The Remarkable Maldon Goldfield
Goldfields Guide
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Maldon is one of Victoria's most iconic goldfields, and one of the best places in the state to explore our fascinating gold mining history.
Gold was first discovered here in 1853, kicking off a rush that saw thousands of hopeful diggers pour into the gullies in search of fortune. The early alluvial boom was short-lived, but the real success of Maldon lay locked within its rich quartz reefs - and this goldfield would go on to become one of the colony's most important mining centers.
What really sets Maldon apart isn't just how much gold was found - it's how the gold was won.
This is a place where mining companies not only chased fortunes, but also pioneered ideas. The challenges faced by miners here drove the early adoption and advancement of several revolutionary mining technologies and processes.
Maldon was home to the very first pneumatic rock drill used in Australia, one of the earliest large-scale cyanide plants, was the birthplace of many innovative improvements in the gold processing industry, and the place where enterprising, forward-thinking men like Robert Oswald and William Gray truly pushed the limits of what was possible in the recovery of gold from quartz.
In this video, we're going to take a look at the fascinating gold mining history of Maldon - from the chaotic early days of the rushes, to the prosperous height of underground quartz reef mining.
This is more than just a story about the old mines of Maldon, it's the story of how a goldfield helped shape the future of Australia's mining industry - an industry that's still going strong here in Maldon today.
Join Goldfields Guide to get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, sneak peeks, video tours of the goldfields, discounts, and more!
@goldfieldsguide
20 Comments
in Bendigo Victoria
bred on Hustlers Hill
once lived in Brown Hill Ballarat not far from the murder the Sabbath
3rd December 1854
Eureka stockage sight
to now be loving your work here
may the truth set us free
which it will thanks to people like yourself
its in your heart is it not
the Forty-Niners
live in Australia today
from California they came
before then
history not being what it seems
to be said from the mightiest pen
I’m new to gold prospect and just wondering what is the law in recreation prospecting
It is worth it as a hobby or is there any regulation that might stop us from looking for gold
Your professional advice is greatly appreciated before we start to buy the metal detector and gears
What are the down side of recreation prospector in Victoria rules and regulations
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The Remarkable Maldon Goldfield
Goldfields Guide
43,820 views
Maldon is one of Victoria's most iconic goldfields, and one of the best places in the state to explore our fascinating gold mining history.
Gold was first discovered here in 1853, kicking off a rush that saw thousands of hopeful diggers pour into the gullies in search of fortune. The early alluvial boom was short-lived, but the real success of Maldon lay locked within its rich quartz reefs - and this goldfield would go on to become one of the colony's most important mining centers.
What really sets Maldon apart isn't just how much gold was found - it's how the gold was won.
This is a place where mining companies not only chased fortunes, but also pioneered ideas. The challenges faced by miners here drove the early adoption and advancement of several revolutionary mining technologies and processes.
Maldon was home to the very first pneumatic rock drill used in Australia, one of the earliest large-scale cyanide plants, was the birthplace of many innovative improvements in the gold processing industry, and the place where enterprising, forward-thinking men like Robert Oswald and William Gray truly pushed the limits of what was possible in the recovery of gold from quartz.
In this video, we're going to take a look at the fascinating gold mining history of Maldon - from the chaotic early days of the rushes, to the prosperous height of underground quartz reef mining.
This is more than just a story about the old mines of Maldon, it's the story of how a goldfield helped shape the future of Australia's mining industry - an industry that's still going strong here in Maldon today.
Join Goldfields Guide to get access to exclusive behind the scenes videos, sneak peeks, video tours of the goldfields, discounts, and more!
@goldfieldsguide
At Maldon we found a tunnel, the entrance of which had two vertical posts supporting a single horizontal beam. On top of the horizontal beam rested extremely large boulders.
We went there one time and pumped the water out overnight before venturing inside. Just inside the entrance was a submerged vertical shaft. The main tunnel/ extended under the hill before branching into a T-intersection. The right branch extended even further towards the crown of the hill, and by scampering up some old ladders we arrived at the base of a vertical shaft which went to the surface. On the walls of the main tunnels we could see the water-level mark in line with our shoulders. This was before the gold boom when metal detecting took off. Nonetheless I found a fist-sized lump of quartz on one of the tunnel walls, which had a couple of narrow bands of gold running through it.
At the time we somehow found out the particulars of that mine, but it's too long ago to remember.
I was showing someone else inside the mine and we spent 2 hours inside.
When we entered the mine we were all in our 20's and full of bravado, hence we hadn't bothered to place a rope down the upper shaft that went to the surface. (shakes head at the stupidity of it)
Returning some years later I found, unsurprisingly, that the entrance had finally collapsed.
Fortunately I took some photos, which I still have, of both the entrance and inside.