Homeward Bound Battery and Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Homeward Bound Battery and Dam |
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Homeward Bound Battery foundations, 1994
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| Location | Croydon, Shire of Croydon, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1888 |
| Official name: Homeward Bound Battery and Dam | |
| Type | state heritage (built, archaeological) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600439 |
| Significant period | 1888 (fabric) |
| Significant components | dam/reservoir, machinery/plant/equipment - mining/mineral processing, mounting block/stand |
| Builders | Mr Schumacher |
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The Homeward Bound Battery and Dam is a special historical site near Croydon in Queensland, Australia. It includes an old gold-crushing machine (called a stamping mill or battery) and a reservoir (dam). This site was built in 1888 by Mr Schumacher. It is now protected on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its important history.
History of Gold Mining
The Homeward Bound area was very rich in gold. Between 1886 and 1911, miners found over 25,000 ounces of gold here. That's a lot of gold! Even after that, more gold was found in smaller amounts until 1940.
The Gold Battery Begins
The Homeward Bound gold battery started working on February 28, 1888. It had 20 "stamps," which were heavy machines that crushed rock to get the gold out. It also used eight "berdan pans" to help separate the gold. A 20-horsepower steam engine powered all this machinery.
The main gold mines were located on a ridge above Waterfall Creek. Several companies owned parts of these mines. The Croydon Homeward Bound Gold Mining Company owned the battery itself.
Water Problems and the Dam
Getting enough water was always a big challenge in the Croydon Goldfield. So, in 1888, a large dam was built with strong stone walls. Mr. Shoemaker (or Schumacher) built this impressive dam. Even with the new dam, there wasn't always enough water for the battery to crush gold ore that year.
Changes and New Methods
In 1890, another company took over the battery, but the original company got it back a year later. By then, the Homeward Bound mine seemed almost empty.
However, in 1893, groups of miners started using the battery again and found good amounts of gold. One miner in 1896 said that the Homeward Bound area was often overlooked, but it still had gold for those who kept looking. In 1898, the mine was still producing a lot of gold, even when other mines in Croydon were closing.
Using Cyanide to Get More Gold
In 1901, new owners took over the battery. They started using a process called cyaniding in 1902. This method uses chemicals to get even more gold from the leftover crushed rock, called "tailings." This was a very important step because it meant they could get gold that the old crushing methods missed.
In its first year, the cyaniding plant treated 510 tons of tailings and got 668 ounces of gold. By 1903, it was the second-largest cyaniding plant in the area, treating over 6,500 tons of tailings and getting over 5,000 ounces of gold! They continued to get good amounts of gold from tailings for several more years.
The End of Mining
By 1904, the Homeward Bound Company had trouble finding the main gold vein. Other miners were only bringing small amounts of rock to be crushed. Slowly, the mining in this area stopped.
The settlement around the battery was never very big. It only had a store, a boarding house, and a post office from 1888 to 1893. Later, from 1988 to 1990, a new type of mining called "open cut mining" happened nearby. This modern mining changed some of the older mining areas.
What the Site Looks Like Now
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The Homeward Bound Battery and Dam site has two main parts: the dam wall and the battery foundations.
The Dam and Dam Wall
The dam wall is built very well with large, rough-shaped stones. It stands about 5 meters (16 feet) high above the creek bed and stretches about 40 meters (130 feet) across the creek. An earth wall continues for another 55 meters (180 feet). The wall also has a lower section called a "spillway," which lets excess water flow out safely. The top of the stone wall is covered with concrete.
Near the northern end of the wall, where a cyanide plant used to be, you can see a "vertical boiler" resting on old stamper bases. The dam itself is now quite full of mud and has acacia trees growing along its edge. The clay bed of the dam stretches for about 250 meters (820 feet) to the northeast.
The Battery Foundations
The battery site is on the northern side of the dam. All the original buildings and machinery have been removed. However, you can still see some important parts:
- A broken concrete base where the engine used to sit.
- Concrete foundations where the 20 gold-crushing stamps once stood.
- A "camshaft" with ten "cams," which were parts that helped lift and drop the stamps.
- A "beam pump arm," which was part of a pump used to move water.
The Old Settlement Area
About 300 to 400 meters (980 to 1,300 feet) east of the battery, along Waterfall Creek, was the Homeward Bound settlement. Here, you can still find several stone fireplaces and many stone surfaces from the old buildings.
Why It's a Heritage Site
The Homeward Bound Battery and Dam was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992. This means it's an important historical place.
Showing Queensland's History
This site is important because it shows how gold mining developed in Queensland. It represents different stages of the Croydon Goldfield, from early crushing by British companies to later using cyanide to get more gold once a steady water supply was available.
A Rare and Important Structure
The dam wall is the most impressive part of the Homeward Bound site that still exists. It is the largest and oldest dam (built in 1888) linked to mining that has been found in North Queensland. The size and excellent quality of its stonework are very special for the region. Not many dams were built on the Croydon Goldfield, even though there was always a problem with not enough water.
