Great Southern Consols Gold Mine, Rutherglen—remaining mullock heaps
Out of Melbourne for the first time exploring the area around Rutherglen in northeastern Victoria. Historically really interesting and, when we tire of the history, there's always the wine . . .
The Great Southern Mining Company was formed in 1889 and produced gold in the Rutherglen area until around 1913. At peak production in 1903-5, gold mining in the area employed about 400 people.
At the Great Southern Consols site, gold production ran from 1895 until 1913 with a shaft of 400 feet. It was the top alluvial mine in Victoria in 1905, producing 11,000plus ounces, but by 1911, the deep lead boom in the area was all but over. In 1914 Great Southern Consols wound up having produced a total of 138,000 ounces of gold and paid £74,000 dividends. All that's left are impressive mullock heaps and adits as well as mine detritus.
Aahhh Rutherglen. Spent many a hazy Sunday afternoon there when I was stationed at Bandiana including the 1970 Wine festival. Rhoda is from Wodonga. Her grandfather and G grandfather were both gold miners in Chiltern
How interesting and what a small world. I remember the wine festivals. Family had a pub in Corowa so know the area well. Our family, in a brief period between farms, had the general store at Springhurst, not so far from Chiltern, and I have an uncle living at South Pelluabla. Most people have never heard of it but it's near St James and there's lots of connections at Tungamah.
November 12th, 2021
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