MINER WIDOWS MEMORIAL
LOCATION:
At the Hustlers Reef Gold Mining Reserve you will find a "Miner Widows Memorial" which is a stone monument with a plaque dedicated to women who lost husbands in the local mining industry. The plaque reads "Erected to acknowledge the contribution to Bendigo by the 100's of widows who lost their husbands through mining accidents and miners phthisis while working in an industry that changed Bendigo from a mining town to a beautiful city. Left without any means of support for themselves or their children, they were responsible for bringing up many first class citizens. Many of the above had a Cornish heritage and many were residents of Long Gully."
Hustlers Reef Gold Mining Reserve has a walking track with information signs where you can learn about the history of one of Bendigo's richest underground mines, The Great Extended Hustlers Mine, and also the site of the town's worst mining accident.
The 1914 mine disaster saw seven miners killed in an explosion 321 metres below the surface.
HUSTLERS REEF GOLD MINING HERITAGE WALK
During the gold rush, this site was one of Bendigo's richest underground mines. It was named after Thomas Hustler, who bought the mining lease in 1854. It was here that Hustler experimented with ways to improve the quartz crushing process and invented and patented a unique quartz crushing machine.
Despite his best efforts, wealth and status did not come to Hustler. He died destitute in 1861 and was buried in an unmarked grave in Bendigo Cemetery.
The lure of gold drew many people from across the world who came here seeking their fortune, from the African Americans who originally mined the site to the Chinese who sifted through the 'tailings', or mining waste, to find residual gold.
Working in the mines was a dangerous job and Hustlers Reef was the site of Bendigo's worst mine disaster. In May 1914 an underground mine explosion killed seven miners, leaving behind heartbroken widows and children.
Many miners lived close by and Hustlers Hill grew into a community that, over the years, established many community and sporting associations and clubs, including Violet Street primary School and the North Bendigo Cricket, Athletics and Football Clubs. Today, this community continues to care for the reserve at the heart of their neighbourhood.
You can explore this site and read more about its history by following the signs ahead. This signage project has been funded by the Local History Grants Program. The City of Greater Bendigo gratefully acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government, Public Records Office of Victoria and the Hustlers Reef Reserve Advisory Committee for making this project possible.
THE CACHE
You are looking for a micro container with only enough room for a log. As this is a residential area, please use stealth and replace the cache as found.