Before the huge Hydro dams flooded the Forth River valley in the early 1970s, it consisted of deep gorges and long gullies. So when Henry Hellyer was asked to survey his VDL Co track to the NW coast in 1827, the only place he could find to ford the Forth River was at the place we now call Lorinna. At Lorinna there were a few hundred acres of undulating river flats that allowed Hellyer to cross the 40-yard-wide river, then continue his VDL Co track up the ‘Five Mile Rise’ – a very rugged and steep climb from the Forth River (elevation 650ft) up onto the Middlesex Plains (elevation 2000ft) where Field Bros were later granted a massive 10,000-acre cattle run.
For decades, the only way Field Bros had to cross this broad river with cattle, carts, horses and stockmen was to wade across a bed of slippery shingle or to swim. In dry seasons, the river was 2–3ft deep, but frequently after rain, the river rose, leaving no option but to camp and wait – sometimes for weeks – until the water level receded. At some point, Field Bros stretched a wire cable across the river and anchored it to sturdy trees on either side. From the cable, they suspended a small cage called a ‘flying fox’. Travellers climbed into the cage with their swags and pulled ropes attached to pulleys to make the crossing. This wire crossing was still in use and in a neglected and dangerous state when the Lorinna–Middlesex gold mining boom began about 1887. This boom followed Wm Aylett’s significant gold discovery at the summit of the Five Mile Rise, which led to the formation of the Great Caledonian Gold Mining Co. Before long, over 100 men were prospecting in the vicinity of the Five Mile Rise, with their number increasing daily. In several places, mines were established and milling plants ordered before proper assessment work had determined the real value of the claims. What many miners had to find out the hard and costly way was that while there were payable minerals lying on the surface, there was very little gold in the hard rock below.
Beginnings of Lorinna
In Sep 1890, Thomas J Clerke, Irish-American owner of a large general store in Sheffield, gained the contract for a weekly mail service out to this new mining district, so he built a small store on the western side of the Forth River crossing, stocking general provisions for miners including tents and mining tools. It was run by his brother-in-law Ed (Ted) Best and opened two days a week from Thursday night to Saturday morning. Clerke advertised it as his ‘Post Office store, Middlesex’, not to be confused with the ‘Post Office Tree’ that opened some years later up on the Cradle Mountain Rd. Because this Forth River crossing was the gateway to Middlesex station, this original settlement on the western bank became known as Middlesex.
Each week, a youth riding his pony arrived Thursday evenings with the mail from Sheffield, and at Saturday lunchtime he left to return to Sheffield with the outgoing mail, aiming to catch the last mailcoach leaving for Latrobe. Once a fortnight, Thomas Clerke had Job Nibbs drive a bullock dray full of supplies back to his Middlesex shop. It was a two-day journey. In Feb 1891, Thomas Shepherd opened a butcher’s shop there as well. He didn’t take orders but each week delivered a week’s supply of fresh meat to each mining site. After living off ham, the miners loved the change.
In 1891, the construction of a substantial wooden bridge across the Forth River, costing £700, began. The successful contractor was Charles Coleman of Sheffield, who, at times, had 20 men on the job. Pile driving was done under the supervision of Government Bridge Inspector Frank Groome. This 20-foot-high bridge was 72 yards long with three log pylons supporting four spans made up of long logs. At same time, Government Surveyor Chalmers began laying out a township, covering 300 acres of land on both sides of the River Forth. In May 1891, this new township was given the name ‘Lorinna’, and 44 blocks were put up for sale. Stone and Wilton considered erecting a miner’s hotel, but it never eventuated. The bridge was completed in Sept 1892 when the decking was tarred, and road contractor Walter Butler joined the rough Sheffield–Lorinna track to the eastern end of the bridge. What a boon for all travellers, horsemen, carts, drays and wagons and Field Bros’ cattle drovers. Clerke’s postal contract to Lorinna ended Dec 1909 and was taken over by Alex Sloane between 1910 and 1921. The bridge was replaced a couple of times but is now covered by Lake Cethana with the two sides of the Forth River once again completely separated from each other.
