Daylesford - Cornish Hill Walk
Close to Daylesford's main street take a walk through a magical Reserve where bushland is regrowing on a former gold mining ground.
Cornish Hill is a Crown Land Reserve that was intensively mined between 1852 and the 1950s. It was named after the Cornish miners whose expertise in deep mining techniques was crucial to the extraction of (potentially gold-bearing) quartz from the sandstone reefs running deep under the Hill.
Mining left the Hill turned over and denuded of trees, and it soon became an area where goats and cows grazed and the children of Wombat Hill roamed - all refreshed by the spring-fed Smiths Creek which bisects the Reserve and flows through Lake Daylesford into the Loddon River system.
By following walking tracks through the Reserve you'll see relics of the mining era and evidence of revegetation. Woody weeds such as gorse, blackberry and broom had become established in the disturbed soil, making reclamation and regeneration by the Friends of Cornish Hill a challenging and lengthy process. Wildflowers and native animals now thrive in the Reserve.
Historical Marker Descriptions
1. Thomas' Lookout
Located on the mullock heap of Bonnard's Mine, Thomas' Lookout was built during 1945 by the Daylesford Progress Association as an initiative designed to revive tourism in the 1940s.
2. Bonnard's Mine
Remnants of the mine include the large mullock heap, the shaft has been capped and fenced off and winder foundations remain.
3. Mitchell's Mine
A large mullock heap with one main dumping line approximately 50 metres long and 12 metres high. The shaft has been capped and the winder footings remain.
4. Argus Mine
The mine has been capped with a steel grid. A large mullock heap lies to the east and all foundations were removed some time ago to use as road material. The open cut to the east of the Argus is a significant feature and the new track from Smiths creek passes to its southern end.
5. Wildflowers
From June to December wildflowers flourish in this area including six different orchid varieties. The Friends of Cornish Hill emblem is the Nodding Greenhood.
6. Murray's Hill
Fellow volunteer, octogenarian Murray Winter singlehandedly cleared broom and gorse from this area by using only a small mattock.
7. Picnic Area
A popular place to picnic or to rest and take time to reflect.
8. Adit or Horizontal Tunnel
Standing beside the creek and looking upwards towards the adit, you will notice a handmade retaining stonewall, designed to support a water race.
9. Smiths Creek Battery Site
Once powered by a large water wheel, all that remains of the Battery is a rectangular shape dug into the ground.
10. South Cornish Mine
Now fully capped with steel grid, the massive mullock heap is easily visible from the track.
11. Long Tunnel
Long Tunnel was described in 1894 as being 2150 ft long. The entrance has been secured.
12. Puddler
Driven by a horse walking in a circle, this equipment was used to 'puddle' or wash the ore with water to separate the gold. A pan or rocker box was then used to further separate the gold.
13. Railway Line
Opened in 1887 and closed in 1953, a portion of the track cuts a swathe through the Hill. The train was used to transport potatoes and firewood. Passenger traffic was high in the early years with an all time record of 50,000 passengers recorded in 1884. Central Highlands Tourist Railway was formed in 1980 and has been restored as a tourist attraction, running regularly on Sundays.
14. School Plantings
Since 2008, local schools have assisted the Friends of Cornish Hill with tree planting activities along the Smiths Creek corridor.
15. Cock's Reward
Another of many filled mine shafts that exist throughout Cornish Hill.
Other sites include Little Cornish Mine, old Trout Hatchery at East Street Spring and Community Park, site of Freeman's Battery.
Access for Dogs:
Dogs are permitted on leash. Cornish Hill is a haven for wildlife. Please restrain and dean up after your dog.
Information by Friends of Cornish Hill
Location
21 Orford Street, Daylesford 3460 Map
Web Links
→ www.cornishhilldaylesford.com.au
