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The Bendigo Underground Miner Print Page Print this page

26-March-2015
26-March-2015

Photographs supplied by Sandra Brown
The monument commemorates Bendigo's underground mining and acknowledges the contribution of miners who lost their lives in the industry to accident and industrial disease.

The discovery of alluvial gold by Mrs Margaret Kennedy in the Bendigo Creek in 1851 soon saw the word 'Gold' become synonymous with Bendigo. During Christmas in 1851 there were 800 people on the Bendigo field, by the following June 20,000 diggers had arrived. The diggers travelled from all over the world and risked everything to make a living (and, if they were lucky, a fortune) from gold mining in Bendigo.

Margaret Kennedy's discovery sparked a gold rush that would leave Bendigo with a history of being one of the richest producers of gold in the world, yielding over 700,000kg between 1851-1954 (which would be worth about $30 billion in today's prices). Bendigo was literally built on gold and is still known today as 'Dai Gum San' or 'Big Gold Mountain' by the Chinese.

Location

Address:Eaglehawk Road & Jackson Street, Long Gully , 3550
State:VIC
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -36.742743
Long: 144.258189
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
View Google Map

Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Technology
Sub-Theme:Industry
Designer:H. Osborne

Dedication

Approx. Monument Dedication Date:2003
Front Inscription

The Bendigo Underground Miner 
To acknowledge the contribution of the many hundreds of miners who lost their lives in the industry through accident and industrial disease. 

No dividends they had to prize,
With sweat and pain they gave their lives. 
Many were Cornishmen and their descendants
     
The Cornish Association of Bendigo & District 
2003
George A Ellis President   Robert Lloyd Treasurer  
George Ellis Secretary 

Plaque :

Erected in appreciation of Bendigo`s Underground Mining 

The economy it created changed Bendigo from a mining town to a beautiful city. Gold was discovered in Bendigo in 1851. 
Despite years of inactivity it was still Australia's richest goldfield the 1970`s. In 2003 it is still rated No. 2 in Australia and No. 7 in the world. Long Gully and St. Just's Point residents played an important role in this achievement. 

Sponsored by Long Gully History Group
Cornish Association of Bendigo & District
George Flack Retireinvest
Designed by H Osborne   Steelwork by E Hocking & Bendigo T.A.F.E. 

 

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au