The Campbells’ Reward Gold Mining Co 1882–1891
Most mines were on the Middlesex side of the Forth River, but before we go there, we need to look at the only significant mine on its eastern side, discovered by two great prospectors, Alexander & Malcolm Campbell, four miles north of Lorinna. Alexander Campbell never married, but in 1880 Malcolm Campbell had married Margaret Johnson, daughter of JG (One Arm Jack) Johnson of Sheffield. They were the sons of Angus Campbell, an engineer at the Mersey sawmill, near Don, who became almost as keen on prospecting as his sons. In May 1882, they took three pickle jars of gold specks to Launceston, then applied for four 10-acre leases in the names of their father Angus, Alexander & Malcolm Campbell and brother-in-law Wm Clark, who had married their older sister Mary.
They formed a small company, Campbells’ Gold Mining Co, in 1883, But their capital was too limited, and after spending £800, they were forced to suspend operations because of rising floodwater covering their leases. Taking advantage of an exceptionally dry season in Aug 1886, Malcolm Campbell returned to his old site and resumed prospecting. Just north of his old workings, he came across a gold lode that appeared to have excellent prospects for profitable mining. In Feb 1889, Campbells’ Reward Gold Mining Co was formed. Out of 150 shareholders, those from Sheffield and Railton included Elvin Atkinson 40; Joseph Acklin 40; Louisa Allen 40; Edward Best 40; Malcolm Campbell 4,080; Angus Campbell 800; Charles Coleman 40; James East 40; Thomas Glover 5,280; Stephen Hocking 40; Thomas Johnson, jnr 40; James Manning 160; Robert Manning 820; Sarah O’Garey 240; George Padman 80; Edward Rees 40; Edis Sharman 40; Henry Weeks 120; and Harry Winter 40.
Things looked so promising, they purchased crushing machinery. In June 1890, the Campbell brothers decided to leave all mining operations to their manager and returned to their first love – prospecting. In Feb 1891, Fred Glover took over as tunnel contractor, but the deeper they dug, the greater their disappointment. After the spending a considerable sum of money with diminishing results, they were forced to abandon the mine. In 1909, when the first proper road was constructed from Cethana to Lorinna, around the edge of the Forth gully with its 100 hair-pin bends, it passed right through the abandoned site of the old Campbells’ Reward Mine.
Up the Five Mile Rise
Between 1888–1891, several gold strikes up the ‘Five Mile Rise’ brought hundreds of prospectors and miners flocking to the district – the Campbell brothers being among the most successful. The rich surface finds raised hopes that ‘the Rise’ would become an important source of gold. But those in charge of mining operations consistently had their hopes dashed when, invariably, the gold seam disappeared just a few feet below the surface. Of the many claims up ‘the Rise’, here are the main ones that were initially mined but closed within a few years.
Golden Hill Mine, 1889: This strike was in a rather pretty gully on the first slopes of the Five Mile Rise, about a mile from the Lorinna bridge. A shaft had been sunk in which gold-bearing pyrite was found. Our Sheffield storekeeper and mail contractor Thomas J Clerke became intensely interested and displayed samples in his shop window. He formed a small company called The Australasian Gold Mining Co in Jan 1891 and spent £2000 employing miners and installing machinery. Sheffield/Railton shareholders included James Butt 2; Edward Best 3; Wm Bound 2; Chas Coleman 2; John Davis 23; James East 5; John Glover 4; John Hutton 3; JG Johnson 171; Thos Johnson 108; Lewis Johnson 139; Thos L Johnson 93 Mary Johnson 100; Edward Knowles 12; Stephen Kelcey 302; Fred Maddox 2; Richard Murfet 2; Geo Morse 3; Henry Overton 1, Geo Padman 9; Ed Rees 28; Geo Sellers 23; James Sellers 15; Ed Strawberry 88; Wm Walker 182, and Thomas J Clerke 257. But like so many other mining companies, they were caught in the Aug 1891 financial crash of the VDL Bank. Over the next 20 years, others had varying success in trying to reopen the mine.
Golden Cliff Mine, 1889 discovered by Joby Thomas ½ mile SW of the Lorinna bridge.
