I came across an old state heritage document recently that describes some of the historic mine sites in this area.
One fairly close to home is the Leviathan Battery and I set out today to find it. This is the information I had:
LEVIATHAN (HUNGFEE) BATTERY SITE
Upper Ovens goldfields, Porepunkah
LOCATION: Roberts Creek, near Porepunkah, 5.3 km along Mt Porepunkah Road, from second cattle grid.
SITE HISTORY: The Leviathan Reef was discovered at Roberts Creek in 1913 by W. Hungfee (of the Quan Kee Hotel). He erected a 10-head battery and worked the reef until 1915. According to Kaufman, the battery was removed in the 1980s.
DESCRIPTION and INTERPRETATION OF FEATURES: Features of the Leviathan Reef (Hungfee) battery site are a portable steam engine, battery foundations, and cyanide works. Portable steam engine. The double-cylinder engine is still standing on rear wheels. The smoke box is partially rusted and the flue is missing. Most of the boiler’s wooden lagging is still in place, but the fly-wheel and all brass fittings have been removed. The engine measures 9 inches in diameter, 16 inches in length, and has a total dimension of 13ft. The maker’s marks around the wheel hubs read: “Marshall Sons and Co., Gainsborough”.
Battery foundations: Only traces of wooden bedlogs and some stone retaining are left to show the former position of the battery.
Cyanide works: 15 m west of the engine, on the north side of the creek, is a small tailings dump and a partly buried cyanide vat. The vat is constructed of stone (1ft-thick walls) and measures 15 ft x 12 ft. The wall nearest the creek has been washed away.
CONDITION OF FEATURES: Battery has been removed but portable engine and cyanide vat. Area overgrown with large man ferns.
SIGNIFICANCE RANKING: Site listed on Heritage Inventory.
I couldn’t measure the exact distance from the second cattle grid because I parked the car a kilometre or so past the grid and walked the rest of the way.
I found several places where the road crossed a creek. At two of them I saw circular tanks that may or may not have been related to a mining site. Other physical evidence was hard to spot because of thick ferns and blackberries.
The cylinder engine can be seen in a gully just before reaching the second water tank. It’s not visible from the tank or past it. The banks are steep and I didn’t venture down.
It was an enjoyable walk and not too hard.
Before trying to find the old battery site I walked up Apex Hill for the first time in about three years. I followed the phone cable track heading up and took the walking track down.
The uphill section was hard work, but easier than the last time I did it. My legs didn’t turn to jelly this time.
Yesterday I walked up the back of Winters Hill and followed forestry tracks along the Buckland Valley. I climbed a hill that was nearly adjacent Harris Lane, enjoying a spectacular view of the valley floor and Mount Buffalo.
×0
