Ruins of Seabrook

Statement of Significance

The Seabrook Battery Site, an archaeological site with remnant structures and landforms, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons: • The place is associated with the second largest ore crushing battery to have been erected in Western Australia during the gold rush. At the time of its construction it was believed to be the largest in Australasia; • The place has remnant structures and landforms that have considerable scientific potential to yield information about the construction and operation of nineteenth century ore-crushing batteries; • The place is a rare example of a former large battery site as similar sites in Western Australia have been destroyed; • The place is associated with the entrepreneur Eugenio Vanzetti who was seen as a significant figure in the development of the gold mining industry during the mid 1890s; and, • The place has connections with major themes in the development of Western Australia during the 1890s, including railways, gold mining, the need for water in the goldfields, and the importation of migrant workers.

Physical Description

Seabrook Battery Site lies in mostly cleared farming country. The ‘A’ class reserve has retained remnant vegetation which is clearly visible in the 2003 aerial photograph. Most of the physical remains are located on the reserve’s south west corner. These remains include ditches, rough rectangular depressions, raised areas with stone walls and areas with surface scatters of artefacts. For surveying convenience, the area in the south west corner was divided into an east and west section. The eastern section contains seven features while the western section contains 14 features. The seven features in the eastern area contain a mix of artefact scatter sites together with rectangular features several of which have been excavated into the ground with walls of rammed earth and gravel. Some of the walls have been reinforced with bricks. The fourteen features in the western area are once again a mix of rectangular features made from rammed earth and gravel and reinforced with brick and stone. Above ground features include brick pads, several of which are rendered, with threaded rods embedded into the brickwork. These features were associated with the site of the stamper battery (W9 and W10), the primary ore crushing site (W1), the engine house (W2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) and the tailings areas (W11, 12 and 13). For a more detailed description see Description continued.

History

Assessment 2005 Construction 1896 Alterations/additions 1898 During the brief period of its existence (1897-1899) the 80-head stamp Seabrook Battery was believed to be the largest ore crushing battery in Australasia. It was the brain-child of Italian entrepreneur Eugenio Vanzetti who located the battery near the Mortlock River at Seabrook, 6 kms south-east of the town of Northam. This site provided the nearest body of permanent fresh water to the goldfields, and Vanzetti had planned to rail water back to the goldfields in the specially designed wagons that brought the ore to Seabrook via a spur line. Various factors affected the economic viability of this operation and the battery was officially closed down in January 1900. Activity continued on the site with the buildings and plant being removed in c.1904. Over the following decades successive owners of the battery site and itinerant prospectors were to work the tailings for residue gold. Interest in the site continued up to 1986 when an unsuccessful licence to peg the site was applied for. The Seabrook Battery Site site was acquired in 1946 by local farmers Lindsay and Ruth Milhinch. The couple valued the place for its history and the possibility of restoring its remnant native vegetation. The surrounding lands had been cleared for farming and little of the original natural flora had survived. The site was placed on the National Trust’s Recorded list in March 1974. In 1987, the Milhinchs offered the land (9.9 hectares), to the Department of Conservation and Land Management on condition it be made a 'A' Class Reserve. In March 1992, the Shire of Northam was advised 'A' Class Reserve No. 42084 had been set aside for the purpose of 'Protection of Historical Site and Native Vegetation' and the reserve had been vested in the Shire for that purpose. In 2004, the Shire successfully applied for a heritage grant from Lotterywest to undertake a conservation plan of the Seabrook Battery Site and an assessment of the native flora.

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