Herons Reef
A fascinating network of 19th century alluvial and quartz reef mining relics.
| Access: By car to site. Guided tours only. Booking essential at Information Centre | Period: 1850s-1930s |
| Time: Allow 1-3 hours | Stories: 19th century mining |
In 1855, a nugget shaped like a `large damper' was unearthed in Golden Gully here.
The Herons nugget weighed 1,008 ounces, and was the largest ever found on the Mount Alexander Diggings. The discoverers named the nugget after a popular Mount Alexander gold commissioner, Mr Heron, and then sailed with it to England ‘to show folks back home what could be found on the Victorian goldfields'.
The Herons Reef Diggings contains extensive relics of 19th century mining.