Peak Hill Open Cut Experience

Peak Hill Mine


Useful Information

Location: Peak Hill. East of the Newell Highway, turn off at the Post Office.
Open: MAR to OCT school holidays and long weekends 10-16.
For groups of ten after appointment.
[2007]
Fee: Adults AUD 5, Children (5-15) AUD 4, Children (0-4) free, Seniors AUD 4, Students AUD 4, Family (2+n) AUD 15.
Guided Tour: Adults AUD 10, Children (5-15) AUD 8, Children (0-4) free, Seniors AUD 8, Students AUD 8.
[2007]
Classification: MineGold Mine
Light: n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours: self guided. D=1.5.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address: Parkes Visitor Information Centre, Tel: +61-2-6863-8860, Fax: +61-2-6862-1023. E-mail: contact
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1893 start of gold mining.
1917 end of gold mining.
1996 mine reactivated by Alkane mining.
2002 mine finally closed.
2002 developed as a Tourist Mine by Alkane.
2007 taken over by Parkes Shire Council.

Geology


Description

Peak Hill Open Cut Experience is a tourist mine, which has five huge open casts as its main feature. Gold was mined here for almost 25 years around the turn of the 20th century. The mining was the trigger for the small mining village Peak Hill, home to the 350 miners. The production during these years was 60,000 ounces of gold from 500,000 tonnes of rock.

But the mining did not end at this point, the mine was reactivated in 1996 by Alkane. This time 145,000 ounces of gold were produced from 4.9 million tonnes during six years of operation. It is obvious that this is a much lower content of gold, the mining was only profitable with the more effective modern mining technologies. The open cast mining with dynamite was continued until the water table was reached, which is about 100 m deep in the largest pit.

The modern mining consumed most of the old mining traces. But some old workings were preserved and are now part of the Open Cut Experience. This is primarily a number of walking trails with viewing areas over five open cuts. There is a bridge over historic mine workings and the opportunity to pan for gold. The walk is self-guided, but equipped with information panels.

The Mining Trail is actually a self-drive tourist route which leads visitors with their own car to various mining related sites. There are signs along the trail and a funding by Parkes Shire Council will soon allow the creation of a website and a smartphone app.