Creswick - New Australasian No 2 Gold Mine
New Australasian No 2 Gold Mine is the site of Australia's most tragic underground mining accident. Without warning on 12 December 1882, water began flooding the No 2 drive, trapping 29 miners deep below. As the water rose higher, the miners scratched messages to their families on billycans and sang the hymn 'In the sweet bye and bye'. 22 miners died in the tragedy, leaving behind 17 widows and 67 children.
Deep Lead mining began after the surface (alluvial) gold was exhausted. The Berry Deep Lead, which the mines here tapped, is part of an ancient system of rivers buried by lava from volcanoes.
During nine years of operation, New Australasian yielded about 87,000 ounces of gold - worth about 38 million dollars at 1997 prices.
Closing in 1887, the land was then used by the Forests Branch as a tree nursery for the area. Remains of the hawthorn hedges can still be seen today.
The site has educational signs and a miner's memorial.
Location
Australasia Drive, Creswick 3363 Map
Web Links
→ New Australasia Mine No.2 Accident
→ New Australasian No 2 Mine (Heritage Council Database)
