Castlemaine-Chewton Historic Reserve

The Castlemaine - Chewton Historic Reserve, stretching from north of Chewton, south through the Fryerstown and Vaughan Springs areas, encompasses an area of approximately 2200 hectares.

Most of the area is covered with regrowth box-ironbark forest which has been harvested to supply fuel and timber for mines and other local industry.

HeritageGold was discovered in the Castlemaine area in 1851 and was first won from surface or shallow workings mostly by panning or cradling. These alluvial methods were later followed by the use of horse-powered puddling machines and larger scale quartz reef mining and crushing batteries.