VPRS 19343 Bore Log and Report Files

Full description

This series contains records of bore activity conducted throughout Victoria.  

Bore holes (otherwise known as drill or well holes) are narrow shafts drilled into the ground for various purposes, including geotechnical investigation, mineral exploration, environmental assessment, temperature measurement, or the extraction of water, petroleum, or gases.

Soil samples are collected through drilling in various sites within the proposed location for analysis on earth formation and strata. A borehole chart may show the different layers of soil at different depths and their properties. This information is useful for a variety of purposes, such as determining the quality and purity of groundwater, or the suitability of a location for construction.

Most records are logs created for private bores for water. A contractor for an individual or company completed the work and the logs, which were then signed and sent to the relevant governmental department at the time.

The reports include information such as location of bore, parish, allotment, and sketch, owner or occupier (log of private bore for water), bore number, dates commenced and completed, strata (surface soil, clay, sandstone, etc.) and depth present, what depth water is struck and estimated quantity and quality, length of casing left in bore at completion, remarks and more. 

Other records in the series include questionnaires from the Department on bore activities, correspondence, drilling reports and bore completion reports. The bores covered include the 8000 series bores (private groundwater bores drilled before the Groundwater Act 1969), bores drilled by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SEC) and the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission (SRWSC), bores drilled for specific projects such as Drought Relief Drilling 1968 and 1983 and the Salinity Project 1986, as well as data supplied by South Australian Mines Department for bores drilled on the state border, among others.