Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park

The Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park covers approximately 7,500 ha, reaching from Chewton in the north through the Fryerstown and Vaughan Springs areas in the south.

The majority of the park is covered with Box-Ironbark forest, which is harvested for use as fuel and timber to supply local industries such as mining. Remnants and relics from different types of mining can be found through out the park, including old shafts, tunnels and open cut mines, water races, building ruins, machinery foundations and abandoned machinery.

The Vaughan Springs are located in the southern area of the park, along the Loddon River, and now cover an area of around 100 ha. The alluvial miners who discovered gold in the area in 1853 first found these mineral springs, which only covered 1.5 ha back then.