{{short description|Historical water wheel in Victoria, Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox historic site | name = Garfield water wheel | image = Garfield water wheel (State Library of Victoria IE1864826).jpg | caption = Garfield water wheel and stamper battery<br/>{{small|(Source: [[State Library of Victoria]])}}<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=State Library Victoria - Viewer - Goldfield Gold Mine near Chewton |url=https://viewer.slv.vic.gov.au/ |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=State Library Victoria}}</ref> | locmapin = Victoria | map_caption = Location in [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]] | mapframe = yes | coordinates = {{Coord|37|04|20|S|144|15|34|E|display=it|region:AU-VIC_type:landmark}} | map_relief = yes | location = {{VICcity|Chewton}}, in the [[North Central Victoria|North Central]] region of [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]], Australia | area = | elevation = | height = | beginning_label = Design period | beginning_date = | formed = | founded = | built = 1887 | built_for = Coliban Water Supply Scheme | demolished = {{circa|1904}} | architect = | architecture = | owner = | designation1 = VHR | designation1_offname = {{Title case|GARFIELD WATERWHEEL QUARTZ GOLD MINING SITE}} | designation1_type = Registered place | designation1_date = 20 August 1982 | delisted1_date = | designation1_partof = | designation1_number = H1356 | designation1_free1name = Type | designation1_free1value = | designation1_free2name = Category | designation1_free2value = Mining and Mineral Processing | designation1_free3name = Builders | designation1_free3value = }}
The '''Garfield water wheel''', sometimes referred to as the '''Forest Creek Mine water wheel''', was a large [[water wheel]] used to power a [[Stamp mill|stamper battery]] at a gold mine near {{VICcity|Chewton}}, in the [[North Central Victoria|North Central]] region of [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]], Australia. Constructed in 1887, the water wheel was used until 1903 and then was dismantled in 1904.
Some remnants at its location were added to the [[Victorian Heritage Register]] on 20 August 1982.<ref>{{cite VHD|5254|{{Title case|GARFIELD WATERWHEEL QUARTZ GOLD MINING SITE}}|hr=1356|ho=703|access-date=2026-05-20 }}</ref>
== History == There was insufficient water in local streams to power a water wheel. The Garfield mine and others in the area originally relied upon steam engines to power their stamper mills. It was not until the construction of the Coliban System of Waterworks (now [[Coliban Water]]) that the gold mining areas had a reliable source of water, diverted from the [[Coliban River]], for both domestic and mining purposes. Eventually, at least seven water wheels were built and operated in the Castlemaine-Chewton area.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Davies |first1=Peter |last2=Lawrence |first2=Susan |date=2013 |title=The Garfield water wheel: hydraulic power on the Victorian goldfields |url=https://www.asha.org.au/pdf/australasian_historical_archaeology/31_04_Davies_and_Lawrence.pdf |journal=Australasian Historical Archaeology |volume=31 |pages=25–32}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Garfield Wheel and Northern Castlemaine Diggings |url=http://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/castlemaine-diggings-national-heritage-park/attractions/garfield-wheel-and-northern-castlemaine-diggings |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=www.parks.vic.gov.au |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Joseph Brady's Coliban System of Water Works, an historical guide |url=https://coliban.com.au/files/2019-06/CW_JBrady_collated-Web.pdf |website=Coliban Water}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Friends of Mount Alexander Diggings, Garfield Waterwheel |url=https://www.fomad.org.au/garfield-wheel.html |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=www.fomad.org.au}}</ref>
Constructed in 1887, the Garfield water wheel was used until 1903 then was dismantled in 1904.<ref name=":1" />
== Technology == Water flow to the Garfield wheel was via a {{convert|786|ft|m|order=flip|adj=mid|-long}} elevated [[flume]]—{{convert|15|in|cm|order=flip}} wide by {{convert|10|in|cm|order=flip}} deep and mounted on a timber [[Trestle support|trestle structure]]—which connected to a branch race of the water supply near the top of an adjacent hill. The flow to the wheel itself was controlled by an arrangement of levers. The tail water from the Garfield wheel powered another water wheel{{spaced endash}}{{convert|40|ft|m|order=flip}} in diameter{{spaced endash}}belonging to the Manchester mine, approximately {{convert|400|m}} away.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=1887-04-22 |title=Immense Water Wheel at Chewton. |pages=1 |work=Kerang Times and Swan Hill Gazette |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65599606 |access-date=2022-09-04 |via=Trove. [[National Library of Australia]] }}</ref>
The wheel was stopped, when required, by diverting the water, from the overhead flume directly to the [[Mill race|tail race]], via a vertical bypass chute that allowed the downstream water wheel to continue working. The wheel was started, by feeding water so as to fill buckets part way up the wheel; once motion was achieved, the water flow was applied to the upper buckets and the wheel could then be run at up to its full power.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" />
The [[Water wheel#Backshot wheel|backshot water wheel]]<ref name=":2" /> was {{convert|72|ft|m|order=flip}} in diameter, and {{convert|2|ft|1|in|cm|0|order=flip}} wide. The spokes of the wheel were made of wood, and its structure was strengthened by circular iron bands. It carried 220 [[galvanised iron]] buckets of {{convert|5|impgal|l|order=flip}} capacity each. At a flow rate of approximately {{convert|6000|l|impgal}}s per minute, the huge waterwheel was capable of {{cvt|27|hp|kW|0|order=flip}}. The wheel rotated once every 45 to 55 seconds, corresponding to 1.33 to 1.09 [[Revolutions per minute|rpm]]. Power was transferred via an iron gear wheel, mounted on the wheel at about two-thirds of the distance between its centre and rim. That arrangement reduced the torque applied to the axle of the water wheel, allowing the wheel to be of lighter construction than if power was transferred via its axle. Cogs on the gear wheel engaged with a [[pinion]], which in turn drove a power transfer shaft, at a far higher rotational speed than that of the water wheel. The transfer shaft powered a 15-head stamper battery—probably later extended to 25 heads—via an arrangement of [[Pulley#Belt and pulley systems|pulleys]] and [[Belt (mechanical)|flat belts]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5">{{Citation |last=denisbin |title=Chewton. The ruins of the Garfield Gold Mine Waterwheel. A 72-foot diameter waterwheel turned on an axle on this stone structure to power the ore crusher. |date=2016-03-12 |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/82134796@N03/25842466216/ |access-date=2022-09-04}}</ref> The battery ran at 78 to 86 falls per minute;<ref name=":1" /> there being typically two cam arms per stamper head, the shaft of the battery probably ran at 39 to 43 rpm.
== Remnants == The stonework supports of the water wheel and the water races remain at the site, which is now part of the [[Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welsh Village Maps |url=https://ccmaps.au/welsh_village/welsh_village.htm |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=ccmaps.au}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Garfield Water wheel (Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park) |url=http://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/sites/garfield-water-wheel |access-date=2022-09-08 |website=www.parks.vic.gov.au |language=en}}</ref> The Garfield ruins are the best preserved of at least seven water wheels that once operated in the [[Castlemaine, Victoria|Castlemaine]]-Chewton area and powered stamper batteries.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":5" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.fomad.org.au/downloads/Garfield_waterwheel.pdf Friends of Mount Alexander Diggings - Garfield Water Wheel]
{{Waterways of the North-Central catchment|state=collapsed}}
[[Category:1887 establishments in Australia]] [[Category:North-Central catchment]] [[Category:Mount Alexander Shire]] [[Category:Victorian Heritage Register Loddon Mallee (region)]] [[Category:Water wheels in Australia]]