London North Mine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids London North Mine |
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London North Mine, 1993
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| Location | Elphinstone street, Ravenswood, Charters Towers Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1900 - 1914 (early 20th century) |
| Built | c. 1903 - 1915 |
| Official name: London North Mine, Ravenswood | |
| Type | state heritage (built, archaeological) |
| Designated | 22 February 1994 |
| Reference no. | 601207 |
| Significant period | c. 1903-1915 (fabric) 1903-1915, 1935 (historical) |
| Significant components | slab/s - concrete, mullock heap, headframe, shaft |
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The London North Mine is an old gold mine located on Elphinstone Street in Ravenswood, Queensland, Australia. It was built between about 1903 and 1915. This historic site was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 22 February 1994, which means it is protected because of its important history.
Contents
Gold Mining in Queensland
From the 1850s until World War I, gold mining was very important in Queensland. Many big gold discoveries happened in places like Clermont (1861), Gympie (1867), Ravenswood (1868), and Charters Towers (1872). These discoveries helped Queensland become the third largest gold producer in Australia.
In the early days, miners at Ravenswood looked for gold in creek beds. This was called "panning" for alluvial gold. Later, they found gold in underground rock formations, known as "reefs." This type of mining needed special equipment like milling facilities to get the gold out. The "London" Reef was one of the first gold reefs found in Ravenswood.
Challenges for Miners
By 1871, mining in Ravenswood faced problems. As mines went deeper, they hit the water table. This made it hard to get the gold out of the rock, especially because of a tricky mineral called mundic sulphides. It cost a lot more money to use new technologies to extract the gold. Because of these difficulties, many miners left Ravenswood for other gold fields, like the one in Charters Towers. Charters Towers soon became a bigger gold producer than Ravenswood.
Ravenswood's Comeback
Even though many miners left, Ravenswood continued to grow. New government buildings were built, like the Great Northern railway from Townsville in 1884. A new Court House and Police Station opened in 1882, and a Post and Telegraph Office in 1885. The town's economy was also helped by silver mines nearby.
In the 1890s, mining became profitable again. Ravenswood had a second boom around 1900 when a company called New Ravenswood Co. invested a lot of money. They bought many mines and brought in new technology to solve the mundic problem.
London North Mine Operations
In 1903, Ravenswood's population reached its highest point, with about 5,000 people. Around this time, a group from Charters Towers started the London North Mine. They believed the London Reef had more gold deeper down. Miners dug a vertical shaft and built a tall structure called a headframe over it. They also installed a steam-powered engine to lift things up and down the shaft.
- Headframe: This tall wooden structure stood over the mine shaft. It had a pulley at the top. A rope from a steam engine went over this pulley. Miners used it to lower and raise cages or buckets in the shaft.
- Brace: This was a platform connected to the headframe. Miners used it to handle rock and ore. Rock that didn't contain gold (called mullock) was taken to a large pile called a mullock heap. Gold ore was put into bins.
- Pigsties: These were special timber frames filled with mullock. Miners used them to support the ground, especially in underground tunnels. At London North Mine, they were used above ground to hold the mullock heap because there wasn't much space.
In 1905, the mine was covering its costs, but it didn't improve much. Water became a big problem, just like it had for the nearby "London" mine. In 1907, the London North Mine was sold to local investors. Later, it merged with the "London" mine, but they still didn't make much profit. In 1910, the New Ravenswood Co. bought the mines, but profits didn't increase.
Decline and Closure
By 1912, mining in Ravenswood was slowing down. A big strike in 1912-1913 caused problems in the community. The mines continued to decline, and when World War I started in 1914, costs went up and there weren't enough workers. The London North Mine closed in 1915.
After the war, mining across Australia declined. Ravenswood's population shrank, and many buildings were removed. In 1930, Ravenswood even lost its railway. There were small attempts to restart mining in the 1930s and 1940s, and later with new technology, but Ravenswood never returned to its busy days of the early 1900s.
Since the 1970s, the town of Ravenswood has been studied and protected. In the 1980s, the whole town was listed by the Australian Heritage Commission. Today, the London North Mine headframe is one of the last remaining structures from that important mining era in Ravenswood.
Mine Description
The London North Mine is located near the center of Ravenswood. It is surrounded by Elphinstone Street, London Street, and Macrossan Street. The site still has the remains of the headframe, large piles of rock called mullock heaps, and the concrete base where the engine once stood.
- Headframe: This tall wooden structure stands over the mine shaft. It has four slanted legs that meet at the top. These legs once held a pulley used to lift things from the shaft.
- Mullock Heaps: There are two large piles of waste rock, one to the north and one to the south. The northern heap is supported by the remains of "pigsties," which were timber frames filled with rock to provide support.
- Engine Foundations: All that is left of the engine house and its machinery is a concrete slab with bolts. This slab is located across a small dry creek bed.
Heritage Importance
The London North Mine was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 22 February 1994. This means it is considered very important for several reasons:
- History of Queensland: Ravenswood was one of the first major gold mining sites in North Queensland. It played a big part in the area's economic and social growth.
- Rare Example: The headframe at London North Mine is a rare example of a wooden headframe still standing in North Queensland.
- Showing Mining Life: The mine, with its headframe, shaft, mullock heaps, and engine foundations, helps us understand what a mining town looked like. It reminds us how quickly a town could change when its mineral wealth ran out.
- Aesthetic Value: The mine's ruins, including the headframe and other parts, are an important part of the Ravenswood landscape. They visually tell the story of the town's mining past.
- Community Connection: The London North Mine headframe is the only one left in Ravenswood. It stands overlooking the town, making it a landmark and a symbol of Ravenswood's history and its connection to mining.
Images for kids
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London North Mine
