Introduction
The following records are two series from the Public Records Office Victoria and an extract from Gippsland Historic Mining Notes Notes prepared by Heritage Victoria. The two series aren't described in detail. As a result, locating specific people / information requires calling up the volumes and checking every page. Interesting but time consuming to look through them.
Two series are referenced below:
- VPRS 7842 Register of Applications for Gold Mining Leases. VPRS 7842 was maintained by the Mines Department and contains a lot of interesting information about the Application. Unfortunately I didn't find anything for George Streitberg.
- VPRS 671 Mining Registrar's Registers of Claims, Races and Water Rights, Various Division. VPRS 671 was maintained at the District level. Information captured was a summary of the Claim. I did find a number of references to George Streitberg.
- The full detail of the Historic Notes can be found here https://www.heritage.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0021/512247/Gippsland-Historic-Mining-Plots-1850-1980-Historic-Notes.pdf
Register of Applications for Gold Mining Leases
VPRS 7842 Register of Applications for Gold Mining Leases. This series comprises a register of mining lease applications maintained centrally by the Mines Departments from 1859 to 1972. It was used to allocate a unique number to each application within a mining district as well as to record a history of each lease. Summary details about the application, the wardens report and recommendation and the particulars of the lease itself were recorded on the left hand side of each folio. The right hand side of the folio contains a chronological summary of correspondence relating to the lease.
More extensive information is here https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS7842/about
I didn't find any Streitberg information in this series (sadly). I've inserted an example from this series so that you can see the information that is contained.
Mining Registrar's Registers of Claims, Races and Water Rights
VPRS671 Mining Registrar's Registers of Claims, Races and Water Rights, Various Divisions. This series consists of registers of claims, races and water rights created by different Divisions within the Gippsland Mining District.
More extensive information is here https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VPRS671/about
Unfortunately extensive information was not recorded. Information recorded:
- Register Number
- Day and Date of Registration
- Name of Person Registering
- No of Miner's Right
- Particulars of Application
- Locality
- Suspensions, Amalgamations and Transfers
Applications located
1869
Located following relevant to George Streitberg. Loose Folio titled "Schedule D Register of Liens - Russells Creek"
- Register Number - Number 2
- Day and Date of Registration -30 March 1869
- Name of Person Registering - George Streitberg
- No of Miner's Right - 71008 Issued 29/3/1869
- Particulars of Application - Holder of Lien Charles Gadd - Miners Right 71010 Issued 30/3/1869 - Claim subject to Lien Pheasent Creek Prospecting[?] Claim
- Locality - Pheasent Creek
- Suspensions, Amalgamations and Transfers - Nature and extent of Lien One fourth share Sleeping 1/8/1869 - Amount of Lien and when payable £35.0.0 1/8/1869 - References to Transfers of Liens p22-299, p23-255
See image VPRS671 loose folio 1.jpg
Note WHAT IS A LIEN? Broadly speaking, a lien is the right of one party (either an individual or a corporation) to hold or retain possession of the real property (for example, real estate or buildings) or chattels (physically transferable property such as, in the construction context, unfixed materials or other goods) as security for the performance of an obligation owed by that other party. In otherwords, the right lasts until the liability is satisfied. (https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/AUConstrLawNlr/2003/3.pdf)
- Register Number - 339
- Day and Date of Registration - 24/3/1869 8pm
- Name of Person Registering - George Streitberg
- No of Miner's Right - 71002
- Particulars of Application - Prospecting Quartz Claim
- Locality - Pheasent Creek
- Suspensions, Amalgamations and Transfers - Transfer of 1/8 share from M.J. Concarmon[?]
See image VPRS671 339.jpg
Quarterly Report(s) from Mr Charles Gadd / C.H. Williams Mining Registrars for Russell Creek Division. These are found in Reports of the Mining Surveyors and Registrars (on-line Victorian Government Library Service - https://www.vgls.vic.gov.au/)
Qtr Report 30/6/1869
"I have registered three prospecting quartz claims during the quarter, on three distinct reefs two of them near Pheasant Creek; the other on the La Trobe River, near Camp Creek. On the two near Pheasant Creek good prospects have been obtained, the reefs varying in thickness from 12 to 36 inches, prospecting being pushed on vigorously. No quartz has been crushed during the quarter at the Crossover, the Happy-go-Lucky claim being suspended for the purpose of forming a company. On the Happy Elizabeth claim a permanent deep shaft is being sunk. There is part of the plant on the Pheasant Creek Company's ground, but owing to the continued wet weather operations are very slow. The New-year's Reef Company have suspended their claim, with a view of erecting a small battery. On the Lower Tangil nearly all the alluvial claims have been retarded, owing to the floods, except a few claims on the Cement Hill, which are averaging £3 per week per man, by washing (sluicing) the cement and quartz wash. I enclose a sample of the cement, by which you will' see that this mode of extracting the. gold is not a profitable one, as the gold is plainly visible in it, and it requires crushing. The cement is traced for a distance of seven or eight miles, averaging in thickness from 1 to 5 feet, and generally about 3 feet of wash underneath."
