Eatons Dam, Cosgrave Reservoir, Smokytown Water Race
Cosgrave Reservoir
SMOKEYTOWN WATER RACE - History
The origins
and history of this race are uncertain.
Tropman and
Associates (1991) suggest that construction of the race commenced in 1870 and
took two and a half years to complete, with fluming used to cross creek gullies
in several sections. It ended at the site of a quartz mine near the head of
Frenchman's Gully where it supplied water to a crushing battery. Later, during
the 1930s Depression, the race was cleaned out and supplied enough water
pressure for sluicing. This ceased after four years due to the amount of sludge
entering Creswick Creek.
Alternatively,
there is historical evidence that the race dates from an earlier period. In
September 1860 the Chairman brought to the notice of the Creswick Council an
abandoned water race that had been cut some time earlier from Birch's Creek
around by Spring Gully and the Eastern Hill. The race could, he suggested, be
cleaned and repaired for about £100, with a reservoir built on Eastern Hill to
supply domestic water to the township, along with water to miners around
Clark's Hill. The council obtained Water Right No.153 for this race but the
plan to supply water from this source was never carried out (VPRS 3730).
The site has a HIGH level of historical significance at a local level. Due to the excellent preservation of a large part of the Creswick goldfield, the intertwined narratives of mining, water supply, environmental consequences and rapidly evolving legislation can be read in the landscape. At a state level the site contributes to broader narratives of water supply and mining (Victorian Historical Theme 4.5 & 4.6) and informs the development of both mining and water management laws for the State of Victoria.
The race system is one of many on the Creswick alluvial goldfield that together make up an important and well-preserved cultural landscape of water management.
Combined with Creswick's strong forestry education facilities and proximity to Melbourne and Ballarat, an increased awareness in this well-preserved mining complex could provide Creswick with excellent educational and tourism opportunities illustrating mining techniques and how mining shaped Victoria's water laws.
A 24 km extant race following
contours around Spring Hill, Creswick.
Eatons Dam
Geelong
Advertiser (Vic.: 1859 - 1929), Friday 4 November 1864, page 3
The
alluvial drift of the Creswick district is peculiarly adapted for sluicing.
Thus, there are several extensive reservoirs belonging to various sluicing
parties, at the heads of the gullies above the township, besides the Government
Reservoir remitted to the control of the Borough Council, which being the most
important deserves our first attention. It is on the main branch of the
Bullarook Creek, and distant about seven miles and a half (7½) in an easterly
direction from Creswick. Its capacity is equal to thirty-seven million gallons,
and its elevation, above the latter township, has been estimated at about six
hundred (600) feet. The water is led by means of four miles of iron pipes and
four miles of open cutting, across the dividing range, from the Bullarook into
the Creswick watershed. A small auxiliary reservoir kept supplied from the main
one by the pipes already referred to, to hold a supply for immediate use has
been formed in Lincoln Gully, a short distance to the west of the township. A
party of Chinese have leased from the Borough Council two sluice-heads of
water, for which they pay a rental of ten pounds (£10) per week; and, in order
to bring it to their workings, have had to cut two miles of race. Although this
water-supply has not yet been put to any further use, we understand it is the
intention of the council to have it laid on very shortly into the township
itself. The large reservoir has been fully supplied with water for the past two
years
The
Humbug Hill Sluicing Company has constructed a dam across a stream of water
bearing the very singular appellation of the Adekate Creek; and the company has
obtained a lease from the Crown, of a large watershed, the capacity of the
reservoir being estimated at twelve millions and a half (12,500,000) gallons.
The water is conveyed to the Bald Hills by an open race sixteen miles in
length. At one part, where it crosses Slaty Creek, it is necessary to bring it
across in iron pipes at a height of one hundred and fourteen (114) feet, the
valley itself being half a mile in breadth; This company, itself uses a portion
of the water for sluicing purposes and leases out the remainder.
The
other principal water supplies may be thus enumerated. - Eaton and party on
the Back Creek, have a reservoir capable of holding fifteen million gallons;
the watershed being held under lease; G. and J. Russell and-party; in Ashwell's
Gully— title, miners' rights; they have a race eight miles in length and let
the water, the demand being more than equal to the supply. The St. George's
Sluicing Company having only a small reservoir, derives its supply from Slaty
Creek. The race from the reservoir to Humbug Hill, the terminus of the former,
is five miles in length, and the water is conveyed to the top of the hill in
bituminised pipes, the company using the whole of it themselves.
Ballarat
Star (Vic.: 1865 - 1924), Tuesday 15 March 1904, page 1
NARROW
ESCAPE FROM DROWNING AT CRESWICK
A
PLUCKY RESCUE. CRESWICK, Monday.
