Historical Notes - Buninyong - Union Jack

MINING TRAGEDY

Kalgoorlie Miner (WA:1895 - 1954), Thursday 16 February 1933, page 4

FOUL AIR IN SHAFT

TWO MINERS SUFFOCATED.

 FATALITY AT BUNINYONG. Melbourne, Feb. 15.

Overcome by foul air, two miners named Albert Berger (68), and Arthur Dunstan (34), were suffocated in a prospecting shaft at Buninyong yesterday. The men were associated with William Sergeant and Robert Drummond in a mining venture. The I shaft was down 60 feet in dry workings and the installation of an air pipe was being made when the accident occurred. Berger and Sergeant were operating the windlass. Dunstan had set one length of pipe in position at the bottom of the shaft and then began the fitting of the second length about 26 feet from the mouth of the shaft. Berger and Sergeant suddenly noticed Dunstan release his hold of the rope and fall headlong down the shaft. Berger immediately decided to go to his assistance and was lowered by Sergeant. He found Dunstan alive but injured and called out to Sergeant to go for help. Tests made disclosed the presence of carbon monoxide. Nevertheless, a man named Silvey made two attempts to go below, being lowered by Sergeant and was both times hauled to the surface practically unconscious.

Both bodies were eventually recovered by Constable Vincent, using a safety apparatus. Dunstan was a young widower with two children, and Berger aa elderly man.

MINING INQUEST.

Age (Melbourne, Vic.1854 - 1954), Thursday 16 February 1933, page 6

Inquiry at Buninyong.

BALLARAT, Wednesday. — Before, the coroner (Mr. P. H. V. Elliget, P.M.) and a special jury, an inquiry was opened at Buninyong to-day into the deaths of the two men, Albert Berger and Arthur Dunstan, who lost their lives yesterday in the mining disaster at Union Jack Gully, about a mile from. Buninyong. Inspector Comrie, who appeared to conduct the police case, briefly outlined the facts regarding the circumstances in which the two men were suffocated by foul air in a shaft , in which they were working, and then called formal evidence of identification, The jury. Had previously seen the bodies. At Inspector Comrie's request, an adjournment was then made to a date to be fixed. The bravery displayed by John Silvey and William R. Sandford in their efforts to save the dead men has been the subject of wide commendation.

 

FIND AT UNION JACK GULLY.

A SPLENDID YIELD.

Ballarat Star (Vic.1865 - 1924), Saturday 5 August 1905, page 10

For many years it has been the opinion of practical miners that the Union Jack Gully would reveal something good in the way of a rich quartz lode.

This has been proved to exist, as Messrs Brew and party put through a trial crushing of 12 tons today at the New Imperial battery for a yield of 43 ounces smelted gold. This will cause a great revival in mining in this town, as the alluvial found in the gully has proved very rich, several nuggets up to 20 lb. weight having been found there in the early days, and for years past miners have got a living by fossicking. There will be no difficulty in floating the above lease. Brew and Co., and also Jordan’s: as on the news becoming known, and within an hour or two of the find, 12 syndicate shares were sold in the latter company. It is hoped that the result of this find will open up the line known as the Temperance lode, and thus give a fresh impetus to mining in the Ballarat and Buninyong districts.

Union Jack Gold Mining Company

Ballarat Star (Vic.1865 - 1924), Monday 28 August 1905, page 3

BUNINYONG.

It is with pleasure that we have to record the floating of the Union Jack Gold Mining Company, known as Bren’s lease, which was discovered lately by that party, and which trial crushing produced the most satisfactory returns of 3 oz. 11-dwtj or 43 oz. from 12 tons. This find is situated in the east of Warrenheip street, and within half a mile of the post office. The original prospectors, of which there were four, sold the lease on Friday last.at a very satisfactory price, to a wealthy Melbourne syndicate, who in less than an hour floated same in 30,000 shares, and operations will immediately be started, and a 10-head battery will be erected. This discovery is pronounced to be a very permanent lode, and a great revival of quartz mining is expected. All the ground is taken up for miles north and south.

Union Jack Casino

Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864), Tuesday 24 March 1857, page 3

It is with satisfaction we record the fact that Mr Myers' celebrated casino, on the Union Jack Lead is now closed. The exposure, which took place in the Buninyong Police court on Wednesday last, no doubt. contributed to this very desirable result, and we think great credit is due to the police for having brought this establishment under the notice of the Bench.

