33 
floor of the tunnel was made to rise, and so has traversed country above the 
intersection of the vein and the favorable bed. The manager recognises this, 
and is now regrading the tunnel, and laying a tramway in it at an angle of 
4J°. When the new floor has reached a point below the face of the present 
tunnel better conditions will exist for further prospecting. Should another 
shoot of gold be discovered, the management will doubtless consider the 
advisability of sinking a shaft north of the present workings. 
[9.3.10.] 
THE CLUNES GOLD-FIELD. 
By W. Baragwanath, Senior Field Geologist. 
The Clunes gold-field consists of a small area of Ordovician rocks exposed 
in the valley of Creswick Creek, and entirely surrounded by basaltic flows 
from points of eruption to the southward. 
The field, although small, is of historic importance, inasmuch as gold was 
first discovered here in June, 1851, by Esmond. The Clunes field was also 
for many years the possessor of the largest battery and treatment works in 
the State. At the present time, however, it is in a most depressed condition, 
no work being carried on except the cyaniding of old tailings. 
The geological features have been deduced from the limited rock exposures. 
A main anticlinal axis runs meridionally through the line of workings. The 
reefs worked appear to have been bedded lodes on each side of the anticline 
dipping east and west. On the eastern side of the anticline at a distance of 
about 400 feet a syncline occurs around which the bedded reefs continue. 
Sections of the old mine workings fully illustrate these features. From a 
point near the Port Phillip south shaft a change of pitch from northerly to 
southerly occurs. This dome exposing the favorable beds in which the reefs 
existed led to the discovery of the gold-field. The strata at the surface 
outcrop consist of light coloured white and yellow, with occasional pink, 
slates, and sandstones. From a depth, however, black slates have been 
obtained. Judging by the plans of the old workings the larger bodies of stone 
associated with the main anticline did not extend to the surface, but were met 
with on the axis of the main fold. 
The mines being all closed, and filled with water to creek-level, details of 
underground workings are not available except from the old mine plans, 
which show a continuous line of reef workings extending from the south of 
the Lothair shaft to the north of theNewNorth Clunes, a distance of 1J miles. 
Throughout this length various reefs were worked through continuously, 
while others were exploited only in places. A record of these workings is 
given in Smyth’s Gold-fields and Mineral Districts of Victoria, pp. 293 and 829. 
A plan showing the workings from surveys, &c.,by Robert Allan, is published 
in the Reports of the Mining Registrars, 30th September, 1891. 
6318.—2 