A reasonable assumption is that George Streitberg was part of one of the prospecting quartz claims for a reef near Pheasant Creek (see italics above and two previous prospecting applications).
1870
- Register Number 1069
- Day and Date of Registration 27/3/1870 3pm
- Name of Person Registering G Streitberg
- No of Miner's Right 14964
- Particulars of Application [illegible] Claim 100x2504[?] Not East[?]
- Locality Pheasant Creek Reef
- Suspensions, Amalgamations and Transfers -
See image VPRS671 1069.jpg
- Register Number 1070
- Day and Date of Registration 27/3/1870 3pm
- Name of Person Registering N Fragh[?] G Streitberg M Sexton
- No of Miner's Right 14964
- Particulars of Application Prospecting Qtz [?] Claim Not East[?] Pheasant Creek Amalgamate
- Locality Pheasant Creek Reef
- Suspensions, Amalgamations and Transfers -
See image VPRS671 1070.jpg
1874
- Register Number 1530-1533
- Day and Date of Registration 30/5/1874 3.00pm
- Name of Person Registering Samuel Smith, Justin Beggats, John Kelly, Leonard P Staff
- No of Miner's Right 53436, 54345, 53412, 59470
- Particulars of Application 1/4 Share in claim [each] in [?] claim Hungarian[?] United[?]
- Locality Cement Hill Tangil
- Suspensions, Amalgamations and Transfers Amalgamated Transfer from Samuel Smith
See image VPRS671 1530.jpg
1875
- - Register Number 1545
- - Day and Date of Registration 27/3/1875 4pm
- - Name of Person Registering George Streitberg
- - No of Miner's Right 53461
- - Particulars of Application Cement Claim for 2 men Style[?] "Bismarck"
- - Locality Cement Hill Tangil
- - Suspensions, Amalgamations and Transfers -
See image VPRS671 1545.jpg
- - Register Number 1546
- - Day and Date of Registration 30/3/1875 4pm
- - Name of Person Registering Martin [?]rylon George Streitberg
- - No of Miner's Right 53448, 53461
- - Particulars of Application Cement Claims Nos 1544 & 1545 under the style of Baron Rothschild
- - Locality Cement Hill Tangil
- - Suspensions, Amalgamations and Transfers Amalgamated -
See image VPRS671 1546.jpg
- - Register Number 1558
- - Day and Date of Registration 14/5/1875 9.30am
- - Name of Person Registering George Streitberg
- - No of Miner's Right 53461
- - Particulars of Application 1/4 Share in claim 1530
- - Locality Cement Hill Tangil [older version of Tanjil]
- - Suspensions, Amalgamations and Transfers Amalgamated Transfer from Samuel Smith
See image VPRS671 1558.jpg
Qtr Report 31/3/1875 notes that the "Hungarian United Company, late
Jumping Sailor, Cement Hill, have struck a fine gutter about 500 feet in the
hill, about 3 feet of wash, good coarse gold running through it."
Qtr Report 30/6/1875 notes that the "Free and Easy Amalgamated, late
Hungarian United Company, have been working on the gutter struck about 500
feet in the :hill, as mentioned- in my last report, but have been obliged to
leave it for the present, owing to its dipping about 12 feet below the tramway,
and are now pushing on the main drive into the hill, having obtained some very
good prospects. · The washdirt taken from the gutter consists of black quartz
gravel, payable gold running through two feet of it. Total amount driven in
this mine is 1,650 feet; washdirt operated on, 150 loads, which yielded 60 ozs.
of gold, or 7 dwts. 8 grs. to the load or 1/2 ton. No work going on in the
river.'"
It appears George Streitberg bought a 1/4 share in the Free and Easy Amalgamated, late Hungarian United Company in 14/5/1875.
