

Price range
$10 per person
165 Main Road
Walhalla Victoria 3825

Come and learn about the history of the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine in Walhalla, an original living historic gold mining town. Explore deep underground and discover what life was like for the miners, and how they extracted over 13 tons of gold from up to 1km underground. Underground daily tours of this historic site are operated by the Walhalla Board of Management Incorporated on behalf of the people of Victoria. The tour takes visitors 300m into the huge underground machinery chamber hewn from solid rock over a century ago. Old mining methods are discussed and a large outcrop of the famous Cohens Line of Reef can be seen from inside the mine. Each tour is conducted by a Mine Guide who is familiar with the Mine's history and the history of Walhalla. Tours are informative as well as entertaining. Tours are limited to 30 people. If there are more people than can be accommodated on one tour, additional tours will be conducted. The Mine is well lit and ventilated – the tour doesn’t enter confined spaces and the whole tour is conducted on flat walking. The tour is accessible by wheelchair and children’s pushers. Tours last for 45-50 minutes.

The Mine Manager, Geoff Anderson, conducts technical tours of the Mine by arrangement. Geoff is an experienced Mining Engineer, having worked first as a miner in the deep gold mines of Kalgoorlie and in the tin mines on the west coast of Tasmania – and later as an engineer in most countries of South-east Asia. The tour lasts a little under two hours, with the group size limited to 10. Overhand backfilled stope mining methods used in deep quartz reef mines will be explained, with discussion on how these methods have developed into the 21st Century. The group will also learn how the mine was ventilated, kept dry, and lit. Haulage methods in the Long Tunnel Extended Mine, and its neighbour the Long Tunnel Mine, were unique and arrangements for vertical and horizontal haulage will be explained. After the tour, the group will enjoy tea or coffee while viewing plans of the Mine’s 8½km of underground workings. The tour costs $50 per person. Must be pre-booked. Bookings by or telephone. Students and academic staff of recognised engineering faculties will be charged $25 each with one staff member admitted free of charge with every nine students.

Designed especially for photographers, this 90-minute tour allows you to enjoy using your camera skills in a truly unique underground space. The tour runs for double the normal time and accesses spaces the public tour doesn't go. Bring your own camera.