Black Hill, City of Ballarat, Victoria, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Black Hill	Suburb
City of Ballarat	City
Victoria	State
Australia	Country

Black Hill is now a suburb of Ballarat. It was the site of extensive gold mining operations in the mid-1800s.

Black Hill is immediately north-east of the Ballarat city centre. Originally known as "Bowdun' by the Watha Wurrung people, then Black Hill as named in 1851 by surveyor William Urquart.

Gold was discovered at Black Hill in 1851, two months after Golden Point. There were several alluvial gold rushes to the area until 1855. Alluvial mining occurred 1851-1852, deep lead alluvial mining 1853-1875, and quartz reef mining 1854-1918. The area quickly became denuded of vegetation, with shafts, mullock heaps, debris, and tramway trestle bridges over the Yarrowee Creek dominating.

The first organised effort at gold extraction was by a Dr. Otway, who erected two Chilean mills, however the wind power source of energy failed. It is thought to be the first gold battery erected in Australia. The Port Phillip and Colonial Gold Mining Company erected two plants in 1856, but closed in 1859 due to poor gold grades, and a lack of water during a drought.

The Black Hill Quartz Crushing Company was formed in 1858 principally to test a patent by James V. Penrose. When this enterprise failed the Black Hill Company was formed out of its ashes in 1859. They erected a sixty stamp battery in 1861.

Across the 1870's several companies made steady returns from the low grade ore, the main ones Black Hill, Majestic, Two Ton, and Independant. By 1870, most had ceased operations, were on tribute, or worked intermittently. In the 1870's the major mines were Parade, Parade Extended, Grand Duke, Duchess, Countess, and Black Hill. Several smaller claims amalgamated in 1875 as the Black Hill United.

The last gold mine at Black Hill closed in 1918.

The area today contains remnant shafts, tunnels, foundations, and evidence of open pit mining, not seen elsewhere in Ballarat due to urban development.

Fossils

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Other Databases

Wikipedia:	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hill,_Victoria
Wikidata ID:	Q4920932
GeoNames ID:	2175551

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