Gold Mining Water Race, Windeyer
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| Gold Mining Water Race | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Heritage boundaries | |
| Location | Old Hargraves Road, Windeyer, Mid-Western Regional Council, New South Wales, Australia |
| Coordinates | 32°46′38″S 149°30′59″E / 32.7773°S 149.5165°E |
| Built | 1855–1865 |
| Official name | Gold Mining Water Race; Water Race; Chinese Wall |
| Type | state heritage (archaeological-terrestrial) |
| Designated | 22 December 2000 |
| Reference no. | 1447 |
| Type | Water Race |
| Category | Mining and Mineral Processing |
  Location of Gold Mining Water Race in New South Wales  Gold Mining Water Race, Windeyer (Australia) | |
Gold Mining Water Race is a heritage-listed piece of mining infrastructure located on Old Hargraves Road at Windeyer, in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1855 to 1865 by Chinese miners, probably from Southern China. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 December 2000.[1]
The Chinese built aqueduct wall is believed to have been built around the gold rush days of Windeyer district which started in the late 1850s. There was a considerable Chinese presence in the area reaching as many as 1200 at the peak of the gold rush. There were a number of gold strikes, and the strike nearest to this location was the strike at "Deep Crossing". Whether the Chinese were the first or only prospectors in this vicinity is not known, but they often reworked claims that had been already left by Europeans, and this may have been the case here.[1]
The wall is believed to have been built by 12 Chinese men, supported by a cook.[1]
The time it would have taken to build the wall implies these men were supported by wages or kept in supplies while on the project. They may have been contract workers.[1]
Description
This Chinese built aqueduct wall is built near the banks of, and following, the Meroo River. The nearest officially known gold settlement was Deep Crossing, which is on the next bend of the river down stream.[1]
This dry stone wall follows the Meroo River water course for approximately 350 metres. The wall ranges in height from a few stones to 3.6 metres in height. A large portion of it being over 1.8 metres in height.[1]
The wall is made of the shale rocks from the site, of flat rectangular shape and of various sizes, laid dry on their large sides. Rocks approximately 600mm x 600mm x 120mm deep are common.[1]
There are long sections of the wall fully intact. After the first 50 metres travelling from the south small breaks occur about every 15 to 20 metres, with a large break, due to a landslip at approximately the 140 metre line. By 230 metres the wall begins to break up generally, and soon after the blackberry infestation generally makes it inaccessible.[1]
At the top of the wall is a water race, which runs past the wall at each end, eventually travelling approximately 1 kilometre in total from its source, up-steam in the Meroo, to its finish at the end of Wall B.[1]
The river flows towards the South, from above the dry stone wall (A), past a central section (B) and past another dry stone wall (C) The central section contains the continued water race dug into the hillside, numerous deep round hole diggings, remains of a possible dwelling and mounds of tailings.[1]
Wall A faces the East, it is almost without biological growth. It looks quite a recent construction. Almost the whole of the top of the wall can be accessed except where the wall turns to face the south east, and the blackberry growth makes it difficult to continue.[1]
Wall (C) however faces predominantly south and is covered in biological growth including mosses and considerable blackberry infestation. This makes the section (C) wall difficult to access from anywhere except the top, and makes it also hard to measure or record with photographs.[1]
The wall was reported to be in fair to good physical condition as at 4 July 2000, with high archaeological potential.[1]
This cast facing wall is remarkably intact. In parts the wall is in immaculate condition looking as if it were built in quite recent decades. Very tall sections show the great skill of the masons. Weed and other plant growth on its face is minimal for about 90% of its length, making it almost all accessible.[1]
There are also considerable additional constructions associated with this site, in the central section, the second wall, across the River and the upper reaches of the race where the water was dammed and redirected from the river.[1]
Comparison with other Chinese built walls, and of other water race constructions, in Australia and overseas, would be valuable.[1]
