Wednesday 29 October, 2025
Photos courtesy of Steve and Donna G. Walk Report by Donna G.
Five participants set out for Kelly’s Mine on what can only be described as a perfect day for hiking. Kelly’s Mine has been a long standing favourite walk of the BBBW Club for many years. There are lots of remnants in the immediate area near the main shaft, although a progression of nature is slowly reclaiming the area.
Kellys Mine is one of a number of mines that were established in a 25 acre area of Bimbimbie in the 1890’s in the quest for gold. The mine was established on a series of narrow, high grade quartz-sulphide veins with up to 12 parallel reefs stretching for almost two kilometres. A 900 foot tunnel was constructed with a maximum depth of 350 feet. The evidence of this is very apparent with massive mullock heaps throughout the area. Officially, the mine produced about 5000 tons of ore yielding almost 200 kilograms of gold!
In the 1980’s a 33 metre long adit was re-established to access and sample the mineralised vein system. The sample results revealed grades of up to 16.9 ounces per ton however there are no reports of activity since. Subsequently, the main shaft and all associated secondary openings have since been covered with bars to allow Eastern Bentwing bats to enter and leave the tunnels as desired.
Funnily enough, when I led this walk last year much of the tracks were overgrown around the mine. As it’s become drier quite a bit of vegetation has thinned out and died. Also, horse riders have done a great job in clearing the tracks as well so hopefully we can still access this interesting area for many more years to come.
All in all everyone enjoyed the walk and it was a pleasure to be able to show four members a really interesting area that all of them had never seen before.