Wallaby Mine Walk / Drive Beechworth

Wallaby Mine Walk / Drive Beechworth The walk from Lake Kerford to the Wallaby Mine is along the roads, a distance of approximately 2 kilometres. Having passed Lake Kerford, at the intersection turn left and follow the signs. Cross over the next intersection, Rawes Road, and the Wallaby Mine Car Park is approximately 800 metres along. There are two levels to view the mine. The walk is quite steep. From the car park you can follow a narrow path leading from the West of the car park down through the bracken, or you can follow the path on the Eastern side and walk down the road. The two paths join about 150 metres down the hill. Following the grassy 4 wheel track down about another 100 metres you will see a sign to the mine on your right.

Above is a photo of the open cut Wallaby Gold Mine, as seen from the viewing platform in the photo below. There are viewing platforms or positions above the mine. You can see the wooden fences on the cliff top.

Wallaby Mine Walk Beechworth

Below the mine is a huge pile of rocks, which you can see in the photo below right. These were the non ore bearing rocks which were not sent to the rock crusher below.

To see the crusher walk along the wooden decking back to the 4 wheel drive track, and proceed downhill past the huge pile of rocks. Follow the path you can see on the photo.

Having followed this path for about 250 metres you will come to an intersection. There should be a sign pointing down to the crusher.

At this intersection you should be able to look down upon the crusher. The valley is quite narrow now and the little stream below emits what seems like a very loud roar. The small valley is extremely still and quiet.

Descending the steps into the crusher area the mechanically minded will be amazed at the simplicity of this machine. On the photo above the rocks or ore was placed in at 1and as the large wheel spun, it turned a bar 3 which lifted the heavy weights on the poles 2 and the let them drop onto the rock, thus crushing them and making the extraction of gold easier.

Above you can see the large driving wheel which was powered by a single piston steam operated engine. By standing near this engine you can see the pipes which brought the steam from the oven nearby, pushed the piston which turned the wheel which turned the metal bar which in turn lifted and dropped the bars with weights on the end, thereby crushing the rocks. This whole "machine" is in excellent order considering that it has stood out in the elements since the 1850's.

Returning up the stairs to the intersection of the paths, turn left and walk upstream. About 70 metres along and in the side of the hill there is a mine shaft about 7 feet tall. There is a small stream usually running out of it. Continue along this path, past the blackberries and at the end of the track you will see another tunnel or mine, going into the side of the hill.

This tunnel which is photographed above goes about 75 metres into the hill, where it leads into a large underground mine, photographed right. The mine or cave has broken through the surface of the ground, allowing light into the cave. The top photo shows the light coming into the cave from these holes, showing the bushes on the side of the hill