Golden Gully, 1890 discovered by Fred Hedditch, who worked it with W Dooley.
Thistle Mine/Golden Bar, 1889: discovered by Alex and Malcolm Campbell, located ¾ mile SW of the Lorinna bridge. Their gold specimens were sufficient to try testing at a greater depth, but gold was only found within four feet of the surface. Below that was far more galena, which became a better proposition to mine. In 1910, George Day and James Crossley became co-owners of the Thistle mine, producing galena and small amounts of gold. In 1916, George Day gave up farming at Lorinna to concentrate on mining and employed several men working two shifts a day. George retired in 1920 and returned to live in West Kentish.
Union Mine, 1890 discovered by the Campbell brothers in an adjoining valley. It yielded some of the best samples they ever found, but after sinking a shaft 105ft deep, they had little success. In 1917, the mine was worked by E C James, and later by George Sloane and party.
Glynn Mine, 1896 discovered by Jimmy Glynn about three miles up ‘the Rise’. During 6 months in 1898, it produced 36 oz of gold, and he attempted to float a Launceston-based company. In 1918, Glynn, a bachelor was found dead from drink and exposure.
The Great Caledonian Mine 1887
At the top of the ‘Five Mile Rise’, James Aylett (18) made the first gold discovery in July 1887, which sparked the Lorinna gold rush. Aylett’s party from Chudleigh & Henry Weeks’s syndicate came together to form the Great Caledonian Gold Mining Co in Feb 1889, with George Rudge (Latrobe) as manager. Sheffield/Railton shareholders included A Hammond 146; F Stevens 196; Henry Weeks 130; Robert Manning 100; G Johnson 75; Ed Anderson 66; John Allen,105; Thos Shepherd 46; Wm Walker 42; John Davies 25; JG Johnson 25; Harry Winter 16; John Manning 7; James East 3; W Moffit 1; and Thomas Johnson 1.
In Jan 1890, wealthy grazier William Gibson Jnr of Scone (later Eskleigh), near Perth, visited the mine and was so impressed that he purchased half the company. Because the gold veins were extraordinarily rich near the surface, sufficient investigation work at a deeper level was not carried out. Within a month, they had ordered 30 tons of heavy machinery, including a 25hp stationery steam engine, a 15-head battery and a huge 10-ton boiler for their mine, and employed George Brown to clear the mining site.
Mammoth Machinery Haul: In May 1890, this heavy equipment was railed from Launceston to Railton. The only way of getting it to the Great Caledonian mine was to use bullocks to haul it up over Mt Claude (3,393ft), around Oliver’s Hill and down across the unbridged Forth River at Lorinna, then up to the top of the incredibly steep ‘Five Mile Rise’, where some gradients were 1 in 5. Charles Coleman of Sheffield gained the contract for this mammoth task for £7 per ton. It required 36 bullocks in teams of six bullocks, each pulling several tons for much of the way. But when crossing over Mt Claude and up ‘the Rise’, each single load required all 36 bullocks pulling together. The Kentish Plains Road overseer, Walter Butler, had a team of roadmen precede the bullocks and wagons to clear the track. It took just seven months from the time the wagons left Railton until they reached the Great Caledonian mining site at Middlesex. Leaving Railton on May 12, they passed through Sheffield on May 16, reached the Dasher River May 17, the top of Mt Claude May 28, arrived at the Forth River crossing on Jun 13. Schoolchildren along the route were told to stay home and watch this once-in-a-lifetime event pass their homesteads. Arriving at the Forth River in the middle of winter, there was a four-month delay waiting for the river to drop and heavy mooring ropes to arrive from Melbourne to enable the loaded wagons to be winched to trees going up ‘the Rise’. Unfortunately, all this effort was unwarranted, for the installed machinery had hardly steamed up before the Bank of VDL crashed in Aug 1891, bringing this and most other mining ventures to a standstill.
Although vast amounts of money were spent by many miners and small companies, none of them produced satisfactory financial results. By the late 1890s, the Lorinna–Middlesex gold mining field was almost abandoned, although scores of hopeful prospectors continued to work the district for decades.