- - Register Number 1610
- - Day and Date of Registration 20/12/1875 9.00am
- - Name of Person Registering George Streitberg
- - No of Miner's Right 53461
- - Particulars of Application Leave of absence from residence site for 3 months
- - Locality One mile and a quarter above the post office
- - Suspensions, Amalgamations and Transfers Amalgamated Transfer
See image VPRS671 1610.jpg
George Streitberg and Mining Companies
A reasonable assumption is that across the period 1869 -1875 (maybe beyond) George Streitberg was:
- part of one of the prospecting quartz claims for a reef near Pheasant Creek (see italics above and two previous prospecting applications for 1869)
- bought a 1/4 share in the Free and Easy Amalgamated, late Hungarian United Company, late Jumping Sailor in 14/5/1875
- active in a number of other claims in both Pheasants Creek and Russell's Creek mining areas
Pheasant Creek
27/3/1870 George Streitberg and N Fragh[?] and M Sexton register "Pheasant Creek Amalgamate" (Register Number 1070).
Pheasant Creek Prospecting is mentioned in the Quarterly Reports as follows:
- 31/12/1869 gold yield 4oz 16dwt 0grm (surface to 12 feet)
- 30/6/1870 gold yield 1oz 6dwt 11.67grm (surface to 75 feet)
- 30/9/1870 gold yield 57oz 0dwt 0grm (120 feet)
- 31/12/1870 gold yield 87oz 10dwt 0grm (50 to 150 feet)
- 31/3/1871 "The Pheasant Creek Prospecting Company will clean up about the 5th April, after reducing some 70 tons quartz; the yield is expected to be about the same as was in my last report." The company is not identified individually in either the March or June reports. The June Report notes that floods have restricted mining
- 30/6/1871 gold yield 50oz 0dwt 0grm (120 feet)
- 30/9/1871 gold yield 110oz 0dwt 0grm (surface to 120 feet)
- 31/12/1871 gold yield 139oz 0dwt 0grm (100 to 120 feet)
- 31/3/1872 "There has been no quartz crushed during the quarter"
- 30/6/1872 gold yield 53oz 5dwt 0grm (100 to 150 feet)
- 30/9/1872 "The Pheasant Creek prospectors have sold their claim, plant, &c., to a [Cross Reef] company..."
- 31/3/1875 The Hungarian United Company, late Jumping Sailor, late Jumping Sailor Cement Hill, have struck a fine gutter about 500 feet in the hill, about 3 feet of wash, good coarse gold running through it. Another claim has been taken up adjoining the above. After sinking a depth of 110 feet, they were compelled to abandon the shaft, owing to immense flint boulders, which they could not get through, powder taking no effect; they are now putting in a tunnel.
- 30/6/1875 The Free and Easy Amalgamated, late Hungarian United Company (east Bank of the Tangil River), have been working on the· gutter struck about 500 feet in• the :hill, as mentioned- in my last report, but have been obliged to leave it for the present, owing to its dipping about 12 feet below the tramway, and are now pushing on the main drive into the hill, having obtained some very good prospects. · The washdirt taken from the gutter consists of black quartz gravel, payable gold running through two feet of it. Total amount driven in this mine is 1,650 feet; washdirt operated on, 150 loads (quartz crushed), which yielded 60 ozs. of gold, or 7 dwts. 8 grs. to the load or 1/2 ton.
- 30/9/1875. The Free and Easy Company have taken out a considerable quantity of dirt, which prospected well, but on washing up proved too poor to pay expenses. It appears the gold is scattered over the ·whole of the hill. They are now trying for deeper ground.
- 31/12/1875. 30 ton of washdirt processed. Yield 2ounces 5dwt 0grm.
- 30/3/1869 Pheasant Creek (lien)
- 27/3/1870 Pheasant Creek
- 27/3/1875 Cement Hill Tangil George Streitberg registering Cement Claim for 2 men Style[?] "Bismarck"
- 20/12/1875 leave of absence for three months.
Across 1869, there were some 250-280 gold miners in the Russell Creek District (includes Russell's Creek and Upper Tangil, Lower Tangil, Hawthorn and Pheasant Creek, Crossover and Tarwin, Stockyard Creek and Wombat Creek). In the 1869 December Quarter the district covered 7 square miles and 12 distinct gold reefs.
In the December Quarter Report one prospecting claim for Pheasant Creek processed one ton of quartz which resulted in 4oz 16dwt 0grm of gold for the quarter. I'm confused by the price of gold quoted as the reports have two prices From £3/ 0s/ 0d and To £3/ 15s/ 0d (sellers and buyers valuation?). Using £3/ 0s/ 0d per ounce, 4oz 16dwt 0grm = (£3x4ounce) + (£3x.75ounce)= £12/ 5s/ 0d total value of the mined gold. Note that an experienced labourer of farm worker could earn between £1 and £2 per week (12 weeks in a quarter).
The report notes that a few claims on the Cement Hill, were averaging £3 per week per man, by washing (sluicing) the cement and quartz wash.
