About Blackwood
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Local History
In 1855, four years after gold was first discovered in Ballarat,
Edward Hill struck it lucky at Blackwood on January 4th 1855 at Ballan
Flat which is on the Lerderderg River near the present day Blackwood
Sports Ground. By the end of that year, the goldmining village of
Blackwood, 85 km north-west of Melbourne, had 13 000 prospectors
panning the creeks and sluicing the river banks and hillsides. While
there is little or no remaining gold, some of the rich quartz-reefs,
initially discovered by James Simmons was to the west of the town, at
Simmons Reef. This was followed up by the discovery of the extension
of the line of quartz reef at Barrys Reef where the rich Sultan mine
and others yielded tons of gold. The Sultan mine was reported to have
yielded 65,801 ozs of gold from 1869-1880 to a depth of 900 feet. History of Blackwood Books Available
Blackwood was originally called Mt. Blackwood
with townships of Red Hill, Golden Point, Barry's Reef and Simmons' Reef.
An historic goldmining village
Blackwood, with its timber cottages, is situated amidst the
eucalyptus-covered hills which attracted the earliest settlers with
their promise of instant riches. Today it is now little more than a
memory of the thriving settlement which existed, albeit briefly, in the
late 1850s.
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Things to see:
Historic Cottage
One of the original cottages, located on the Blackwood-Trentham road, dates from sometime between 1855 and 1864. With its brick and stone chimney, hip roof and lean-to, it offers a fascinating insight into the building techniques of the time.
Blackwood's Cemetery Blackwood Cemetery
Of particular interest is Blackwood's cemetery with its graves which date back to gold-rush times. The graves of the Chinese miners (they started arriving in the district in 1857) are, tellingly, located at the rear of the burial ground. A less obscure grave belongs to a Frenchwoman, Madame Bonford, who was contracted to cut the extensive water races which brought water to the gold prospectors.
Another interesting gravestone is that of Bridget Cruise who built the Blackwood Hotel in 1868, after the death of her husband. The Blackwood Hotel (recently renovated) still stands in the centre of town, while the graves of Cruise and her family can be found to the left of the cemeteryıs entrance.
Also at the cemetery is 'Little Doaty's Grave', the resting place of an unfortunate local female who, according to legend, was found mysteriously drowned after strolling into the bush one day. Some less romantic accounts suggest she died from diphtheria.
One of the notable tombs in the cemetery is that of Matthew Rogers, a stonemason and gold-miner, who constructed the Garden of St Earth at the former mining settlement of Simmons Reef. He named his handiwork after the region in Cornwall where he was born. There is a map available which can guide the visitor through the orchard and gardens which combine native flora with introduced species. At their centre lies the family cottage and the remnants of an old butchery.
Jack Cann Reserve
Near the Garden is the Jack Cann Reserve. Walking tracks lead off to Foster's Lookout, to the tunnel, sluices and open-cut mine of Simmons Reef, and up the Lerderderg River to Crown Dam, where the path leads across the dam and back down the opposite bank of the waterway. Also at Simmons Reef, on Deadman's Hill, is the grave of Isaac Povey who died from fever in 1855 - the year in which his friend, companion, and gravedigger, Edward Hill, initiated the local gold-rush.
Another interesting site near the river is the mineral springs reserve which has picnic and barbecue facilities as well as a kiosk which provides maps of the area. Across the small bridge there is a pathway which meanders along the shore of Shaw's Lake (designed as a reservoir to ensure the water supply to the gold-miners) and on to Sweets Lookout. Below this panoramic view there is a trail which leads past Golden Point, where the miners' water races, carved into the mountains' flanks, are still visible. From there it winds back to the township of Blackwood, where you can visit one of the region's oldest buildings, the All Saints Church of England, which was constructed in 1863. History of Blackwood Books Available
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