Crisp frost gave way to steaming fog on a typically cold, clear Strathbogie winter’s morning. After meeting on Tames Rd to consolidate vehicles, the expedition of brave walkers threaded it’s way into the Strathbogie forest, up Tallangalook Road and to Cocker’s (Hell Hole) sluice. A car was left before another short sojourn into the mine area and home of the former township of Tallangalook. Much has been written on the history of this area, with gold reportedly having first been discovered in the invitingly names Hell Hole Creek in 1851. Amazingly, after 175 years, the site was still being core sampled by gold miners on the day we were exploring.
Evidence of mining activities were everywhere once you started looking. An old stone cellar, non-native trees, overburden piles and pieces of tram track were all clues to the old township of 200 odd people at its peak. Ventilation and mineshafts dot the landscape, with some extremely deep holes cordoned with nothing more than some rust barbed wire and a rusty star picket or two. Huge holes with vertical rock faces are concentrated around the old township, evidence of the massive hydraulic sluicing operations that took place over 100 years ago. Local kids were paid to get up at 4am to switch on the water supply from nearby Brankeet Creek, which ran through a series of channels carved into rocks. Once the water lazily travelled the 3 or so kilometres to the mine site, it was time to start mining.
After a brief poke around the sluices, we headed down the weather-beaten track to the Hell Hole Creek crossing, the site of the old 4-head mining battery that crushed the larger pieces to dust so gold could be extracted (apparently using a cyanide solution). This track would be a major struggle in all but the most heavily modified 4×4’s, but doable by competent dirt bike riders (of whom many were sighted on the day). The Hell Hole Creek crossing is a cold, shaded place in winter, so it was decided to push through and walk up to Golden Mountain Track and back to Cocker’s Sluice for a well deserved lunch.
Thanks to all of those who came and those who helped with the car shuffle. If you have any information or stories about this area, please feel free to send them through to admin@strathbogieranges.org.