- Mining (tools, explosives) ?
- raising 75 tons (quoted figure of 50 tons at 25s. per ton) 75 x 25s = 1,875s (£93 15s). This is a contracted cost. If the four miners did that work themselves (plus the mining) cost is reduced
- crushing and extracting the gold unknown
- 150 loads (75 ton), return 60 ozs. of gold. 60 oz (@£3/ 15s per ounce) = £184 10s
- Guessing the costs would have been at least £90 and maybe £184.
Russell's Creek Division (figures are from the 30 June (Quarter) of the year
1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876
Quartz miners (men) 60 130 25 35 32 6 12 -
Steam engines for winding and pumping - 3 - - - - - -
Horse puddling machines - - 3 6 3 3 3 2
Whims - - 3 - - 1 1 1
Whips or pulleys - - 1 - - - - -
Sluices, Toms* and Sluice Boxes - ? 250 200 150 120 12 10
Pumps 36 - 15 25 10 6 2 1
Water wheels - - 6 8 5 4 1 -
Quicksilver and compound cradles,
Steam engines employed in quartz crushing - 3 4 2 2 2 1 2
Crushing Machines driven by
Stamp heads crushing quartz or
Whims** - 2 2 2 2 2 1 -
Pulleys, whips - 3 - - - - - -
Approximate value of Mining Plant £ 3,500 7,750 6,115 3,250 2,800 2,649 1,225 160
Number of distinct Quartz Reefs
*A long-tom is a trough about sixteen feet long, with a perforated sheet of iron inserted at one end; water is let on, and dirt thrown in, which it is only necessary to stir up and throw out the stones.
**A whim, also called a whim gin or a horse capstan, is a device similar to a windlass which is used in mining for hauling materials to the surface.
Gippsland Historic Mining Notes Notes prepared by Heritage Victoria
The numbers at the end of each paragraph refer to footnotes - you will need to go to the source document for these.
1868: Pheasant Creek Reef opened late in 1868 - a company erected small battery and got good returns for some years.22
1869: Reef prospected near Camp Creek.23
June 1869: At Cement Hill, miners were averaging £3 per week by sluicing the cement and quartz wash - this mode of extraction is not profitable, as the gold is plainly visible in it and the cement requires crushing. The cement is traced for a distance of 7 or 8 miles, averaging in thickness from 1 to 5 feet, and generally about 3 feet of wash underneath.24
June 1869: Pheasant Creek Co. erecting plant. New Year's Reef Co. plans to erect small battery.25
1869: Several companies formed to prospect and work Cement Hill - leading co. was Tanjil Cement GMC - capital of £46,600, with shares selling at up to £400 each by early 1870 - erected 40-head battery (commenced crushing early 1870) and constructed 10km-long water race - companies adjoining Tanjil Cement lease were Bulgine, Jumping Sailors, About Ship - soon amalgamated as Tanjil Golden Cement Co. - further north was Young Ballarat Co.26
September 1869:Sixteen leased pegged out, besides 40 ordinary claims, on Tangil cement. No. 1 Tangil Cement GMC commenced operations - excavating for 40-head battery, to be powered by water, 'an unlimited supply of which can always be obtained' - water race under construction.27
December 1869: No. 1 Tangil Cement GMC awaiting first crushing. No. 2 Tangil Cement GMC (Young Ballarat) erecting battery. Jumping Sailor (or Golden Cement GMC) erecting 5-head battery.28
1869-70: Tanjil quickly developed into a township - the first real urban community in the present Shire of Narracan - growth of access roads followed: dray road to Moe upgraded, trade developed between Shady Creek and Tanjil, track cut between Tanjil and Stringer's Creek.29
March 1870: Results of cement crushings was disappointing - mines might pay on tribute. More attention now paid to quartz mining. New Year Co., Russell's Creek, erecting steampowered battery, also whim for haulage.30
June 1870: All cement claims, except Tangil Golden Cement, either suspended or abandoned.31
1870: By mid-1870 the 'golden cement' had proved incapable of rendering a quick return for the expensive effort involved in prospecting and mining - miners began to leave for fields with easier prospects, particularly the newly opened Stockyard Creek (Foster) - crushing plants were dismantled and removed, buildings likewise - by end of 1870, less than 60 people remained in area.32
March 1871: 'The fine plants erected some time ago to reduce the cement have been taken down, and are now being carted to Melbourne.' Bridle track opened, connecting Russell's Creek with the Yarra, via Pheasant and Hawthorne creeks and the heads of the Latrobe River.33
1872: Great Extended Co. (Tanjil?) erected puddling machine - expect to keep about 20 men employed.34
1872-3: United Co-operative Co., on Columbia Reef, erected steam-powered battery in 1872 - quartz proved to be moderately rich (1 oz/ton) but full of pyrites - crushing 'fair average stone' late in 1873 - suspended work for lack of funds in 1874.35
