpretive…

“This Reserve which surrounds Maldon was established to protect relics from the gold mining era that gave birth to the township – abandoned shafts and tunnels, mullock heap, quartz roasting kilns, stone walls, chimneys and machinery. Alluvial gold was discovered in the Maldon area in 1853 resulting in a rush of 20,000 diggers. After the…