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belt of country stretching from south of Walhalla past Toombon, Aber- 
feldy, Matlock, and through Wood’s Point northerly. Numerous dykes 
intersect the strata in the vicinity of Toombon. These are well shown in 
the -various road-cuttings. The dykes vary from a few inches to upwards 
of a chain in width, and are for the greater part much decomposed. 
An exposure of undecomposed dyke over ioo feet wide occurs about three- 
quarters of a mile east of the mine. 
A road, which is, on the whole, fairly well-graded, passes within a 
stone’s throw of the shaft. This road, which is suitable for vehicular 
traffic, starts from Heyfield, on the Bairnsdale railway line, and terminates 
at Aberfeldy. A pack-horse track connects with Walhalla, distant 25 
miles. 
As no work has been carried on at the mine since 1897, it was impos¬ 
sible during my stay in the locality in 1903 to inspect the workings, which 
were at that time full of water to the adit level. The following history 
and account of the reef and mine-workings has therefore been compiled 
from the most reliable sources as detailed in the Bibliography.* 
The reef was first prospected early in the seventies by Messrs. Fleming, 
Pettit, and others, who proved the reef to be “ from 3 feet to 6 feet wide, 
of good appearance, and full of pyrites.” No records of this party's 
yields could be obtained. 
In 1871 the Aberfeldy Company was formed, and by the end of 1872 
a battery of ten heads was erected. A trial crushing does not appear 
to have been satisfactory, and work ceased till 1875, when twenty men 
were employed. In 1876 the company stopped work, although at that 
time ” the mine was looking well, and great results were expected.” 
In the beginning of 1877 James Rice bought the mine and worked it 
with considerable profit until June, 1881, when it became the property of 
the Toombon Company. 
The Toombon Company at the end of 1884 started a new main shaft 
and erected pumping and winding machinery at the present site. At 
96 feet a cross-cut intersected the reef, which was 4 feet wide, carrying 
fair gold. At 180 feet below surface the shaft passed through the 
reef, and a drive was put in north and south along its course. By the 
end of 1884 the mine had paid off all its liabilities and commenced to 
pay dividends. In 1886 more powerful machinery was erected, and the 
company still maintained its payment of dividends. At the end of 1887 
the reef had been proved in winzes below the 280-ft. level to be over 4 
feet wide and of good quality. The main shaft was sunk to a depth of 
605 feet by June, 1889, at which time the reef in the level above was 
proved to be from 2 to 8 feet wide, with a length of shoot of 370 
feet, and a pitch southerly at an angle of 32 0 20'. In December, 
1889, the company ceased operations, and the mine remained idle until 
reconstructed in 1892, when the new company started work at the No. 6 
level and found payable stone in several places. A winze on the under¬ 
lie of the reef was started from the intersection of the cross-cut. This 
winze, which eventually was carried down to a depth of 400 feet, was 
worked by a “tail rope” fixed below the cage in the main shaft, and 
carried along the cross-cut on rollers. At the No. 7 level, too feet deep 
* A Contribution t© the Bibliography of the Economic Geology of Victoria. Prof. J. " • Gregory,^ 
D.Sc , F.RS. Rec. Geo\. Surv., Viet,., Vol. II , Pt. 3. 1907. 
