Lal Lal - Iron Mine and Blast Furnace
Victoria's only attempt at mining and smelting iron ore took place at Lal Lal in the latter stages of the nineteenth
century. In the mid 1870s, the Lal Lal Iron Company installed mining machinery, erected a large blast furnace and
constructed a tramway to convey ore from the mine. For a brief time in the early 1880s, the Lal Lal Company had
over 100 men engaged in mining and smelting the iron ore, gathering limestone (flux) and firewood, and
manufacturing charcoal. The company also operated a foundry at Ballarat. The Lal Lal Iron Works had ceased
operations by the end of the 1880s.
The Lal Lal Iron Mine and Smelting Works is the site of the State's only attempt to smelt iron ore with a blast furnace. The significance of the site is enhanced by the substantial remnants of the blast furnace being the only one of its type surviving in the southern hemisphere.
The site has the remains of an historic iron mine which includes a blast furnace.
There is a free campground, 400m heritage walk with a series of informative signs and viewing platform.
The blast furnace is located near the intersection of Ironmine Road and Thynes Road.
Location
Ironmine Road, Lal Lal 3352 Map
Web Links
→ Lal Lal Iron Mine and Smelting Works (Victorian Heritage Database)
