2 Geckos Travelling Australia: Tues, 14th Apr, 2015 Derby Park (tin mining history)

Warmer morning, 12 degrees at 8am. Overcast with rain predicted. We had bought a pumpkin for $1/kg so decided to cook up some soup and make some pumpkin scones that Wendy suggested last night.

After a cuppa and yummy scones we headed off to explore.

Penny had said to explore the Tunnel near the Cascade River and to take a torch. The tunnel was constructed in the late 1800s when three mining companies were working tin mines in the same area and couldn’t reach an agreement concerning the disposal of the tailings from the mines. One mine decided to drill a tunnel through the granite so that they were able to dispose of the tailings through the tunnel. The tunnel took three years to drill and in January 1888 the tunnel passed 1182 feet through granite into alluvial ground. It was another year before the tunnel was completed and the total length was approx. 2000 feet. A dump shaft was sunk and connected to the tail race. The stripping from the top and the alluvial ground were washed down this shaft. We parked then walked a while along a road that is also used by the mountain bikes. Except for a relic on the corner we would have missed the Tunnel entrance (could do with a sign).

It started with a big opening then narrowed down to a curved roof about 6ft high and it was about 8ft wide. Steve said it was similar to the one he and Berkeley went into at the shale mine near Lefroy.

Steve had a bright headlamp so the photos turned out well. After we turned the bend we headed down a long straight where we could see light at the other end. As we walked it sounded like there was rushing water but then we stopped and realised it was the sound of our footsteps on the gravel being echoed around us.

The tunnel was heading downhill and there was a bit water on the ground. Further along though we had to stop as it was full of water. Obviously the other end has been blocked and the water can’t escape. Even with waders on I don’t think I would bother!!

Turned around and headed back up the tunnel.

A rock pile outside the entrance.

An ore bucket. They have used mining relics to line the trails.

Looking down on the mountain bike trails below on the other side of the river.

Went back to the start of the trails. The shack was the old Briseis Mine office which they are trying to restore.

The Blue Derby is a network of purpose-built mountain bike trails based around the towns of Derby and Weldborough, taking in the stunning Cascade Forest and the Blue Tiers. The 2015 XCM National Championships will be held here in May. Might be worth a look if we are around here. Will send these to Jacinta in case she gets to come here and race one day.

Went for a walk along the trails (only a couple of people riding at the moment) to see if we could find the other end of the tunnel. Lots of dark holes through the scrub but nothing obvious.

Drove back out to read the sign at the cricket ground but it was just about its restoration. Great photo of the sign and Fish Rock though.

Went back to the van for lunch – Mr Chook was visiting so gave him some pumpkin seeds.

Went into the Tin Dragon Interpretation Centre – used our Senior Cards for a discount. They had some interesting items on display from the School House Museum next door that we will check out next. Lovely big smokey quartz.

Read the information while we waited to go into the film presentation.

We went into a long room with a very long panel of screens. Should have taken a photo of the show – it was very good though a bit hard to see it all with the 15m screen.

It told the story of the mining history of the area. Two brothers, Krushka, started the mine in 1875 which was the richest mining lease in Derby. Over the years the easy tin was taken and then when things went quiet it was bought by Briseis Tin and General Mining Company along with a lot of the other mines in the area. They employed hundreds of men and produced millions of pounds of tin after they discovered more tin under the mine. In the early 1900s Derby was thriving. As water was so important to be able to retrieve the tin there were water races traversing all over the area. Briseis wanted more water to use hydraulic sluicing so they had a 48km water race built to bring water from Ringarooma. Later they wanted more water pressure so they dammed the Cascade River 3km upstream of Derby and piped the water down to the dam under high pressure that was needed to remove the overburden material, which lay on top of the tin-bearing drift face. Unfortunately on 4^th Apr, 1929 after 3 days of unprecedentedly torrential rain the dam broke sending a wave of water down the valley towards Derby and the tin mine. The volume of water was so large it caused the Ringarooma River to reverse the direction of its flow as far as Branxholm, about 5 miles upstream.

On the floor were see-through panels and each one was a memorial to the 14 people who lost their lives in the massive flood. This family had just sat down to dinner when the wall of water it their house. It is said one house was seen floating downstream still with smoke coming out of the chimney. One chap in the mine office lost his life because he turned back to the office to retrieve his new hat while the others fled to safety. A mother had her baby ripped from her arms by the water but amazing the baby got caught up in some wild blackberry bushes and was found by his older brother.

This is the nozzle used to blast the water onto the hillside to dislodge the rocks and dirt so tin could be discovered.

Out on the deck we look over the Ringarooma River to where the Briseis Mine was. The trees have grown back but behind them is a lake where the open cut mine hole used to be. In the months following the 1929 flood, the mine was drained, the dam rebuilt and mining resumed. The demand for tin during World War II saw activities peak once again. Operations dwindled during the 1950s and ending in the 1960s.

The Ringarooma River had its course changed four times as they dug for tin. Looking from the top of the ridge above the mine (in previous photo) to back over the town.

Outside is a lovely memorial to the 14 people who lost their lives in the 1929 dam disaster.

Next door is the old School House Museum. It was built in 1898. By 1909 there were 200 pupils enrolled. In 1915 enrolments peaked at 236. The school closed in 1975 with just 6 students.