On
Saturday afternoon a party of ladies visited Eaton’s dam for the purpose of
crayfishing, when one of their number-Miss Agnes Calistro—slipped into the dam,
into about 7 feet of water. Mrs Thomas Berry immediately plunged in after her;
but was seized by the girl and dragged under. Miss Laura Calistro, with
wonderful presence of mind, took hold of a large piece of wood and went in
after the two. She first brought Mrs Berry out, and then, by stirring up the
water, succeeded in getting her sister to the surface, and landed her on a log
in the water. After considerable exertion she restored animation.’ The three
suffered a good deal from shock but are now progressing satisfactorily. Great
credit is due to Miss Laura Calistro for rescue of the other two. who otherwise
must have been drowned.
Creswick
Advertiser (Vic.: 1914 - 1918), Friday 20 December 1918, page 2
Mr
J. Richards, Manager of the Creswick Hydraulic Sluicing Company, announces that
he will give a reward of £10 to anyone giving information leading to the
conviction of the person or persons interfering with the valve at Eaton's dam,
or with the race leading to the dredge. Mr Richards has been caused much
concern lately through the action of some person, for during the past couple of
months about 1 feet of water has been lost out of Eaton's dam. This is a
serious matter, for the inability to get water from the dam would cause a
cessation of work at the dredge, which would be hard on the workmen. If this
interference continues, Mr Richards will reluctantly be compelled to prohibit
fishing in the dam.
Eaton's
Dam Site
Eaton’s
No.1 Dam is located about 500 metres downstream (westward) from Cosgrave
Reservoir, built on a rocky choke in the creek bed. The dam is unusual in the
district for having been built with a substantial vertical stone facing
downstream and a clay embankment on the upstream (water) side. The dam wall is
approximately 70 metres long, about 8 metres wide at the base and generally 4-5
metres in height. The top of the dam wall is about 1.5 metres wide and was
originally secured with a frame of heavy timbers (Ballarat Star 2 July 1862:4).
The lowest courses of stone extend outward slightly from the base. Above these
the masonry consists of large schist slabs laid horizontally and overlapping, with
small rock infill. The central section of the wall features a steeply sloping
buttress on the downstream side about 4 metres in height. There is a bye-wash
at both ends of the dam wall, and a plan of the dam from John Roycraft's Water
Right No. 950 (see below) indicates that water was discharged from the centre
of the wall, probably through a pipe and valve.
EATON'S WATER RACE AND DAM WALL
In '1863
the dam was still under construction when it was damaged by floods, causing
£400 worth of damage (Ballarat Star19 October 1863:2; Semmens
Collection, Box 7, p.139). The following year its capacity was described as
approximately 15 million gallons (68 ML; Dicker 1864:180). In 1869 the dam was
flooded again, while the smaller No.2 (Yankee) dam was destroyed (Creswick
Advertiser 5 December 1933). By the late 19th century Eatons Dam (as well
as Bragg's Dam) had become a popular site for picnics, bird watching, shooting
parties and fishing (Graham 1987:124; Lindsay, 1965:24; Taylor 1998:29, 72). In
1933, however, the creek flooded and destroyed the dam: Flood started Wednesday
29thNovember. 6% inches of rain. Waters dissipated quietly after initial
flooding. Again, those who had been flooded began cleaning up preparations but
by 1 pm they were disturbed by the ringing of the fire bell.
Quickly the alarm had spread that Eaton's Dam had gone. Hundreds of people hurried down to the creek to watch for the on rush of waters, but the alarm was false. Eaton's dam had gone but no one knows exactly when, for reports were most contradictory. Sifting them all through however, it seems that a small piece of the bank must have given way about 6 am and that throughout the day the cut wore deeper. There is ample evidence that at one stage the water was flowing over the embankment for its whole width. One man who went up to investigate reported that at 9 am the bank was still holding but a small hole had appeared in the top and further showers would probably cause the dam to burst. Another person saw the dam on Saturday when it still penned back a huge quantity of water. By Sunday morning however, the cut had eaten down to the bottom of the bank and the creek was flowing the old course (Creswick Advertiser December 1933).
Eatons Dam
is unusual in its design and construction. The Simplest gravity dams normally
consist of a mound of clay heaped across a watercourse, with a roughly
symmetrical profile (Smith 1971:195-207). Ideally the clay should be puddled to
remove impurities and consolidate the mass, with a central clay core dug down
and inserted into bedrock to provide a seal. The dam or embankment provides a
physical wall to resist the vertical and horizontal pressure exerted by the
depth of water stored behind. The profile of Eatons Dam, however, lacks the
downstream (air side) clay mass to provide resistance. Instead, the clay is
banked on the upstream (water) side against a stacked stone facing or retaining
wall, providing only about half the mass normally found in a gravity dam wall.
