Beaconsfield gold breeds miners made of the right stuff
Grubb Shaft Museum and Hart
Shaft Winder House with
headframe in background |
The amazing Beaconsfield gold mine cave in survivors Brant Webb and Todd Russell walked out of their 1.2m by 1.2m hard rock prison just before 6am on Monday, May 8 after being trapped for 14 nights and underlined that the miners of North West Tasmania are made of the “right stuff”.
In the early 1900’s Beaconsfield was big news too as gold made it the third biggest town in Tasmania. Beaconsfield was once called Brandy Creek back around 1878. But the name did not suit the parishioners of the, Church of England so Brandy Creek is now forever set in Aussie mine rescue history as Beaconsfield.
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The headframe viewed from
behind the Main Street, Beaconsfield,
courtesy Beaconsfield Gold NL |
The Tasmanian hard rock miners of today have a proud heritage. Beaconsfield has attracted skilled, tough miners since gold mining began in 1877 and reached a peak when the Tasmanian Gold Mine, the biggest in the state, operated in Beaconsfield.
Beaconsfield is 39 km (about 40 minutes northwest of Launceston) on the West Tamar Highway, which runs up the western side of the Tamar River. There are apple-orchards all around the area and and oysters fatten in leases in the beautiful Tamar River.
 |
Extremely high gold
grade in quartz reef,
courtesy Beaconsfield Gold NL |
Gold was first discovered in the area in about 1847 although it was not until 1869 that alluvial gold was panned. By 1877 major gold companies were in the area and by 1881 Beaconsfield was the richest gold town in Tasmania. At its peak there were 53 companies working the goldfields.
Beaconsfield’s Grubb Shaft Museum Complex. on West Street, is based on the gold mining era between 1877 and 1914. There is a miner's cottage, the Flowery Gully School - a one teacher school built in 1892, a shop from the period, and the original Tasmania Gold Mine.
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Mourners gather for
Larry Knights funeral |
The Grubb Shaft mine went down more than 470m and was worked for 37 years yielding 26 tonnes of gold. But flooding problems closed it in 1914. Mine pumps, which are part of the display could not cope with the water which poured into the shafts.
The Grubb Shaft Museum is open from 10 am to 4 p.m. daily in summer time.Beaconsfield also made Australian news in 1953 when it was the first Australian town to fluoridate its water.
Launceston Visitor Information Centre says there is plenty to see:
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Two miners safe,
but one lost |
Brady’s Lookout is named after bushranger Matthew Brady, who used this vantage point to sight travelers
Historic Rosevears Hotel was built by William Rosevear and first licensed on September 24, 1831.
Rebecca Monument - the 29 tonne cutter Rebecca was built and used by John Batman to found the city of Melbourne in May 1835.
Supply River Flour Mill Ruins - Ruins of the first water driven flour mill in Tasmania – built in 1825 by Andrew Charlton – closed in 1888.
Auld Kirk Sidmouth - is a well known historic Presbyterian landmark in the Tamar Valley. It was built in freestone by convict and free labour in 1843.
Batman Bridge - is one of the world’s first cable-stayed truss bridges dominated by the 100m high steel A-frame tower.
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| Follow the Wine Trail signs |
Supply River Uniting Church - is one of the oldest surviving weatherboard churches in Tasmania.
Beaconsfield - is full of mining history and interesting old buildings, the Grubb Shaft Gold & Heritage Museum shows the history and heritage of the area. There are more than 30 visitor-activated working models and machinery. There is something for the whole family.
Anderson Creek Monument - marks the discovery of the creek by Ensign Robert Anderson in 1804, where settlers from the Norfolk Island established farms.
York Town Monument - Lt. Colonel William Paterson established a military headquarters at this site in 1804.
George Town - Established in 1804, George Town is the oldest town in Australia.
Paterson Monument - is a monument which marks the spot on the riverbank where, in 1804, Lt. Colonel Paterson took possession of Northern Tasmania in the name of Kind George III.
The Grove - The Grove Georgian Open Home is a fascinating colonial home, try lunch or teas in the coffee shop or stay in cosy Nanna's Cottage.
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| Cataract Gorge |
Low Head Pilot Station – Is a working Pilot Station with maritime and communications, museum and archive.
Windermere Church - is a splendid example of 1800’s architecture which is worth photographs from both sides of the Tamar River.
Launceston and its river valley blend history, scenery, creativity, adventure, entertainment and fine food and wine.
The scenic Cataract Gorge Reserve, with its tree rhododendrons and peacocks, fern glades and spacious lawns is close by.
