Good Hope Creek / Battery Trip 18 March 2007

Massive Water Damage to Historic Site within the Grant Historic Area

by   Peter Ward

Following the re-opening of many tracks within the Grant Historic Area, Rob Christie recently led a small party of “The Friends of Grant” into the Good Hope Mine Battery site by a route that has not been available to walkers in recent memory. As the country had been totally burned by the recent fires, the party walked up the Good Hope Creek from the Crooked River Road to the Good Hope Battery site. This site, dating from the 1860’s contained well preserved examples of early battery machinery, and  is normally reached by a tortuous path down from Summerhill,  a now barren settlement situated high above the Bull Town Spur turnoff on McMillan’s Road.

Access along the valley had previously been totally impossible because of thick scrub and blackberries, but now with a clear floor, it was possible to pick an easy path through the endless piles of tailings from early sluicing operations.  It was a gentle and relaxing walk despite no defined track being evident and with little discomfort from the slow 280m vertical rise to the site.  Several hut sites testified to early habitation in this remote valley. The valley pinched at a beautiful rock wall about 7m high with a trickle of clear drinkable water flowing down its face. Some members climbed the wall, and some used a well-defined track on the western slope, 15 m above the valley.

As the party moved the last 100m to the battery all had great expectation of seeing more of the machinery than ever before, now cleared by fire. Instead, a scene of devastation was revealed. An immense downpour had dislodged a wall of mud and debris from above the site, and much of the machinery lay buried in a rapidly setting mixture of stone and mud. Instead of a site where machinery “in situ” could be studied and marvelled at, most was now buried in mud with only small portions visible, making it impossible for anyone unfamiliar with the site to understand the relationship of the items.

A short walk along the closed track into Black Snake Creek nearby revealed similar storm damage, with the amazing sight of many hundreds of tonnes of clean washed rock covering the access road. The damage appears severe and localised, as if the eye of a storm moved across the area, and is an immense disappointment to those promoting the history contained within the Grant Historic Area.

Those wishing to see this valley should waste no time, as the re-growth of blackberries has started, and within a year, perhaps sooner, Good Hope Creek will again be impassable