Whilst speaking upon this subject, we would remark that Mr Smith, of the Nugget Hotel has been unfairly dealt with in this matter. The two girls, Anne Price and Sophia Oakley, who took refuge in his house, it has been stated were enticed by him there to dance in his dancing room. This is not the case, as the girls were taken to his hotel late at night by some diggers, under whose protection they placed themselves. M. Paltzer's casino has been sold to a person named Smith and will be opened this week. In addition to the places of amusement, a public house is opened on the lead, called the Robert Burns Hotel, having been removed from Sebastopol Hill.

All Quiet in Buninyong

As we before observed, the township of Buninyong itself seems to be very little benefited by this new lead, and this we can only account for by the fact that there are so many stores on the lead. Passing through Buninyong on a Saturday night and looking upon the various hotels in it, the visitor naturally expects to see them full of miners, considering the large population that is close to the Township. Such, however, is not the case, and although there is so much teeming life within less than a quarter of a mile, the Township is as quiet as heretofore.

Mt Buninyong Fire 1914

Gordon, Egerton and Ballan Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), Friday 27 February 1914, page 4

Mt. Buninyong Ablaze...

RESEMBLES SMOKING VOLCANO.

A fire broke out on Monday night in the east, side of Mt, Buninyong. Viewed from Gordon, Egerton and Millbrook the mount presented a novel appearance. The smoke rose in a huge column from the cone and resembled a smoking volcano. At night the scene was one of splendour.

 

BUSH FIRES. Mt. Buninyong Ablaze. 1927

Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), Thursday 10 March 1927, page 9

BALLARAT, Wednesday. Mount Buninyong is ablaze for the first time for many years. A fire that is said to have started in a small way to-day on the southwestern shoulder is tonight licking the whole southern face of the mountain. Motorists on the road from Geelong, who had a full view of the fire, stated that it out rivalled the spectacular blaze on Mount Warrenheip last summer. Ballarat people witnessed a striking sight, when about 9 p.m. the big timber towards the summit look fire, and great flames shot skywards through rolling clouds of lurid smoke. The contour of the mount was sharply silhouetted and edged, with the red glow of the bush tire. With the absence of wind, the area is expected to burn itself out without harm to the several habitations at the foot of the mount.

Ballarat CourierJune 15 2015 - 9:56AM

Ballarat couple rescued from roof of burning home  

 

QUICK thinking neighbours helped rescue a Mount Helen couple from the roof of their burning home on Monday morning.

Next door neighbour and CFA volunteer John McLeod had returned from town to see smoke billowing from the two-storey Wirreanda Drive property about 8.10am.

Mr McLeod rushed to the property and saw the two occupants, a man and a woman aged in their 60s, sitting on the roof.

He said the pair had escaped from an upstairs room via a window.

Mr McLeod said the woman was unconscious, but still breathing when he arrived.

"I tried to get up the ladder but the ladder was close to the toxic smoke, so I had to get down," he said.

"I got (the man) to drag her to the opening... I ran and got a harness."

Mr McLeod strapped the woman in a harness in preparation for the CFA to lower her to the ground.

His son Lachie McLeod also ran to get another ladder to help with the rescue. 

Ambulance Victoria transported the pair to Ballarat Base Hospital for smoke inhalation

 

  

The following newspaper articles from Trove, describe early days of mining at the Union Jack Lead in 1857

The Star, Wednesday 4 February 1857, p2.

RUSH NEAR BUNINYONG. – Some few days ago a rush took place to a gully situated. about half a mile from Buninyong on the Ballarat Road. The gully is close to a bridge which is being erected over the new road between Ballarat and Buninyong, and extends in a circuitous route for about two miles towards the Mount. Some six weeks ago a prospecting party, known as Cummins' party, were working in this gully. They have sunk three shafts, and have bottomed each time upon the reef, at the depth of about 60 feet. On Monday, 500 men were upon the ground, and claims for upwards of a mile up the gully had been pegged out.

The gully is called Union Jack Gully, and will, perhaps, soon be proclaimed a lead, although the fact of the sinking only being 60 feet, it is doubtful whether the sinking can be considered sufficiently deep to justify Mr. Warden Cogden in proclaiming it a lead.