It’s an adventurous city – try rock climbing in Cataract Gorge or cable hang gliding at nearby Trevallyn.
For quieter experiences, the Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery holds one of the nation’s best collections of colonial art. Today’s creative artists and craftspeople are also well represented – the internationally acclaimed Wood Design Collection has its home in Macquarie House, Civic Square.
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| Tamar Island Visitors Centre |
Join the action at the Country Club Resort, catch an open-air concert at the Basin, and sip a Tamar Valley wine or a James Boag Premium, voted the world’s best beer at the Australian Beer Awards, in one of the city’s award-winning bistros and restaurants.
The Tamar River’s quiet waters and sheltered shores provide a perfect environment for many species of waterbirds. At Tamar Island, 8 km from Launceston, boardwalks let visitors stroll over the wetlands and see the birds in their own habitat.
Notley Gorge has deep fern glades, dense rainforest and waterfalls. Further north at Low Head on the eastern side of the river visitors can take a tour and watch fairy penguins coming ashore and nesting in the coastal scrub. A short charter boat trip links to Australian fur seals breeding on Tenth Island.
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| Seahorse World |
The picturesque Tamar River has created a fertile valley of beautiful and rich contrasts as it flows from Launceston to the sea. The river meanders its way through scenic pastures, orchards, high-yielding vineyards and forests to Bass Strait. There are interesting towns and beautiful natural attractions throughout the valley. To explore the many areas of interest and browse this stunning area, it is certainly worth an overnight stay with a variety of accommodation available.
The best way to explore the Tamar Valley is to leave the highways and wander through the country roads along the riverfront. Throughout the valley there are road signs indicating the State’s official Wine Route and the majority of vineyards are open regularly for visitors. Most have cellar-door sales and several have their own restaurants.
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| Cable hang gliding |
A drive along the western side from Launceston reveals many small villages nestled on the riverbank, with various attractions such as wineries, orchards, a lavender farm, breathtaking wilderness areas, a Swiss Village, water bird sanctuaries and the Grubb Shaft Gold & Heritage Museum, which is full of the history and heritage of the West Tamar.
The scenery is tranquil, beautiful and visitors are never far from the majestic beauty and influence of the river. Many artists and crafts people have made the valley their home.
Seahorse World located on Inspection Head Wharf at Beauty Point (a short drive drive from Beaconsfield) is open for tours every day. This attraction is a major draw card for visitors from around the world.
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| Windermere Church |
The West Tamar has vineyards, farms and orchards, with pretty detours along the banks of the broad Tamar River, and a panoramic sweep from Brady’s Lookout on the West Tamar Highway. The East Tamar experience starts at the picturesque hamlet of Hillwood. Highlights include sampling some of the local produce with many of the hamlet’s orchards and farms open daily for inspection and tastings.
From Hillwood it is a short drive to historic George Town, Australia’s oldest town. Visit The Grove, an elegant Georgian home, learn about the areas history on the George Town Heritage Trail or drive to the top of Mount George and capture the panoramic views on camera. The George Town central business area provides a variety of choices for dining, shopping and accommodation.
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| Low Head Lighthouse |
Historic Low Head (just five minutes from George Town) is the seaside village where Tasmanians themselves choose to holiday. It includes many historic and natural attractions, the most prominent being the historic Pilot Station and Maritime Museum, Australia’s oldest continuously operating pilot station. The near nearby Low Head Light House is popular for its photographic opportunities. A short walk away is the Low Head Penguin colony. Guided tours to the colony run daily about an hour before sunset.
The Tamar has a rich heritage –the historic buildings of Beaconsfield recall the boom days of gold. Today, perhaps the Tamar Valley’s brightest gold is a swirl of delicious chardonnay, while some of tomorrow’s rich heritage rests in cellars, as precious bottles of pinot and cabernet age gracefully or some great bubbly.
The Tamar is Tasmania’s most productive and best-established wine region. Vines grow in tidy lines on gentle hills sloping down to the water, and mellow autumn sunshine ripens the grapes, adding unique cool-climate complexities of flavour to the Tamar’s widely acclaimed wines.
Editor’s note: GoSeeAustralia thanks Tourism Tasmania, Edenholme Grange the Tamar Island Visitor Centre and photographers Nick Osborne, Geoffrey Lea, Rob Burnett, Chris McLennan, Bill Bachman, Bob Iddon, Garry Moore, John Temple, and Dan Fellow for assistance with pictures in this feature.
For more information
contact: Garth Morrison
Editor Go See Australia Directory
Phone: 02 6294 1941
Fax: 02 6284 9275
Email: garth@contact.com.au
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