1872-5: Pheasant Creek quartz prospectors sold their claim, plant, &c., to Cross Reef Co. - drove a tunnel 200 ft below existing workings, for a distance of over 600 ft - first crushing was so poor that mining ceased and company wound up - reef abandoned.36
1873: Party working Barker's Reef, on the Tangil River - sinking shaft.37
1874-5: Pioneer Co., Lower Tangil, erected puddling machine and whim - 'this company's ground … [is] the only mine in the district in which payable prospects have been obtained by sinking through bluestone' - stone not payable and insufficient funds to adequately prospect ground - company wound up.38
1874-8: Pioneer Blue Rock Co. formed to prospect the Lower Tanjil deep leads - changed name to Perseverance Co. in 1875, then to Lady Bowen Co. in 1878 - stopped work in 1878, in preparation for working on a large scale, but nothing more was heard of the plan.39
1875: Free and Easy Amalgamated (late Hungarian United Co., late Jumping Sailor) working Cement Hill - proved unpayable.40
1875-6: Bates and Randall constructed water race a distance of one mile from the eastern branch of Tangil River to Wombat Creek, for sluicing purposes, in 1875 - sluicers making from 50s to 60s per week - rich ground worked out by mid-1876: 'The ground sluicers are not doing so well as expected; in fact the most of them are at present off gold.'41
1875-: Traralgon Co. began work again in Cement Hill - drove tunnels deep into hillside - name changed to Tanjil GMC, 1877.42
1875: 'From ignorance of the true nature of the lead on the part of most of the residents in the locality the ground intervening [Bailey's] claim and the abandoned workings near the township was unworked' until Traralgon Co. prospected to find new run of gold.43
1876: Sluicers on Pheasant Creek making as much as £6 per week - ground worked out within a few months. Hawthorn Creek ('the old creek') being sluiced - paying men average £2 per week.44
1876: 'Work in this division has been about the same as usual during the quarter; the most of the mining may be put under the head of fossicking.'45
1877: Party of four cutting a race to bring water from western branch of Tangil to Buckley's Flat, for sluicing.46
1877: Old Columbia quartz claim (Buckley's Flat) taken up by Columbia GMC - drove a tunnel 600 ft through very hard country - renamed Standard QMC, 1879.47
1878: Baw Baw Sluicing Co. formed to bring water to head of Russell's Creek from Icy Creek - promises to open up a large tract of unworked country for hydraulic sluicing - six miles of race completed by 1881 - planned to extend for a further six miles or more, but stopped work by June 1881.48
1878: 'The present population is too poor to undertake anything that does not promise immediate return. The district is so far unnoticed by mining capitalists…' 'Its isolation from centres of civilisation, its mountainous character, and the dense growth of scrub and timber, have kept it from the notice of capitalists. Those who won the gold in the palmy days of the district dispensed it as freely as it was found, and left when the shallow workings were exhausted. A small number still remain, earning a livelihood and discovering occasional patches by fossicking the old gullies.' 'With the exception of the cement lead at Tangil, and a few small quartz workings, the diggings were all confined to the beds of the rivers and tributary creeks, or gullies. No source or sources from which so large an amount of alluvial gold could have been derived were discovered, or even sought for…'49
1879: Enterprise Co. formed to work old Empire lease (Western Branch Reef) and Long Tunnel GMC took up old Tanjil Cement Co. lease - latter erected large battery (the Pioneer) and build a race some miles long - heralded new rush to Tanjil - several more companies formed, including Southern Cross Co. (near Tanjil), Overland Co. (Russell's Creek), Standard Co. (8km from Tanjil - had large waterwheel, fed by long race), Barker's Reef Co. (junction of Tanjil River and Russell's Creek), Jolimont Co., and Hudson Co. (Camp Creek).50
1880: Reefs so far worked in the district: Doyle's Reef at Pleasant Creek, Columbia Reef near Russell's Creek, Empire Reef near Tangil River, New Year's Reef on Russell's Creek, and at head of California Gully near Tangil (Southern Cross Reef?). None were very rich or substantial. 'It does not therefore appear that the known auriferous quartz veins are the sources whence the great amount of alluvial gold in the Russell's Creek District was obtained.'51
https://www.heritage.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0021/512247/Gippsland-Historic-Mining-Plots-1850-1980-Historic-Notes.pdf
