Kirk Dam in Paddys Ranges is a fascinating example of the effect gold mining has had on the local land.
A brief walk around the area surrounding the dam will take you among dozens of shallow mine shafts and countless mullock heaps. There's also a large ring-shaped depression in the ground where miners used to operate a
puddling machine to extract gold from the clay.
If you are going to wander around this interesting area be very cautious of any possible deep mine shafts or unstable ground.
Gold prospecting is permitted in this part of the Paddys Ranges State Park, however please note that the gold puddler itself is a significant historical artifact and must not be disturbed. To check which other areas of Paddys Ranges you can gold prospect in, please see
this map from Parks Victoria.
Remains of a puddling machine. These rings are scattered through the bushland of the Goldfields.
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