Harrietville Chinese Mining Village

Location: Harrietville VIC 3741, Australia

Season: November 12, 2024 to December 6, 2024

Session Dates: Each week will be a 5-day program: • Week 1 - Tuesday 12 November to Saturday 16 November 2024 • Week 2 - Monday 18 November to Friday 22 November 2024 • Week 3 - Monday 25 November to Friday 29 November 2024 • Week 4 - Monday 2 December to Friday 6 December 2024

Deadline Type: Contact for Details

Website: https://www.uncoveredpast.org.au/

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
No

Project Director:
John Chadderton

Project Description:

Join us to discover more about the Chinese miners who once lived and worked in the 19th century Harrietville Chinese Mining Village. For around fifty years from the early 1860s Harrietville was home to many of the thousands of Victoria’s Chinese gold miners. This will be the fifth season of archaeological excavation at the Chinese Mining Village, following on from the previous four seasons in October 2017, October 2019, October 2022 and January-February 2024. The largely undisturbed site includes mine workings, water races, building foundations, and gardens: a rare survivor of the heyday of Chinese gold mining in Victoria. The foundations of at least 19 buildings were discovered during a survey undertaken during Season One fieldwork in 2017. Huge quantities of food, liquor, medicines, utensils, ceramics and even coins were imported from China for the Chinese mining communities. Many fragments of these were discovered during the earlier excavation seasons, along with fragments of European tableware ceramics and glass bottles. Season Five research objectives will be to undertake more intensive excavations on hut site WC1, in order to determine its size, footprint and how it was constructed; and also to gain a greater understanding of the lifestyle of the Chinese miners.

Location

In the Alpine National Park, in the Upper Ovens Valley, in northeast Victoria, Australia, near the town of Harrietville.

Period(s) of Occupation: 19th Century

Project Size: 25-49 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: 5 Days

Minimum Age: 18

Experience Required: No

Room and Board Arrangements:
Not included but have options for low cost share accommodation

Academic Credit:
Please contact us