The opening up of the new gully has given somewhat of an impetus to the otherwise quiet township of Buninyong. Those who are seeking their fortune on the Union Jack Lead are not altogether bona fide, and several tradesmen and even professional men are interested in the shafts which are now being put down in this gully. The prospecting party, upon bottoming one of their shafts upon the reef, obtained a nugget weighing one ounce, and also several specimens of coarse gold…

 

The Star, Wed 18 February 1857, p2

UNION JACK LEAD. On Monday last Mr Harvey was elected Surveyor to this lead. It being understood that Mr Warden Cogden would be on the ground, about twelve o'clock on Tuesday, for the purpose of proclaiming it a lead, a large number of miners were assembled. On the arrival of the Warden, accompanied by the Surveyor, he proceeded to the prospectors' claim, and after a conference of about half an hour, it was considered advisable, as the prospecting party had only driven about five feet, to get two miners, not interested in the claim, to go down the shaft and obtain a prospect. After some considerable time, a bucket of wash-dirt was sent up, which, when washed, shewed an excellent prospect, about sixteen hundredweights being the result, nearly all shotty gold, one nugget weighing four hundredweights. This gave universal satisfaction. The Surveyor then went down the shaft to take the bearings of the lead. The Warden, after putting a few questions to the prospectors, proclaimed it a lead, and granted the prospecting party 127 feet, being the full extent allowed by the new Regulations.

The Surveyor commenced immediately to mark out the claims, and has been kept close at it up to yesterday. Claims have been registered at the prospectors' tent up to 58 west and 23 east, and many more pegged out. The depth is about 70 feet, and no rock, but a great quantity of water. During the week tents have sprung up like mushrooms. Some of the shafts ' on this lead are going down rapidly: one commenced on Thursday night, was upwards of 30 feet deep last night. The miners have commenced work in earnest…

 

 The Age, Tues 3 March 1857, p6.

BUNINYONG DIGGINGS. A correspondent of the Ballaarat Times furnishes the following:

By the time this report is before your readers, the discovery of a splendid lump of Buninyong gold, weighing twenty pounds and upwards, will be no news to them. The rush, which has been steadily on the increase all along, is now going ahead at rapid strides.

The population, taken in its full numbers, is already between three and four thousand. The nugget was found during the night watch of Friday last, at the depth of sixty-six feet, in claim B, being the third on the Mount side from the Union Jack shaft. In claim A, on the same side, luck is not so brilliant, but the gutter is only being driven for at present. In claim C some fair stuff has been obtained, together with several small nuggets. From this point the bottom is rapidly becoming shallow, and it will doubtless become more so as the course of the lead is traced up the gully towards the mount. At the distance of about a mile in that direction the ground has already been tried and proved of a paying character. A nugget, weighing ten ounces, has been found there, and only a few feet beneath the surface.

Returning to the prospect shaft and going westward we find a most cheering state of things. The prospectors have already nuggetted between £200 and £300 a man, not to mention their fine paddock of washing stuff, which is expected to yield handsome returns. The water, however, is proving too heavy in this claim, and a whim is about to be erected…

 

The Star, Monday 16 March 1857, p3

BUNINYONG. THE UNION JACK LEAD. On Saturday night an occurrence took place at the Union Jack Lead which more than ever shows the necessity of some place being established as a home for young females. Certain parties, we believe foreigners, opened on Saturday, night last a casino on this lead, and as an additional charm to those miners who delight to tread the "light fantastic toe," engaged six girls in Melbourne, from which place they arrived at the Crown Hotel the evening before. The object for which these girls were engaged is obvious, but the manner in which two of them were inveigled is worthy of exposure.-, It would seem that the whole six were hired by the proprietor of this establishment in Melbourne as housemaids, believing they were coming to an hotel but with this certainly strange proviso that they would be required to dance of an evening. Saturday night saw the debut of these young women, and it would appear that after the dancing was concluded they were required by the proprietor to pass the night in the Casino, a number of men being also there. Four of them, we have been given to understand, made no demur to this proceeding; but two of the girls who had been only seven weeks in the colony, and who had evidently committed nothing more than an indiscretion in going to such a place, refused to become subservient to the unworthy purposes of their employer. Although it was late at night and these young women were strangers in Buninyong, they were unblushingly turned out, and compelled to take refuge at the “Nugget Hotel”. We are happy to say that Sergt Weldon who detected the character of the establishment immediately on its opening, will take steps to bring the proprietors to justice if it be possible to make them come within the reach of the law…

 Researched and compiled by Andrew Parker and Anne Ottrey 2021