Our journey over the last few weeks has shifted from a focus on the 1850s Goldfielf boomtown into Bass Coast’s 1900’s Coal Mines.
Wonthaggi’s mining story began when early exploration revealed black coal reserves, there isn’t a lot of coal here so the area was initially passed over as uneconomical to mine. That all changed in the early 1900s when a long-running New South Wales miners’ strike threatened Victoria’s energy supply, prompting the state government to urgently open the Wonthaggi State Coal Mine.
The iconic Wonthaggi mine whistle quickly became the true heartbeat of the town. In its heyday, its midnight blast signalled shift changes—and local legend has it, famously separated courting couples who had to hurry home before curfew! That historic whistle still rings out over the town at midday today, keeping a lively connection to the community’s past.
Take 1: Tourists, Community, and Waterlogged Tunnels
Our first attempt at exploring our new history did not work out so well…
Today, the State Coal Mine site has been brilliantly repurposed for tourists and the local community. The original coal haulage rail tracks have been converted into scenic coastal rail trails that we are yet to try out. The surface grounds host historic displays, green spaces, and a fantastic on-site cafe where we enjoyed a lovely hot drink on a cold and rainy day. It was too rainy to explore the rest of the mine site so we are excited to go back.
While much of the underground network has long been flooded, a newly renovated underground tour experience recently re-opened to let visitors venture down into the historic shafts. Unfortunately, relentless winter rains have struck again, and the newly re-opened underground tour had to be temporarily shut until the floodwaters are pumped back out!
All this rain has turned the surrounding countryside into a squelchy mudscape, backing up local creeks and completely submerging pastures so that wild black swans are now casually swimming through flooded paddocks. Pulling on our sturdy gumboots and Blundstone riding boots has become our mandatory daily ritual prior to going out and feeding the dogs!
Take two – another Coal Mine converted into a community and tourist hub
Our second attempt at exploring the local coal mining history worked out much better…
Just down the road in Korumburra, Coal Creek Community Park & Museum offers another incredible showcase of Gippsland’s heritage. Harley dropped in for a couple of days to explore the village with us. We started by meeting at the community markets run at Coal Creek Community Park and bought the ingredients we needed to make him a home-cooked stewed apple and rhubarb with ice cream (which we enjoyed sitting down together to work through his Australian Defence Force application paperwork).
Back in the 1970s, passionate volunteers saved 30 to 40 original early-1900s buildings—including schools, churches, a masonic hall, a doctor’s surgery, and massive mine shaft winches—relocating them into a sprawling gully on an original coal mine site and creating the attraction Coal Creek as you can see it today. Wandering through the village feels like stepping back a century, especially while watching the resident blacksmith hand-forge a metal leaf right in front of us.
Our visit to Coal Creek was made infinitely more memorable by the incredible passion of its community volunteers, who dedicate their time to bringing the historic village to life. Amazing they did not even charge us an entry fee! The re-created blacksmith shop was an absolute highlight—we stood captivated as the blacksmith hand-forged a delicate metal leaf right before our eyes, explaining every step of the traditional craft as he worked. Harley was completely in his element, charmingly asking plenty of questions. Touched by our genuine interest, the blacksmith generously handed the freshly made leaf over to Jo as a special keepsake to take home. It was a wonderful, unexpected moment of connection that perfectly captured the warm, welcoming heart of Coal Creek’s volunteers.
Trading golden memories for coal country history has shown us just how rich Victoria’s story truly is. Waterlogged mine shafts and muddy boots aside, exploring the historic Bass Coast continues to be an unforgettable ride.
Cheers from the mud,
Jo, Peter (& Harley)
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