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Ships
In 1865 German immigrant John GELDMACHER commenced stockpiling building materials and over the next seven years, almost single-handedly built a stone tower windmill there, which was completed in 1872. However, he evidently had not consulted the regulations concerning windmills and he'd inadvertently built his mill too close to the road, with the result that, although it was initially constructed with sails, they were deemed to be too adjacent to the road where they would frighten horses. GELDMACHER evidently then used horses to work the mill, but this was apparently not very successful. He later used the mill [evidently the horse mill] for timber milling, but by 1885 the mill was out of use. The tower was restored by Monaro Shire Council in 1961 to serve as a tourist attraction, it being one of only three such towers surviving in eastern Australia, and is found in Clarke Street, west of the Highway. GELDMACHER also operated as a merchant and today Geldmacher House serves as the Nimmitabel Heritage Centre. Website
TOPIn 1937 the battery at Granites gold mine appeared to be powered by a windmill. view image
TOPIn 1903 the DOHLE family began taking timber from the area known as Dohles Rocks and built a timber windmill to operate their sawmill. It is not know what design was used.
TOPThere is a reference to an old flax mill on the North Para River near Seppeltsfield. It is not known whether it was wind or water driven, or when it was built.
TOPErected by W.F. OSBOURN in 1854 to use as a gold battery.
There was a wind driven gold mining machine erected there in the 1850s. Whether this has a connection to the Ballarat gold battery is not known.
Near Colac. In use in 1857 for water pumping. Most likely a post type with four wooden arms with frames for canvas covers. It was probably faced into the wind manually. Replaced in probably the 1870's.
This 5 sail tower mill was located c 1858 at WEBB'S FOUNDRY behind the new courthouse. It was used by Henry and William WEBB to operate the foundry machinery. 1861 image
Windmill Gardens Reception Restaurant was built in 1994. It is located at the corner of Melton Hwy & Leakes Road, Rockbank. website
There was a wind driven chaff cutter built here. view image
A smock mill was built in 1881 for pumping water, cutting chaff and sawmilling. It was owned by George ROLFE, a Melbourne Tea Merchant.
TOP An innovative use of a windmill as a motive power source was for cutting wattle bark at a tannery in the Western Australian region of Geraldton from 1879 to circa 1894. The wattle bark was used in the tanning process. The windmill in question was home-made with four wooden legs for the tower and the four blades of the windwheel were covered with leather.
The proprietor of the tannery, known as the Victorian Tannery, was Carl Anton BERINGER, an immigrant originally from Germany, who came to Melbourne, Victoria from England in March 1864 on board the ship Napier. According to shipping records he continued his journey on to Sydney, New South Wales on board the Rangatira, arriving later that month. In April 1865 in NSW he married Elizabeth Christina HUBINGER and the couple had four children. In October 1875 BERINGER is recorded as traveling from Sydney to King George Sound (Albany) Western Australia. From there it is assumed that he made his way north to Champion Bay (Geraldton) as it is recorded that in April 1876 he applied for permission from the local council there to establish a tannery .
The ship ROLLO weighing 614 tons was built at Grimstadt in 1883. It had a 4 sail windmill on its deck near the mast. Its purpose is not known. view image
The ship SKANDIA weighing 383 tons was built at Gefle in 1867. It had a windmill on its deck. Its purpose is not known. view image
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