There was a plaque commemorating the pioneering work of George Renison Bell.

Lots of photos and information inside. Steve enjoyed the heater which was set at 25 degrees. Looking from the back of the town over to the Briseis Tin Mine. Such a difference to now. I read that further up the Cascade River there was a whole hill removed by mining.

There was a great gemstone display. Though they were under glass so the photos of the topaz etc didn't come out because there was too much reflection.

Briseis Tin Mine Company wanted more water to be able to spray the hillside to loosen the rocks and dirt. In 1900 they hired a surveyor to plan the route of a water race from Ringarooma to Derby. Construction started in 1901 and was completed by March 31^st, 1902. It was constructed to convey water at a precise gradient of 4 feet per mile (1:1320). Three gangs of men, with approx 100 in each, simultaneously constructed each section over the 15 months until they met. Water was harnessed behind Ringarooma and channelled along the 48km race to Derby, taking 3 weeks for the first release of water to reach the mine. It was designed and built to carry a minimum of 100 sluice heads of water per hour (24 million gallons daily). Touted at the time to be the largest project of its kind ever undertaken in Australia. It travelled through forests and rocky terrain with four ‘great’ siphons (pipes) constructed to transport the water over rivers and across gullies. The forests surrounding the race was harvested with ‘spot’ sawmills providing the timber required during the construction of the race. The race was still in use for mining purposes in the 1950s by the Arba Tin Mine. A portion of the race still conveys water to the Branxholm water reservoir. Great photos.

A mine in operation.

Next door was the old school room. It had the pressed tin ceiling that we read about in the Tin Dragon Centre. They used it in House Rules last year too.

The school room.

Great panoramic view over the Briseis Mine site now a lake. Unfortunately it is on private land so you can’t see it or get to it.

At the end of October each year they have the Derby River Derby which looks like our old Rafting Regatta that we were in at Lake Placid years ago.

The other end of the room was packed with old memorabilia and a section about the local soldiers during the wars.

Dad would love this old organ.

We headed up behind the town to find the Briseis Dam now known as the Cascade Dam. It was a narrow dirt road so we hope we don’t meet anyone.

Drove out onto the dam area which turned out to be before the spillway. There were two spillways, one on each side of the dam wall.

A suspension bridge gave access to the wall when the spillways were flowing.

Looking over the lake.

We climbed over the spillway lip and then up onto the dam wall.

Looking back up the suspension bridge.

Then back over the wall.

Walked along the wall – great view down where the Cascade River used to flow. Scary to imagine the wall of water that hurtled down this valley to Derby in 1929. The water from here is piped down through the hill to the town and is also used for irrigation purposes.

On the other side of the dam wall is the other spillway.

Walked back and I tried out the bridge – not too sure of it so only went a little way – and the gate was locked at the other end!!

I walked down to the end of the spillway looking down to the river area below. Steve was collected firewood.

Looking back up the Spillway.

Headed back to town. Great view over the town and the site of the mine across the river.

Drove back to Branxholm to check out the tin mining history there.

Further down the road we found the Briseis Water Race walk. Not maintained unfortunately but we figured out where to go. Down the track a bit was a dirty info board. (keep forgetting to carry a rag!!) Briseis was the 1876 Melbourne Cup winner.

The water race was cut into the rocky ground and we followed it for a while.

One side was natural and the other was stone pitched to stop erosion.

Definitely need the rag for this one. It was about the fluming they built to traverse this area of land. Quite an amazing feat. This should have received one of those Engineering Plaques we have seen on the dams etc.

Sadly only nothing is left standing but you can see where it went by the broken timber structure laying on the ground.

One of the shoes left in the tree by the timbercutters.

Found one of the ceramic insulators of the emergency telephone communication line between the Race caretaker and the Briseis Tin Min.

We followed along where the flume would have been.

Then back to the dug out water race. Kept walking for a while then turned back as it was getting late and we weren't sure if we would end up walking for kilometres.

Nearly back to the car and I found another insulator stuck in the tree.

Drove back into Branxholm. It was 5pm and has been a dark overcast day but decided to check out another sign that said Chinese history trail. As we headed up the road a chap walking his dog stopped us. He owns the place and said due to lack of patronage he had to shut the Chinese museum part down. He had spent money putting in cottages etc and had not done well. He is hopeful though to turn it around by getting the mountain biking groups interested in making trails along the water race but first has to get the town’s ‘nay sayers’ to approve. He invited us to still go up and do the walk along the Chinese water race. He has kept it reasonably clear and we walked in the race rather than beside it like the other one.

He has marked where some of the leases are.

There are metal cutouts showing the chinese at work in the tin mines.

This big tree had fallen over but a root had shot upwards and grown another tree.

More cut outs along the way.

A resting spot, metal chairs with rock seats – not that comfortable.

Another lease.

Back to the hut that he housed all the history information. He had said that in 3 years he had only received donations of $150 so we added a couple of dollars to his tally.

Back to the Red Bridge where some Chinese were stopped by the Europeans from entering the area. They came back the next day with the Police from Scottsdale. The Europeans weren’t happy about the Chinese as they worked harder and for less so they felt they were taking their jobs in the mines etc.