Hydrologist Leon Bren suggests this may have been a simple measure to economise
on construction costs (L. Bren pers comm. 20 August 2012)
The Eatons’
utilised a water race which extended two miles (169 chains, or 3.4 km)
downstream from their dam along the south side of Creswick (Back) Creek to
Portuguese Flat via Lincoln Gully. Much of the area has been extremely
disturbed by surface working over the years, which has destroyed some sections
of the race. The archaeologically identifiable sections are recorded below in
Figure 11. This race was held as Water-Rights License No.2(the 2nd to be
issued in Victoria), and appears to have been leased jointly by Benjamin Eaton
and John Roycraft. The pair applied successfully for another license (No.30) to
the race and reservoir in 1865 (Government Gazette 16 April
1866:818-19). In 1879, at the expiry of the No.30 license, Roycraft obtained
another 15-year water-rights license (No.414), this time without the Eatons'
involvement. The license specified a total quantity of water to be diverted per
diem of 2 million gallons (Mineral Statistics of Victoria 1884:54).
Roycraft renewed Water Right No.414 in 1894, which was renumbered No.701 (VPRS
7873/P/0001, Unit 1), as well as gaining a permit to sell surplus water from
the race (VPRS 5936)
Bullarook to Humbug Hill Water Race
Constructed in 1857 by labourers (including Chinese) for James Robertson. The race brought water from Bullarook Forest to Robertson’s sluicing claim at Humbug Hill. In 1860s Robertson sold his shares in the race and the race became known as the St Georges race, supplying the St Georges Sluicing Company claims at Humbug Hill. In 1862 the company adopted new patent bitumen pipe technology to replace the wooden flume built by Robertson. The upper part of the race was taken over by the Council in 1864. The remainder was still utilized by Chinese miners. By 1880 the Council had leased the whole race, presumably for augmenting Council water supply, however by the early 20th century it appears this race fell into disuse. Built in 1862 to supply water to miners along Back Creek, Eaton’s dam remained in use until the 1930's. The dam, built by the Eaton Brothers, was leased between the 1860's and 1930s by John Roycraft, after which time the dam fell into disuse. At times the dam supplemented the Creswick water supply, however the wall was often subject to flood damage and the establishment of Cosgrave's Reservoir diminished any need for Eaton's Dam. Eaton’s Dam became a popular site for picnics, bird watching, shooting parties and fishing by the late 19th century until the dam wall was breeched in the 1920's.
Interpretation of Site
Built in
1862 to supply water to miners along Back Creek, Eatons dam remained in use
until the 1930's. The dam, built by the Eaton Brothers, was leased between the
1860's and 1930s by John Roycraft, after which time the dam fell into disuse.
At times the dam supplemented the Creswick water supply, however the wall was
often subject to flood damage and the establishment of Cosgrave's Reservoir
diminished any need for Eaton's Dam. Eatons Dam became a popular site for
picnics, bird watching, shooting parties and fishing by the late 19th century
until the dam wall was breeched in the 1920's
Historical
Significance
The site
has a HIGH level of historical significance at a local level. The site has a
rich documentary record.
Due to the
excellent preservation of a large part of the Creswick goldfield, the
intertwined narratives of mining, water supply, environmental consequences and
rapidly evolving legislation can be read in the landscape. At a state level the
site contributes to broader narratives of water supply and mining (Victorian
Historical Theme 4.5 & 4.6) and informs the development of both mining and
water management laws for the State of Victoria. The dam and associated race
system is one of many on the Creswick alluvial goldfield that together make up
an important and well-preserved cultural landscape of water management. Combined
with Creswick's strong forestry education facilities and proximity to Melbourne
and Ballarat, an increased awareness in this well-preserved mining complex
could provide Creswick with excellent educational and tourism opportunities
illustrating mining techniques and how mining shaped Victoria's water laws.
Heritage Inventory Description
2.8 km
extant sections of water race commencing at Eatons Dam. Significant lengths (c.
3.1 km) of this race are no longer extant, having been destroyed by road
construction. The race occurs on both sides of Melbourne Road, following
Creswick (Back) Creek and Lincoln Gully. The dam wall is approximately 70
metres long, about 8 metres wide at the base and generally 4-5 metres in
height. The lowest courses of stone extend outward slightly from the base.
Above these the masonry consists of large schist slabs laid horizontally and
overlapping, with small rock infill. The central section of the wall features a
steeply sloping buttress on the downstream side about 4 metres in height. The
reservoir behind the dam wall is dry and overgrown. A breech occurs where the creek
has cut through the wall.
A Plaque at the reservoir has the following text
SHIRE OF CRESWICK
THIS PLAQUE COMMEMORATES THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE W. A. COSGRAVE RESERVOIR
BY CR JOHN FRASER SEWELL SHIRE PRESIDENT ON THE 5TH of APRIL 1979 AND RECOGNISES THE SERVICES OF CR WA COSGRAVE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT FROM 1941 UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1979.
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