Iconic poppet head closed

ROSALIND Park’s poppet head is closed to the general public after an engineering inspection found significant rust on the top level of the historic mining structure.

More than150 years old, the poppet head was used at the Garden Gully United Mine which was operated from 1857 to 1921.

City of Greater Bendigo’s property manager Daniella McClure said the municipality commissioned an assessment of the tower in 2022 to find out more about its condition, but since then another inspection identified corrosion impacting the safety of the staircase.

“To keep everyone safe, we need to fix or replace these sections of steel,” she said.

Ms McClure said the City is currently working on a strategy to fix the issues.

“Once this is completed, we can appoint a contractor to replace or repair the steel work and floor plates on each of the affected landings,” she said.

“We also need to clean and paint the structure to ensure its condition is maintained for generations to come.

“We are currently working through the best way to undertake this work both to reduce the impact to the public and to ensure value for money for the ratepayer.”

The City is currently unable to provide a timeframe for the restoration or when the structure might reopen, but a statement from the municipality said the poppet head’s location on top on a hill and in a heritage precinct adds complication to the works.

The Easter fireworks launched from the structure’s top are set to go ahead.