Historic Beechworth Buildings

Miner’s Hut - Skidmore Road

Miner’s Hut - Skidmore Road The original Miner’s Hut is located in Skidmore Road Beechworth and is now a private residence. After a recent lightning strick the hut has now been refurbished and can be seen half way around the Beechworth Gorge drive located near the Powder Magazine. The Beechworth Miners Hut is an authentic recreation of a slab hut that would have been common during the early days of Beechworth where the early settlers homes were constructed of locally sourced materials including hardwood slabs, granite and spit shingle roofs.

Old Priory Beechworth

Old Priory Beechworth In 1886 four Brigidine nuns sailed from Ireland to Australia. They arrived in Beechworth where they established a convent in the former Oriental Bank building in Ford St, which in 1886 became the second Brigidine convent in Australia. The following year the sisters took over St Joseph's school, buying land adjacent to the school. Much later it became the Beechworth Old Priory Lodge.

Powder Magazine - Skidmore Road Beechworth

Powder Magazine - Skidmore Road Beechworth Built in 1860 to store the gunpowder used in the local gold mining, the powder magazine was designed to minimise the risk of explosion. Only copper fittings were used and an elaborate lightening rod was fitted. People entering had to wear special shoes. Should an explosion occur the design of the building and compound would ensure the blast traveled upwards. The magazine closed in 1918 and fell into decay. The roof was removed to stop vagrants sleeping there and was almost demolished. The National Trust restored the building in 1966.

Chevaliers Mill

The mill was built by Louis CHEVALIER at the head of the Newtown Falls on Spring Creek in 1855 and initially acted as a sawmill until it added flour milling equipment at a later stage. The Chevalier flour mill included French burr millstones. 'Newtown Flour Mills' was purchased by Graham and Wilson c1868 at which stage steam power was being introduced to the mill and then by John Burrows in 1875.

Rocky Mountain Tunnel

Rocky Mountain Tunnel Beechworth As Beechworth's alluvial gold deposits were depleated groups of miners organised themselves to begin using more advanced mining techniques including races to carry water from the creek area and the beginning of sluicing. A mining method using water under pressure to wash away the dirt.

Robert O'Hara Burke Museum Beechworth

Robert O'Hara Burke Museum Beechworth Beechworth's Robert O'Hara Burke Museum dates back to 1857 when it was first built as the main building for the Beechworth Young Men's Association which held regular meetings at which its members listened to lectures and read essays on a range of subjects. In 1858 the group, and building, was renamed as the Beechworth Athenaeum.