Historic Australia operates these historic sites, tours & experiences in Charters Towers, Queensland Australia
GOLD PASS
Get Gold Fever! Valid for 7 days the GOLD PASS provides access to two amazing gold rush heritage attractions – Gold Panning at the Miners Cottage & Venus Gold Battery Experience. The GOLD PASS discount is great for couples, families and visitors alike…
GOLD PANNING AT THE MINERS COTTAGE
Try your luck Gold Panning at the Miners Cottage! Recreate the early days of the gold-rush long ago. Established 30 years ago by retired prospector Alan Silverwood, the Miners Cottage is a “must-do” of the Towers, located right in the heart of town…
VENUS GOLD BATTERY EXPERIENCE
Visit Australia’s oldest and largest surviving gold processing mill – the 150 years old Venus Gold Battery! See how rich ore from underground mines was crushed and processed to extract the valuable gold. An amazing audio-visual experience and guided tour…
GUIDED TOWN HISTORY TOUR
Hear the fascinating story behind the town’s name, the colourful characters, streets and grand buildings including the Royal Hotel and Stock Exchange Arcade on this guided tour.
CHARTERS TOWERS GHOST WALK
Walk the spooky streets of Charters Towers after dark. Hear ghost stories of the ghost in the glass, a haunted hotel, the legendary “Tragedy on Mosman Street” and experience the eerie stock exchange after hours…
CHARTERS TOWERS CEMETERY GHOST TOUR
Visit historic Charters Towers Cemetery (Lynd Highway) at night. Hear ghost stories of a mysterious fog that chases visitors, the terrifying tale of the “stake”, legendary “Ghost of the Park Hotel”, and Australia’s last bushranger…
PRIVATE GROUP TOURS
If you have 20 or more people, we can organise a private guided History Tour for your group.
This is popular with social groups, birthday parties & senior groups.
History & Heritage
Gold in Charters Towers
Gold was discovered in Charters Towers in 1871 by an indigenous boy called Jupiter. Within a few weeks of his discovery, a new goldfield was proclaimed and large numbers of miners began to arrive.
Charters Towers was to develop at a furious rate and its boom era would endure. This was mostly to the fact that its gold was to be found in massive quartz reefs that stretched to many thousand feet underground. It therefore had greater permanence than the alluvial fields, and this would ultimately foster long-term development of the township itself.
But a reefing field meant that the mines were dependent on crushing facilities. Very quickly a collection of processing batteries (mills) sprang up around creeks that could supply sufficient water for their needs.
It is estimated that around 25 mills and 70 cyanide works were operational on the Charters Towers goldfield, processing the rich ore from the mines and creating employment for many workers.
The goldfield’s peak years continued until close to 1920, during which time almost 210 tonnes of gold would be produced by its mines.
About the Venus Gold Battery ⇩
For more than a century, the Venus Battery crushed gold bearing quartz from mines across North Queensland and is a remarkable survivor of those colonial goldrush days.
The Battery opened in July 1872, soon after gold was discovered in Charters Towers. It was built by Edmund Harris Thornburgh Plant and his associate Thomas Jackson.
It was primarily a custom mill – to be accessed by large numbers of local miners.
By 1919, most of the miners had closed in the area and the Mines Departments purchased the mill. This was to ensure that there would remain at least one operating mill for gold producing mines in North Queensland. Crushing continued until around 1980.
The Venus Battery was the third crushing battery to open in Charters Towers, and the last to close. Over that period it produced 15.5 tonnes of gold.
Extensive restoration work has been carried out. The trusteeship of the Battery was transferred to the local Council in January 2003 as part of the development of the Ghosts of Gold Heritage Trail.
The Battery is fully heritage listed. It is an icon of national cultural significance and a tour through its workings is a must-do for those visiting the Charters Towers region.
