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mining

What happened after the miners strike at the Cobungra Ditch?

Although most of our mountains are still a wild landscape, largely free of housing and direct development, they are a deeply peopled landscape. In the ‘story’ of the high country, the cattle people have been dramatically over represented in films, books, books and even poetry. First Nations people barely get a mention. The hydro workers have a lot of literature around their story and mining is a distinct sub set of history, although when Australians think of our mining history, I don’ think many connect with mining in the high country.

I spend a lot of time around the Mt Hotham – Dinner Plain area, and mining features in the early story of those places. And there is one story that often intrigues me that doesn’t seem to have an answer. What happened with the miner’s strike near Mt Hotham in 1883?

Continue reading “What happened after the miners strike at the Cobungra Ditch?” →

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O C Smith – Red Robin Surveyor

Red Robin Mine will be a familiar name for many people who visit Mt Hotham and the surrounding area. When operating, it was the highest altitude mine in the state. Red Robin Mine is located on the Machinery Spur track between Mount Hotham and Mount Feathertop.  William (Bill) Spargo discovered gold there in 1940, which initiated Victoria’s last gold rush.

Stephen Whiteside has been documenting previously unknown aspects of high country history, including the story of the Red Robin mine. In this instalment of the larger story he delves into the life of O C Smith, who surveyed Bill Spargo’s Red Robin gold mining lease on Machinery Spur in the 1940’s.

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Alpine Shire residents oppose gold mining

With the price of gold rising rapidly, much of regional Victoria is seeing renewed interest from mining companies, who are seeking exploration licences. In the Upper Ovens and Kiewa Valleys, there is strong local opposition to mining. A survey of local attitudes to mining highlights that gold mining does not have social license to operate in these areas.

The group No Gold Drilling (and no more gold mining) in Our Shire Valleys has released the results from their survey:

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Please express your views about gold-mining in the Alpine Shire

The Facebook group objecting to gold mining in the Ovens Valley has launched a survey to get Alpine Shire people’s views towards the future of gold-mining in the Alpine Shire. 

It comes as a gold exploration company has been drilling in the Havilah Valley in recent weeks.

There are many exploratory licences applicable to the upper Ovens Valley. And there are 2 applications for gold exploratory drilling waiting for approval covering areas south of Yackandandah, Wandiligong, all the upper Ovens Valley to Harrietville and a strip down the western side of Kiewa Valley near Mt Beauty. 

“We were getting clear indications many people in the Alpine Shire were not happy with the exploratory drilling and the prospect of new gold mines in the area” said Col Finnie, administrator of the group. “But we thought it was time to find out what ratepayers and residents of the Shire think, hence launching a Survey Monkey survey.”  

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A new year. The old threats continue.

Well, we’re on the other side of New Year. Phew. I hope that you’re enjoying some good mountain time over summer and getting a recharge. There’s lots to do this year.

There are a range of environmental issues that have been bubbling away over the last year, and each of them have campaigns which could use some extra support if you have the time or resources. Here’s a sample of what’s going on. 

Continue reading “A new year. The old threats continue.” →
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No Gold Drilling for the Upper Ovens Valley

An Exploratory Licence application for gold is with the Victorian government’s Earth Resources department for the upper Ovens Valley. The deadline for objections is 23 December. The best time to stop a destructive project is before it gets going. Please add your voice to the strong community campaign against this proposal.

Governments and companies often dismiss opposition to exploration, saying that ‘any environmental issues will be considered’ if the proposal moves toward a mining application. But the more money the miner puts into the project, the more they will push through with the proposal to commercialise. The best time to stop it is before exploration starts. And if a project has no social license to operate, why approve exploration? There is strong local opposition to gold exploration in the Upper Ovens. In a time of climate change, where water flows are expected to decline over time, the river systems that rise in the Victorian Alps will become even more important for downstream communities and environments. Why would we risk such a significant river system for short term gain for a mining company?

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2020. It’s been fun. Let’s move on.

Wow. What a year. Crazy summer fires. Covid lockdowns. Terrible winter snow pack, but also some incredible snow storms. Lots of fighting over our mountains, including the endless culture war argument about horses. Kind of glad it’s almost at an end.

We all know the story: a dry winter and spring led to a horror summer, with massive fires across the eastern Victorian high country, Snowy Mountains and Brindabellas. Luckily Tasmania got off easy last summer.

Then the lockdown(s), which hit mountain and valley towns in Victoria especially hard, isolated Tasmania, and closed the NSW/ Victorian border. The economic impacts of these events will last for a long time.

And then there were the ongoing arguments about how to treat our mountains. It felt like issues were widespread this year. Here’s a few of them:

Continue reading “2020. It’s been fun. Let’s move on.” →
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A dangerous mine in the headwaters of a major river. Please oppose this proposal.

Mining company CopperChem wants to re-open the copper zinc mine in the headwaters of the Tambo River in East Gippsland. As part of this proposal they intend to greatly expand the existing tailings dam. The company is currently seeking permission from the state government for the project to proceed. We have until April 4 to object.

Please send a submission to the Victorian government opposing the project. It will take you just a couple of minutes and will have a real impact.

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Local conservation groups call for tailings dam in Tambo River catchment to be rejected

Gippsland Environment Group (GEG) recently organised a site visit to the Benambra mine tailings dam in the headwaters of the Tambo River to discuss mining company CopperChem’s proposal to re-open and massively expand the dam. The visit raised considerable alarm among all who attended. The Stockman mine has long been a controversial project and plans to re-open the operation have caused serious concerns in the community.

The following report comes from GEG:

Continue reading “Local conservation groups call for tailings dam in Tambo River catchment to be rejected” →

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New owner for Stockman mine announced

The Stockman Project is located in the Victorian Alps, 60 km by road north east of Omeo. The project contains two copper-zinc-lead-silver-gold rich deposits, called Wilga and Currawong. Wilga was discovered in 1978 and Currawong in 1979. Denehurst mined the copper rich core of Wilga deposit from 1992 to 1996. The mine operated by Dehnurst left behind a dangerous mess. In 2006, following $6.9 million worth of rehabilitation of the plant site and tailings dam at the taxpayers expense, the project was put out for public tender as part of an exploration incentive program. Jabiru Metals Limited (Jabiru) was awarded the project in March 2007.

After a number of attempts to re-open the mine, the Victorian treasurer has announced a ‘new multi-million dollar investment’ in the Stockman project and a new owner.

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Stockman mine proposal suspended

The Stockman Mine project has been proposed for an area about 60km by road north east of Omeo. The project contains two copper-zinc-lead-silver-gold rich deposits, called Wilga and Currawong. Wilga was discovered in 1978 and Currawong in 1979. Denehurst mined the copper rich core of Wilga deposit from 1992 to 1996. In 2006, following rehabilitation of the plant site and tailings dam by the Victorian Department of Primary Industries, the project was put out for public tender as part of an exploration incentive program. Jabiru Metals Limited (Jabiru) was awarded the project in March 2007.

Continue reading “Stockman mine proposal suspended” →

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How much will the Stockman mine cost Victorian tax payers?

Mountain Journal has previously highlighted the potential environmental impacts of the Stockman project, which would see a major mine re-opened in the headwaters of the Tambo River.

In the following story, Scott Campbell-Smith outlines the economic cost of the previous mining operation and the risks associated with a major expansion of the mining operation.

The new minister for Energy and Resources will need to make a final decision on this project shortly.

Continue reading “How much will the Stockman mine cost Victorian tax payers?” →

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