Bland life in Clunes
The site of the old Port Phillip Mine in Clunes is nothing but an intriguing pile of dirt and gorse these days. But while every scrap of plant and infrastructure has been long obliterated, the remains still dominate the heart of the town.
The leaseholders of the site were the Port Phillip and Colonial Gold Mining Company established in 1851. Towards the end of 1856, its representatives visited Clunes to inspect the quartz outcropping in Creswick Creek. They liked what they saw and formed the Clunes Mining Company under their management that became the first and largest company to exploit the local reefs. Eventually the Port Phillip Company took over work at the site and remained in operation until 1894. They produced over 500,000 ounces of gold in that time.
But this is not a tale about gold hard won but the activities of one man whose reticent shadow still hovers over Clunes in the form of numerous beloved public buildings. His name was Rivett Henry Bland. Little is known about him today. He left no children and there is little historical material out there that speaks in his voice.