tinpan
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"LOST SETTLEMENT OF YANKEE CREEK"[HUNTLY AUSTRALIA]
Mining legend "THE QUARTZ KING" George Lansell and the Association of Sandhurst Stockholders realised that some expertise in deep hard rock mining was required.Many problems occured as the mines got deeper.ground water,ventilation,mining methods were just a few.After many meetings and endless debating,Lansell took the iniative and corresponded with leading mine experts in several countries.The Stockholders were reluctant to support lansell's ideas. Then in 1878 at the request of of lansell,world famous scottish mine manager George Anderson returned to Sandhurst from working in South Africa.While working over-seas Anderson had realised that new methods of hard rock mining had been invented in Colarado {U.S.A}.These methods proved to be quite efficient.
Some time in early 1880's Anderson and Lansell made several trips to Colarado and were amazed at the new mining methods.They returned to Sandhurst to tell the mine stockholders of the amazing new technology.
In 1882 the stockholders association floated a fund for new technology and large amounts of cash was used to entice american hard rock mining experts to move to Sandhurst.Their job was to over-see the development of the new methods and the required up-grades.
In 1885 Lansell aquired the North Huntly Deep Lease and planned a new mining venture with the help of Anderson.With the decline of gold and silver mining in some areas of Colarado and the many contacts which he had, it became easy to aquire some very skilled miners and managers for his new venture.Anderson was in full control of operations and Lansell travelled to England.
Four years later the four main shafts were completed and two water baling shafts were dug as well.Most of the engine plant was aquired from other disused Huntly mines and the 6 Poppet heads were shipped from Castlemaine
The new equipment and the the expertise came from Colarado.
The North Huntly Mine consisted of 6 shafts, the deepest 3200 feet,2 engine plants and 76 stamper quartz crusher.The mine was worked from 1885-1896 and employed 214 miners and six managers.The total yeild was 209,000 0z,s of gold in that period.
Many miners would travel daly from the near by township of Huntly,the distance was about 6 miles.A few gained lease freeholds of 10 acreas, along the local creek.The local creek had clean water and sedimentary flats,which were easily farmed.First to take up the leases were the Americans and the creek became known as Yankee Creek.Not long after there were also cornish and scottish miners and their familys taking up leases.Numerous farm sites strected along the creek.These miners worked their shifts at the mine and the family ran small productive farms.They grew fruit trees and raised a few stock to sell at the local market.
With the decline of mining in the area in the 1890's most of the families moved to other mining locations in Sandhurst{Bendigo} or south to Castlemaine.By 1909 most of the structure and buildings were moved to other locations.What was left was salvaged by local sheep farmers.Then there was little left at all.
Today i went out to Yankee Creek, to a site that had about 5 small farms located close together.There little of any thing to remind you that people once lived here.I figured the house were close to the creek but on the high flat ground.The area has been a sheep farm since the mining days and most of the surface trash is standard gauge stock wire.
With sedimentary layering of clay from floooding over the past hundred years,i knew i had too use a m.d with real depth capability.My chose was a Minelab SD2200 and I know at digging with depth,it becomes a dig all targets process
.I was happy the the sedimentary clay was easy to dig 
Its was nice to find something different and that i did,buried for a 120 years. .The ground is considered bad ground and the usual english coppers were real crusty's.Its took a fare effort to clean these coins and i did scratch it up a bit.i,m yet to find any early ones.Got a few shards of pottery and glass and some cool looking relics.I will return to to this area again in the furture.thanks for looking and theres heeps of pics of site ,dig and finds.
tinpan
Mining legend "THE QUARTZ KING" George Lansell and the Association of Sandhurst Stockholders realised that some expertise in deep hard rock mining was required.Many problems occured as the mines got deeper.ground water,ventilation,mining methods were just a few.After many meetings and endless debating,Lansell took the iniative and corresponded with leading mine experts in several countries.The Stockholders were reluctant to support lansell's ideas. Then in 1878 at the request of of lansell,world famous scottish mine manager George Anderson returned to Sandhurst from working in South Africa.While working over-seas Anderson had realised that new methods of hard rock mining had been invented in Colarado {U.S.A}.These methods proved to be quite efficient.
Some time in early 1880's Anderson and Lansell made several trips to Colarado and were amazed at the new mining methods.They returned to Sandhurst to tell the mine stockholders of the amazing new technology.
In 1882 the stockholders association floated a fund for new technology and large amounts of cash was used to entice american hard rock mining experts to move to Sandhurst.Their job was to over-see the development of the new methods and the required up-grades.
In 1885 Lansell aquired the North Huntly Deep Lease and planned a new mining venture with the help of Anderson.With the decline of gold and silver mining in some areas of Colarado and the many contacts which he had, it became easy to aquire some very skilled miners and managers for his new venture.Anderson was in full control of operations and Lansell travelled to England.
Four years later the four main shafts were completed and two water baling shafts were dug as well.Most of the engine plant was aquired from other disused Huntly mines and the 6 Poppet heads were shipped from Castlemaine
The new equipment and the the expertise came from Colarado.
The North Huntly Mine consisted of 6 shafts, the deepest 3200 feet,2 engine plants and 76 stamper quartz crusher.The mine was worked from 1885-1896 and employed 214 miners and six managers.The total yeild was 209,000 0z,s of gold in that period.
Many miners would travel daly from the near by township of Huntly,the distance was about 6 miles.A few gained lease freeholds of 10 acreas, along the local creek.The local creek had clean water and sedimentary flats,which were easily farmed.First to take up the leases were the Americans and the creek became known as Yankee Creek.Not long after there were also cornish and scottish miners and their familys taking up leases.Numerous farm sites strected along the creek.These miners worked their shifts at the mine and the family ran small productive farms.They grew fruit trees and raised a few stock to sell at the local market.
With the decline of mining in the area in the 1890's most of the families moved to other mining locations in Sandhurst{Bendigo} or south to Castlemaine.By 1909 most of the structure and buildings were moved to other locations.What was left was salvaged by local sheep farmers.Then there was little left at all.
Today i went out to Yankee Creek, to a site that had about 5 small farms located close together.There little of any thing to remind you that people once lived here.I figured the house were close to the creek but on the high flat ground.The area has been a sheep farm since the mining days and most of the surface trash is standard gauge stock wire.
With sedimentary layering of clay from floooding over the past hundred years,i knew i had too use a m.d with real depth capability.My chose was a Minelab SD2200 and I know at digging with depth,it becomes a dig all targets process
.I was happy the the sedimentary clay was easy to dig Its was nice to find something different and that i did,buried for a 120 years. .The ground is considered bad ground and the usual english coppers were real crusty's.Its took a fare effort to clean these coins and i did scratch it up a bit.i,m yet to find any early ones.Got a few shards of pottery and glass and some cool looking relics.I will return to to this area again in the furture.thanks for looking and theres heeps of pics of site ,dig and finds.
tinpan
