Creswick State Gold Battery

Creswick State Gold Battery is one of six government batteries still remaining in Victoria. It is located overlooking Creswick Creek.

The 1902 battery is housed within a shed with a stone monument commemorating the 1851 discovery of gold in Creswick Creek nearby. The plaque displays the following text:
This avenue commemorates the arrival of the early gold fossickers on Creswick Creek - 1851. From their discovery a town, district and nations was born. Erected sesquicentenary, 2001.

From 1897 the Victorian government provided assistance to quartz gold prospectors through the installation and operation of small quartz crushing facilities (known as government or State batteries) in localities where no privately-owned batteries were available for public use. The batteries were erected in places where auriferous reefs showed promise, and were moved as demand (or lack of it) required.

Their number peaked between the wars, with a maximum of 33 in operation. Government crushing facilities were quite small concerns, at first equipped with only three head of stamps, rising in 1904 to a standard of five head. Sometimes the batteries were equipped with 6-heads. The batteries were originally powered by steam, but producer-gas, oil, and electricity eventually replaced steam power.