SATURDAY 18.4.2015: Maldon - love it, love it, love it! Maldon was declared by the National Trust as Australia's first 'Notable Town' back in 1966. The town itself was once a thriving metropolis, having begun as a gold rush village in 1854 with the discovery of alluvial gold at the base of nearby Mt Tarrangower. In 2006, the National Trust awarded the "Most Intact Historic Streetscape" title to Maldon.
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| CAROLE STRUGGLED WITH HAT SIZES! |
Visited Carman's Tunnel Gold Mine - the tour guide was excellent, but we managed yet another encounter with the Griswold family equivalents - two young families with six noisy children totally disinterested in touring a mine. It reached the point where the guide lost his train of thought and Sybil seriously considered retreating to the exit!
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| THE 'WIDOW MAKER' |
In 1882, when the tunnel was started in Carman's Gully, it would have thronged with noise and activity as miners began the backbreaking work of cutting into the ancient volcanic rock with hand tools and explosives. Progress was so slow that air-powered pneumatic drills were hired from the North British Mine across the way. These were known as Widow Makers as miners using them had a very short life expectancy due to inhaling dust. The Great International Quartz Mining Company was formed with the special purpose of exploring the innards of the hillside.
It took them from November 1882 till December 1884 to carve out a tunnel nearly about 600 metres long. Fifty-one shareholders put up 24,000 pounds to finance the venture which, in the end, only yielded 33 ounces of gold - it was one of the great financial disasters of the Maldon goldfield.
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| VERY RUSTIC HAND MADE CHAIRS! |
Booked into the Maldon Camping and Caravan Park and proceeded to clean, vacuum, wash and charge EVERYTHING! Only $30.00 per night (powered site), plus the bonus - we backed onto our furry friends which fortunately the puddles did not notice. The domestic goddesses will be moving to a free camp tomorrow evening so they can rest!
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