Eastern Victoria possesses some of the State's richest and intriguing gold
heritage. From Melbourne, the western part of the Gippsland goldfields are an
easy two hour drive along the Princes Freeway.
Although much of Gippsland's remaining gold heritage can be seen in easily
accessible locations, many of the more remote township sites and mine locations
are tenaciously hidden away in the rugged high country.
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The remoteness of many of these gold sites has allowed some of the original
gold workings and equipment to survive, unlike other gold areas that moved on
when the gold ran out. In many cues the heavy mining machinery was simply
abandoned to the bush because removal was uneconomic.
GippsIand's proud gold heritage can be absorbed in numerous towns across the
region and there are a range of historic buildings, structures and
interpretative attractions that allow the visitor to appreciate the atmosphere
of a bygone era.
Probably the best known is the famous and historic township of Walhalla,
nestled in a narrow valley of great natural beauty. Here you'll discover a
mountain gold town that 100 years ago was crammed with buildings and stripped
of all trees, to provide firewood for the boilers of the deep underground
mines. The bush has now returned to its natural state, and unlike nearly all
the surrounding villages, Walhalla remains as a living town and is
distinguished by the fact that mains electricity was only connected in 1998.
Walhalla was home to Victoria's richest gold producer, the
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Long Tunnel Mine, which delivered enormous dividends to its shareholders during
a half century of operation.
GippsIand has something to offer everyone. For the more adventurous, a lot of
GippsIand's gold sites are almost impossible to access without the assistance
of a 4WD and cross-country hike. This offers perfect opportunities to combine
the attraction of high country walks and visiting the sites of gold mines and
former townships.
However, GippsIand gold history is more than just mountain ranges. Before the
GippsIand railway from Melbourne was connected through to Sale, Bairnsdale and
the GippsIand Lakes, the original seaport of Port Albert was the only southern
access to the Walhalla mines and numerous small mining settlements such as
Jericho, Grant and Donnelly's Creek. All these relied on Port Albert for the
supply of public transport, all provisions and equipment. Towns such as Sale,
Toongabbie and Traralgon were largely founded as the service centres to the
mining towns, supplying timber, explosives and food.
Although the Latrobe Valley Is mainly known
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as the source of Victoria's brown coal fired electricity generators, this fuel
was first trailed late in the 19th century as an experimental energy source for
the Walhalla gold mines, which then used up to 35,000 tonnes of firewood
annually.
With over 150 sites nominated in GippsIand as historical gold sites, you will
see that GippsIand has a lot to offer. Signs will be placed at identified sites
and will display an historic photograph or line drawing of what existed on the
site during the gold era, and text describing the site and its importance.
GIPPSLAND GOLD DISCOVERY TRAILS RE-TRACING OUR ANCESTORS FOOTSTEPS
GippsIand Gold Discovery Trails will link all gold heritage sites and open up
the remote mountain areas. The trails all utilise current roads and will
retrace original gold routes. Along the length of the trails, interpretive
signage will be placed at regular intervals to highlight the tales, stories and
places that made up GippsIand's gold era.
The GippsIand Gold Discovery Brochure will be launched in November 2001 that
will back up the signs and will be readily available through out GippsIand and
Victoria.
GIPPSLAND GOLD DISCOVERY TRAILS
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