Work begins to repair gold mine legacy

Published Sunday, 17 May, 2015 at 03:00 PM

Minister for State Development and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines
The Honourable Dr Anthony Lynham

Work will begin next week to backfill and repair about 180 abandoned mine shafts near a popular fossicking area near the historic gold rush town of Ravenswood in north Queensland.

Minister for State Development and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dr Anthony Lynham said contractors would start onsite on 20 May just off the Burdekin Dam Falls Road about 20 km south of Ravenswood.

“The site is old gold diggings next to an adjoining property that is popular for fossicking,” Dr Lynham said.

“Some of the old mine shafts there are 20 to 30 metres deep and might not be easily seen by visitors moving about the area.

“Local contractors will backfill and cap the old mine shafts and tunnels to make the area safe for the public.”

The work should be completed by the end of the month.

“Gold mining across Queensland has left a legacy of historic abandoned mine workings, including old mine shafts and tunnels, dotted about the place,” he said.

“Ravenswood flourished after gold was discovered there in 1868 until the early 1900s; then declined until the last alluvial gold was extracted in 1948.”

Future abandoned mine remediation projects are also being planned for sites at Croydon in the Gulf of Carpentaria and further works in Ravenswood during the second half of 2015.

Mine shaft repair programs have been operating in the historic mining communities of Charters Towers since 1996 and Gympie since 1990.

ENDS

Media contact:  Jan Martin 3719 7370