Water Race Near St Helens ?

[Mike]

This great, unused real photo postcard has written on the back 'water race near St Helens'.

Can anyone confirm this and give more details about this substantial water race. I think this is an H J King photo (Launceston).

scan0152.jpg (599.07 KiB) Viewed 2835 times

[Ross Ewington]

Lovely card Mike .... when I clicked on the link I thought I was going to see yachts on Georges Bay though!

Definitely looks like a King photo - usual nice quality. This fine rustic aqueduct may have provided water
for a tin mining operation in the area.

[Jeffharris]

This is a great postcard. As I am a local, I will find out as much as I can about the location of the Water Race. I am fairly certain it is not from the Georges River area near Goshen, as there was very little worthwhile tin out there, but west of St. Helens there were numerous mines near the small creeks. One possibility is Constable Creek, which flows briskly after heavy rain. Also, there is the much smaller Nephele Creek which runs into the Golden Fleece Rivulet and from the north side of the rivulet is Ansons Creek. By good fortune, I am having dinner with Garry Richardson tonight. He is a well known historian and photographer from St. Helens and is at present researching mining in North East Tasmania for his next book. If Mike is agreeable, I shall take a copy of this postcard with me tonight to see if Garry can identify the location of the Water Race.
It was these tin mines west of St. Helens that were resposible for the enormous damage to the Western end of Medeas Cove. The mud and silt will probably remain in there for another 100 years or more.

[Mike]

Hello Jeff

I look forward to your research.

Mike.

[Jeffharris]

Mike, I have some information on this water race, unfortunately its a fair bit of info and there is more to come from Garry Richardson. I took the photo to croquet this morning and one person looked at it and said "That is the Siamese Race and the road is Terryvale Road". She used to live at Terryvale and had seen another postcard some years ago. Terryvale Road runs south westward off the Tasman Hwy. some 10km. WNW of St. Helens.
She also stated that the Siamese Race began at the South Georges River, not far below the St. Columba Falls. At the Intake Bridge, which is at the junction of the West Pyengana Rd. and the St. Columba Falls Rd. there are the remains of the pipes and timber etc. that was used to divert some of the water into the race. I have not yet found out where the race ended, but apparently it was over 20km. in length. I presume the reason why the intake was located in that place, was because the water had just spilled down the highest waterfall in the State and would be flowing quite briskly past that point. Also, the Georges River never stops flowing. If it did, St. Helens would be without a water supply! One of the big problems for tin miners in this area was either too much water, or no water.

[Mike]

Hello Jeff

Many thanks for all of your hard work. It is much appreciated. It is always a bonus to put a name/location to a postcard which has no details on it.

I could have some other East Coast cards which might need identification. I will post them on the BB once I can find them.

Mike.

[Ross Ewington]

This map may be of assistance - St Helens is the yellow bit at far right and you can see part of "St Columba Falls" at far left.

st helens map.jpg (229.02 KiB) Viewed 2813 times

[Mike]

Nic Haygarth has just send me the following information,

The HJ King photo of bikes and men under the flume appeared Weekly Courier 28/5/1914, p.17, entitled 'A water race near St Helens'.