WHEN YOU PUT IT BACK, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT CACHE IS NOT VISIBLE!
Regular size cache, with some items for swaps. Suitable for travel bugs.
An interesting heritage area, which contains the remants of Victoria Battery, that operated from 1897 to 1954.
Named after Queen Victoria in her 60th jubilee year, the Battery had 200 stampers-the largest number at one time of any similar site in the world crushing on an average of 800 tonnes of ore per day – six days a week.
The Waihi Goldmining Company built their Battery at Waikino where ample water was available. Ore was transported by rail on the company’s unique two foot nine gauge “Rake” line from the Martha Mine in Waihi six miles (8 kms) eastwards. Drawn by one of the company’s six Engliah-built steam locomotives, 40 skip wagons each loaded with one tonne of quartz ore were hauled to the Battery site. Normally there were 14 trains daily. Up until 1901 the ore was first tipped into large brick-lined ore roasting kilns constructed in the highest point of the Battery site. Alternative layers of 50 tonnes of native timber and ore were stacked into the eight kilns and burnt for a few days, The ore and ash were raked from chutes below into skip ore wagons These wagons were winched through the 200 metre U shaped tunnel and the ore transported on to the crushers, stampers, tube mills and agitation tanks for cyanide treatment, etc. After being through numerous processes the precipitate on zinc filings was returned to the company’s refinery at Waihi for further treatment resulting in valuable gold & silver bars being poured.
After 1901 the kilns became redundant due to the huge consumption of timber (5 hectares every 2 days) and a wet crushing process was introduced Today the kilns, concrete foundations, steel relics and the Transformer (Sub Station) House are all that remain on this once huge industrial site.
The battery site is free to explore, however, there are some attractions onsite that you can experience for a small charge, including underground tours, a mueseum, and tramway rides. These attractions are open on Wednesdays, Sundays and Public Holidays, from 10am - 3pm.
Reference
VTBS. (2013). Victoria Battery Tramway and Museum. Retrieved September 29, from http://www.vbts.org.nz/