Pandanus Creek Battery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pandanus Creek Battery |
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Pandanus Creek Battery, 2014
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| Location | Via Ravenswood to Mingela Road, Ravenswood, Charters Towers Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1900 – 1914 (early 20th century) |
| Built | 1904 |
| Official name: Pandanus Creek Battery, Breitkreuz's Mill | |
| Type | state heritage (built, archaeological) |
| Designated | 5 April 2004 |
| Reference no. | 601848 |
| Significant period | 1890, 1904 (fabric) 1904–c. 1916 (historical) |
| Significant components | chimney/chimney stack, battery/crusher/stamper/jaw breaker, machinery/plant/equipment – mining/mineral processing, settling tank / pond |
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The Pandanus Creek Battery is an old mining site near Ravenswood in Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1904. This special place is also known as Breitkreuz's Mill. It is important because it shows us how gold was mined a long time ago. The battery is now protected as a heritage site.
Contents
A Look Back: The Story of Pandanus Creek Battery
The Pandanus Creek battery was moved to this spot in 1904. A man named C. Breitkreutz brought it here. It came from a place called Rochford. Before it was moved, it was known as the Hadleigh Castle Mill. That mill was first built in 1890.
The 1890s were a very busy time for mining in this area. Many people were looking for gold. We do not know exactly when the battery stopped working. However, Breitkreutz owned other mines nearby. These mines were active between 1900 and 1916.
What You Can See at the Battery Site
The Pandanus Creek Battery is located on the eastern bank of Pandanus Creek. It is a compact and partly complete site. You can still see many of its original parts.
The main part of the battery has two almost complete sets of stamps. These stamps were used to crush rocks. One part was made by a company called Walkers Limited. The other was made by Brand and Drybrough.
Right next to the battery is an old gas engine. It has one cylinder and was made by Ruston in England. This engine would have powered the crushing machines.
Other Important Parts of the Site
Below the main battery area, you can find more remains. These include parts of a Wilfley table. This machine helped separate gold from crushed rock. There are also five berdan pans. Three of these pans are still in their original places. Berdan pans were used for further processing of the ore.
You can also see three large corrugated iron tanks. Each tank is about 5 metres (16 feet) wide. These tanks likely held water or other liquids used in the mining process.
Other interesting features include a stone channel. This channel carried water from the mill to the creek. There are also remains of a stone forge. A forge is a place where metal was heated and shaped. The wooden posts that supported the battery shed are still standing.
Surviving Machinery You Can Identify
- A 5-head battery and its frame, with a mortar box by Walkers Limited.
- Another 5-head battery and frame, with a mortar box and stamper frame by Brand & Drybrough Engineers Townsville.
- A one-cylinder gas engine with a flywheel, made by Ruston Lincoln England.
- Five Berdan Pans, with three still in their original spots.
- Fragments of a Wilfley table.
Why Pandanus Creek Battery is Important
The Pandanus Creek Battery was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on April 5, 2004. This means it is a very important historical site. It helps us understand the past.
Showing Queensland's Mining History
This battery is important because it shows how gold mining changed over time. It represents mining practices from the late 1800s and early 1900s in North Queensland. The site also has a connection to Mr. C. Breitkreutz. He was an important person in the mining industry. The battery was originally part of his Hadleigh Castle mill.
A Rare Example of Old Mining Technology
The Pandanus Creek Battery is special because it is one of the few complete stamp batteries left. It is a rare example of this type of mining equipment in the Charters Towers Mining District.
Demonstrating How Ore Was Processed
The site clearly shows how miners processed ore. You can see the battery, a brick chimney, and the gas engine. There is also the concentrating plant below the battery, which includes the berdan pans. All these parts together explain the technology used to get gold from rocks.
