Golden legacy from yesteryear

By Matt Romania

Nestled in the heart of Mount Egerton, a township with a population that once soared to over 1,600 during the height of the gold rush, lies a relic of the past – The Mount Egerton Gold Battery.

But what exactly is a gold battery, and why should we protect it?

Essentially, a gold battery is a machine used in gold mining to crush ore, facilitating the extraction of embedded gold. It’s a symbol of an era when the pursuit of this precious metal shaped entire communities.

Noel Anderson, a member of the Mount Egerton Gold Battery Association said gold was first discovered in Mount Egerton in 1853, with alluvial gold found in the All-Nations Gully.

As the years passed, the township grew, and by 1871, Mount Egerton’s population was recorded at 508. By 1881, it peaked at 1615. Over time, the Black Horse Mine become synonymous with this battery.

Although the mine ceased operations in 1910, the government erected the stamper battery in 1912, which catered to the needs of the smaller mines still operating in the region.

By 1994, the Department of Mines and energy decommissioned the battery, seeing no further utility. However, in a bid to preserve this piece of history, Moorabool Shire Council took responsibility of the battery in 1995, and so an association was formed in 1996 to advocate for the guardianship, maintenance and restoration of the battery.

“I often think about the miners of yesteryears, tirelessly working, fuelled by the dream of striking gold,” Mr Anderson told The Moorabool News.

“It is essential for us to remember this history – this battery is one of the only visible relics of a different time.

“So, we invite you to come along to our monthly open days and see one of the few relics of our mining past in Mount Egerton. I’m pretty sure you will have an interesting time – and everyone is welcome,” he said.

This battery is housed in a quaint ‘A’ frame shed, accompanied by an adjoining furnace room. Local miners used the battery for the crushing of ore to check for gold.

Open days are organised and run by the volunteer association on the last Sunday of each month (10am to 12 noon), and is located on Carney St, Mount Egerton.