Chewton-Castlemaine Diggings Heritage Park. Scene between the walls of the 72ft Forest Creek water wheel foundations (originally Garfield Gold Mine water wheel). Victoria Australia
Transcription of plaque on side of water wheel ruin:-
Site of Forest Creek water wheel battery 1887.
Water supply from Expedition Pass Reservoir.
Wheel diam 72 ft.
Gear diam 38 ft.
Buckets 220.
Bucket capacity 5 gal.
Battery 15 head.
Located Castlemaine Diggings Heritage Park at the heart of the central Victorian goldfields.
It is also the traditional lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung People who maintain a close and continuing connection to Djandak, their traditional Country.
The discovery of gold in July 1851 lured tens of thousands of migrants to the Castlemaine area. Between 1851 and 1854 it was the world’s richest shallow alluvial goldfield. By 1852, the population on the Castlemaine Diggings was 40,000-60,000.
The Garfield Water Wheel was the largest diameter wheel ever constructed in Victoria. It provided power to the stamp battery for extracting gold from ore produced by the Garfield Mine between 1887 and 1903.
In March 1898, following English investment, the name of the mine was changed to Forest Creek Gold Reefs.
The wheel’s massive stone supports are very significant mining features because of their association with a major gold mining area and important nineteenth century technology. The mine site is listed on the registers of the National Estate, Government Buildings, and the National Trust.
The Mining Surveyor’s Reports provide the following description of the water wheel:
“The Garfield Company have confined their operations to pulling down and re-erecting their crushing plant adjacent to a new water-wheel of 70 feet diameter, in form like the large wheel of a bicycle. The water to be obtained from the VWS race, carried by flume about 790 feet long, on a sapling frame from 20 to 58 feet high, is intended, after discharge from this 70ft wheel, to be conducted by flume and race to work the Manchester 40 foot wheel.
Both wheels are made to revolve backwards (the reverse of the ordinary overshot wheel) the motive power being thus limited to the gravity or weight of water in the bucket.
…Its 220 wrought-iron buckets have on either side strong wrought iron bands, upon which a break is easily applied by a strong lever: the supply of water is regulated or stopped by other levers, all well devised and controlled by one man in charge of the battery, who can shut off the water, apply the brake to the ponderous wheel, and stop the battery with as much ease as stopping a steam engine.
This wheel revolves (according to force of water) in 45 to 55 seconds, driving a 15-head battery from 70 to 86 falls per minutes. The same water flows thence and works the Manchester (40 foot diameter water-wheel), which drives a heavier battery of 10 stampers 64 falls per minute. This ulitilization of water power for quartz crushing is an important matter, affording employment to over 60 men.” Ref: Story board.
Chewton-Castlemaine Diggings Heritage Park. Scene between the walls of the 72ft Forest Creek water wheel foundations (originally Garfield Gold Mine water wheel). Victoria Australia
Transcription of plaque on side of water wheel ruin:-
Site of Forest Creek water wheel battery 1887.
Water supply from Expedition Pass Reservoir.
Wheel diam 72 ft.
Gear diam 38 ft.
Buckets 220.
Bucket capacity 5 gal.
Battery 15 head.
Located Castlemaine Diggings Heritage Park at the heart of the central Victorian goldfields.
It is also the traditional lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung People who maintain a close and continuing connection to Djandak, their traditional Country.
The discovery of gold in July 1851 lured tens of thousands of migrants to the Castlemaine area. Between 1851 and 1854 it was the world’s richest shallow alluvial goldfield. By 1852, the population on the Castlemaine Diggings was 40,000-60,000.
The Garfield Water Wheel was the largest diameter wheel ever constructed in Victoria. It provided power to the stamp battery for extracting gold from ore produced by the Garfield Mine between 1887 and 1903.
In March 1898, following English investment, the name of the mine was changed to Forest Creek Gold Reefs.
The wheel’s massive stone supports are very significant mining features because of their association with a major gold mining area and important nineteenth century technology. The mine site is listed on the registers of the National Estate, Government Buildings, and the National Trust.
The Mining Surveyor’s Reports provide the following description of the water wheel:
“The Garfield Company have confined their operations to pulling down and re-erecting their crushing plant adjacent to a new water-wheel of 70 feet diameter, in form like the large wheel of a bicycle. The water to be obtained from the VWS race, carried by flume about 790 feet long, on a sapling frame from 20 to 58 feet high, is intended, after discharge from this 70ft wheel, to be conducted by flume and race to work the Manchester 40 foot wheel.
Both wheels are made to revolve backwards (the reverse of the ordinary overshot wheel) the motive power being thus limited to the gravity or weight of water in the bucket.
…Its 220 wrought-iron buckets have on either side strong wrought iron bands, upon which a break is easily applied by a strong lever: the supply of water is regulated or stopped by other levers, all well devised and controlled by one man in charge of the battery, who can shut off the water, apply the brake to the ponderous wheel, and stop the battery with as much ease as stopping a steam engine.
This wheel revolves (according to force of water) in 45 to 55 seconds, driving a 15-head battery from 70 to 86 falls per minutes. The same water flows thence and works the Manchester (40 foot diameter water-wheel), which drives a heavier battery of 10 stampers 64 falls per minute. This ulitilization of water power for quartz crushing is an important matter, affording employment to over 60 men.” Ref: Story board.