Gippsland Mining District

Full description

The Gippsland Mining District was established by the Governor-in-Council on 17 December 1866 under the provisions of The Mining Statute 1865. This was the seventh and final District to be established. The six original Districts were established in 1858.

The District was divided at that time into four divisions: Tarraville, Sale, Kobana and LaTrobe. The boundaries of each of these divisions and of the whole district are described in the Governor-in-Council's proclamation printed in the Government Gazette, 11 January 1867, pages 73-74.

The number, boundaries and names of the divisions and subdivisions within the Gippsland District changed several times throughout the nineteenth and twentieth century. Annual reports of the Mines Department and reports of the Goldfields Commissioners show that by 1890 there were thirteen divisions and subdivisions within the district and that the number fell to six by 1917.

Over time the role of Mining Districts diminished as the administration of mining became more centralised. In 1975 the remaining functions of the Gippsland Mining District were transferred, along with those of all other districts, to the centralised control of the Mines Department.

For further information about the operations of mining districts and the functions of district officials see the Inventory of Agencies for VRG 25 Mining Districts.

Gippsland District Court of Mines Records

Records attributed to the Gippsland Mining District include records created by district officials such as Registrars and Wardens. A Court of Mines also operated in each District. Although each District had only one Court of Mines, that court may have sat at several localities within the District at various times. Records of the Gippsland District Court of Mines have been determined to be court records rather than administrative records of the mining district. Accordingly they have been attributed to the local courts at which the Gippsland District Court of Mines sat.