Porcupine Flat Dredge

Porcupine Flat Dredge. . , This bucket dredge was operated here by George Heywood, Eric Baumann and others, for about 30 years, until it was abandoned in 1984. It was one of the last dredges operated in Victoria., It is a relatively small bucket dredge, but is one of few to have survived more or less intact. The crane nearby cleared trees in the dredge’s path., Since the 1930s, electric power had allowed the construction of very large dredges, some employing up to 60 workers., Dredging for gold dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, but for environmental reasons it is no longer practiced. , On the Diggings Trail , This is one of 30 sites on the Mount Alexander Diggings Trail., With the trail guidebook you can find your way to historic places around Maldon and Castlemaine, and discover stories from the great Mount Alexander Gold Rush of 1851., Then follow the story through the years. , Start on the trail at the Visitor Information Centres in Maldon or Castlemaine.