Heathcote Powder Magazine

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Powder Magazine

The Heathcote Powder Magazine was constructed by the Public Works Department in 1864, from high quality locally quarried stone. The builder was H. Cormack & Co. In Victoria, powder magazines stored explosives used in gold mining, quarrying and road making, and were located outside many goldfields towns to avoid accidental explosions close to residential areas. 

This powder magazine features a brick vaulted space inside a buttressed rectangular building, with a small entry and office space. The vault, buttressing, and baffled air vents were a result of the belief at the time that extensive masonry would help to contain explosives. The gabled roof was originally of slate. Sawn Oregon racks remain in the main room, together with a two-door iron safe with decorative stencilling.

The building demonstrates particularly fine stone masonry and brick vaulting work, and is a excellent example of a Public Works Department designed powder magazine.

The Act to Regulate the Importation, Carriage and Custody of Gunpowder was passed in 1857 in a period when increasing deep mining for gold engendered a requirement for safe storage of large quantities of explosives. 

Under the Act, public powder magazines were financed by Government and administered locally. After 1857 over twenty five new magazines were erected in Victoria and older magazines extended. The McIvor diggings, with which the Heathcote Powder Magazine is associated, were a pivotal point of mining activities in the central goldfields area and ensured the development of Heathcote as a township. 

The Heathcote Powder Magazine was constructed by the Public Works Department in 1864, in high quality quarry faced local stone laid in coursed ashlar. 

Like several other magazines built during the 1860's, the Heathcote Powder Magazine features a brick vaulted space inside a buttressed rectangular building, with a small used entry and office space. 

The vault, buttressing and baffled air vents were a manifestation of the (erroneous) belief prevalent at the time that massive masonry would help to contain explosives. 

The gable roof over the vault was originally of slate. Sawn Oregon racks remain in the main room, together with a two door iron safe with decorative stencilling.

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