Mining ... not always profitable

Late yesterday we took a gnarly old track up to Nuccaleena Mine which is on Moolooloo Station property, some 17km from our campsite.  It took us about 3 hours return trip.

Nuccaleena Mine

The Mine was established in 1860 when 16 men produced over 100 tons of copper ore in 5 weeks!  By March 1861, 86 were employed including thirty six miners, five masons, four sawyers, two cooks and a medical officer. Bear in mind during these times there was no modern equipment to lift the stonework in the buildings.  The track in is certainly remote.

Nuccaleena Mine

By 1863, it was reported that was a Captains apartments, office, stone stables, a goods store, smith’s shop, a workshop, general store, doctor’s house and about 20 good huts for the miners. By 1866, the mine had produced only £13,000 worth of copper ore for the cost of £57,000.  Not surprisingly it was soon after abandoned as an enormous financial failure.

The wind continues, and reached a crescendo during the night when we had to pack up the batwing/awning on the TVan and bring everything inside before it blew away.  Apparently, the gusts were up to 60km but tend to be much higher in this region due to the landscape of the surrounding hills and valleys which tend to lead to huge wind gusts (making it difficult for the chopper pilots doing aerial musters – not to mention the average camper!).

Today, the wind continues to howl and stir up the dust… it has reached 17 degrees but is reported as a real feel of 6.5 due to the wind chill!

We drove to one of the gorges (Ferguson Gorge) on the property where we averaged 13km/per hour for 26km out then back – full of wombat holes 30-50cm deep; countless dry creek crossings and tracks along the creek beds; a couple of massive hills complete with slippery shale; large boulders and tree stumps for pretty much most of the way up and back. 

Ruins on Moolooloo Station

Another section to another gorge saw us average 7km per hour for 6km out then back. Pleased to report it was worth the drive, the Gorge was very impressive plus the 4km round trip walk to the gorge and back got our steps quota up for the day!