Goldern Gate Mine Mathinna, Tasmania, Australia
By
Tassyexplorer on 01-Mar-12. Waypoint GA4262
Cache Details
| Difficulty: | |
| Terrain: | |
| Type: | Traditional |
| Container: | Small |
| Coordinates: | S41° 29.255' E147° 53.633' (WGS 84) |
| 55G 574620E 5406728N (UTM) | |
| Elevation: | 340 m |
| Local Government Area: | Break O'Day |
/147.893883,-41.487583,14/400x200?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoiY2F1Z2h0YXR3b3JrIiwiYSI6ImNqa2l4ZzNzMDE5bjgzdm1sZGpuODF1Mm0ifQ.q8YMzVyzDJJlJHHV8EMjwQ)
Description
Old mine site close to big round brickworks.
Mathinna had a many workers for gold production with much history and hardship yet the local Mathinna club is still operatering selling fuel and drink also if you are at the right time of day passing through. Mathinna is out of the way for many travelers unless camping or fishing. No swaps , only very small container here.
Hints
Abg sne sebz gbja n pbhcyr bs fznyy biretebja genpxf sbe 4jqf pna or hfrq. Pnpur arj fbzr oevpxjbexf juvpu ner znal. |
|
Decode |
Logs
Found easily enough - thanks for bringing me to this location. Had a good poke around - very interesting place. Never seen tanks like those before.
Location could probably have handled a much larger cache container.
To get there, take the road off the main road that points to the historic church.
Location could probably have handled a much larger cache container.
To get there, take the road off the main road that points to the historic church.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Took a very roundabout way to head back to the NW coast from St Marys. None of us had been to Mathinna before, and I had no clue where in the state it was. Now I do. Was heading down the 4WD track in my little Jazz till I got to a big puddle, we got out, threw a rock in it and the kerplash indicated it was pretty deep. So did a 10point turn, and jogged the remainder to the cache. Very interesting history highlighted by the cache. Thanks Tassyexplorer.
Hard to believe Mathinna was for a time the third largest town in Tassie. It is amazing how much boom or bust times can change the face of an area. 
Thanks again Tassyexplorer for another nice hide.
Thanks again Tassyexplorer for another nice hide.
Extract I found at....http://www.fingalvalleyhistory.com/Mathinna.htm
"Soon after gold was found at Mangana, a second and larger find was discovered 20 or so kilometers north at Mathinna. This find led to the opening of the Golden Gate mine, which once established, became the second largest gold producing mine in Tasmania after the Tasmanian mine at Beaconsfield. The town too grew and with around 300 men per shift working at the Golden Gate in the latter part of the 1800s, Mathinna was, for a time, the third largest town in Tasmania".
To answer 2y's(and my own) query....I'd say all the tanks were flotation tanks to help extract the gold.
"Soon after gold was found at Mangana, a second and larger find was discovered 20 or so kilometers north at Mathinna. This find led to the opening of the Golden Gate mine, which once established, became the second largest gold producing mine in Tasmania after the Tasmanian mine at Beaconsfield. The town too grew and with around 300 men per shift working at the Golden Gate in the latter part of the 1800s, Mathinna was, for a time, the third largest town in Tasmania".
To answer 2y's(and my own) query....I'd say all the tanks were flotation tanks to help extract the gold.
This is certainly an interesting area. We wondered what the site was used for and what role the large tanks had in the operation. Was it brick works or part of a mining operation? Did the tanks hold water for brick production or ore treatment? We approached the site from the Golden Gate Mine Road and found our way down the slope. The view from the top indicated that there must have been quite a big operation at the site. We didn't find anything which helped to answer our questions. Well, speculation aside, accurate coordinates led to a quick find of the cache. Thanks for bringing us to this interesting location Tassyexplorer.
Hi Tassyexplorer
Another great cache!!
The old mine was an enjoyable saunder, finding and logging the cache at 1613hrs.
Back in to Mathina and a prolonged visit to the Country Club made for some great conversations, learning some history and finding out about an old fishing friend.
Thanks for this one. It was great!
TFTc and cheers;
OldSaint.
Another great cache!!
The old mine was an enjoyable saunder, finding and logging the cache at 1613hrs.
Back in to Mathina and a prolonged visit to the Country Club made for some great conversations, learning some history and finding out about an old fishing friend.
Thanks for this one. It was great!
TFTc and cheers;
OldSaint.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Even though I've spent many months working this area for some reason had not visited this historic site. Once again geocaching does the trick....lots of old remains with many tanks, water races and brick works in general. It's amazing how Mathinna is still clinging on...but expect with age it will disappear eventually.
Many thanks for another enjoiyable site Tassyexplorer...cheers.
Many thanks for another enjoiyable site Tassyexplorer...cheers.
Rated: for Overall Experience
Woo Hoo FTF @ 12.25 our 5th for the day, checked out the ruins a place we would not have visited but for the cache thanks for bringing us here and for the cache.
FTF @ 12.25 our 5th for the day, checked out the ruins a place we would not have visited but for the cache thanks for bringing us here and for the cache.