Kirtons Group

Statement of Significance

The place contains substantial evidence of the early and later phases of its mining history and is highly significant at the local level. The place also has group value as one of a number of sites in the vicinity of Northampton. It includes one mine with a rare surviving poppet head, which has monumental value as a reminder of the area's mining history.

Physical Description

The mines are reached via Ivans Road, about 5km from Northampton on the Northampton Port Gregory Road, east of the Unandara Creek crossing (enquire at Cooloola Homstead, 1 km towards Port Gregory, for permission). Turn right through the first wire gate and follow the fence to a creek (the Wheal Fortune is up the creek to the right). Follow a stoney track northerly for about 1 km to a locked gate. The mines are 200m or so further up the track. The place comprises several shafts, including one compartmented shaft with a substantial concrete collar, winder pad and ore bin foundations (NR173-3 to NR173-4). There are extensive concrete foundations of the treatment plant (NR173 to NR173-2). Tailings fill the creek bed (NR173-6). To the SSW a poppet head survives over what may be the Kirton's North Mine. The mine could not be inspected in 2004 as it was surrounded by crop, but the owner of Cooloola advised that little else survived on the site. The group potentially contains evidence of mining activity extending from 1873 to 1953.

History

KIRTONS GROUP 2): (1903) This group of three abandoned leases formerly known as Kirton's and West Wheal Virgin, and on them a line of lode was opened for a distance of half a mile, there being three large chutes in this district, which have been worked on the three leases at the S part to a depth of 100 feet, and the northern part to 160 feet. In the central lease, whilst the Fremantle Smelting Co were prospecting , a low grade lode was driven through for a distance of 30 feet without any walls being met with worked from 1873 to 1884, and was extremely rich in parts, being said to have yielded from four to six tons of clean galena per fathom in sinking. 1): (1971) ... The four mines ... from N to S are Kirtons North Extended, Kirtons, Kirtons North, Kirtons and Kirtons South.... nomenclature is confusing .... Mines ... first worked between 1879 and 1887 ... reported that 841 tons of ore shipped .. The main period of production was 1915 to 1919 when Kirtons North Extended mine was in operation. Other work was done on the group in 1952 and 1953. Total recorded production ... 409 tons of lead. .... To the S of the Port Gregory road the Kirtons line has controlled the valley of Unandara Creek which follows its trend for about 1980m. .. lodes strike 30 and dip E 70-80. 18. KIRTONS NORTH EXTENDED MINE 2): (1903) From Appendix A, The Northampton Mining District, H.P. Woodward, May 1901. This group of three abandoned leases formerly known as Kirton's and West Wheal Virgin, and on them a line of lode was opened for a distance of half a mile, there being three large chutes in this district, which have been worked on the three leases at the S part to a depth of 100 feet, and the northern part to 160 feet. In the central lease, whilst the Fremantle Smelting Co were prospecting , a low grade lode was driven through for a distance of 30 feet without any walls being met with worked from 1873 to 1884, and was extremely rich in parts, being said to have yielded from four to six tons of clean galena per fathom in sinking. From Appendix B, The Northampton Mining District, John Provis, June, 1903. .. a group of mines about 4 miles from Northampton. In South Kirtons there are two or three shallow workings near the bottom of a depression ... To the N of these workings is another shaft... In North Kirtons is a shaft on which an engine has been used 1): (1971) ..the largest of the group .. visible workings include shafts, open cuts and surface stopes over a length of 120m. During main period of production .. mining ... carried out from a main inclined shaft, apparently that at the N end of the workings, 67m deep... mine closed in 1919. More recent work .. from shaft sunk at the S end of the lode about 120m S of main shaft.. to 27m 19. Kirtons North Mine 1): (1971).. 460m SSW of the Kirtons North Extended ... mined discontinuously over a length of about 60m .. deepest present opening is a shaft 30m deep at the N end of the workings. A two compartment shaft equipped with poppet legs ... 12m W of the lode near the S end of the line has been filled to within 3m of the surface. 20. Kirtons Mine 3): (1926) On ML 128 further south another shaft has been sunk In 1914 Messrs Thring and Dwyer obtained assistance from the Mines Department to erect a treatment plant on the mine. The plant, which was completed in Feb 1915, consisted of a 40HP Kynock producer, a Gates cracker, bucket elevator, ore bin, rolls (May Bros 24in x 10in), a fine ore bin, a Richards pulsating gig, and a Wilfley table 1): (1971).. 150m SSW of the Kirtons and close to the road ... shallow workings extend over a length of 90m but the only deep (9m) shaft is on a branch lode .. at 360deg near Nmost end of the line. The largest open cut is .... close to the junction of the two lodes. 21. Kirtons South Mine 1): (1971).... 240m SSW of the Kirtons and close to the road., worked over a length of 55m on the surface and underground by means of two shafts 40 m apart. The northern shaft is 21m deep and is inclined steeply eastwards. To the N of it is a surface stope 9m long. The surface between the two shafts is covered by creek deposits and no old workings or lode outcrop can be seen.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Low Modifications: Dismantled mine

Condition

Poor

Uses

Creation Date

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