View source for A1 Mine Settlement

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox Australian place | type = town
| name     = A1 Mine Settlement
| state    = vic
| image    = A1 Mine Settlement Town Entry Sign.JPG
| caption  = Entering A1 Mining Settlement from Jamieson
| coordinates = {{coord|37|30|S|146|12|E|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_label_position = right
| lga      = Shire of Mansfield
| use_lga_map = yes
| postcode = 
| est      = 
| pop      = 
| elevation= 
| maxtemp  = 
| mintemp  = 
| rainfall = 
| stategov = 
| fedgov   = 
| dist1    = 210
| dir1     = NE
| location1= Melbourne
| dist2    = 28
| dir2     = E
| location2= [[Mansfield, Victoria|Mansfield]]
}}
'''A1 Mine Settlement''' is a locality in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]], located north of [[Woods Point, Victoria|Woods Point]] on the [[Mansfield, Victoria|Mansfield]] - Woods Point Road, in the [[Shire of Mansfield]]. The town has also been known as Castle Reef, Castle Point, and Raspberry Creek.

The town began after gold was discovered at Raspberry Creek in 1862. The name "A1" indicated that the quality of the gold mined here was 'First Class'.<ref name ="Baker">Baker, Derek, ''Non-official post offices'', article in ''The Stamp Magazine'' (London), April 1985, p. 84</ref> During the late 1860s the town known as Castle Reef had a population of around 300, a Post Office under that name opening on 11 January 1868 (closing 1875).<ref name = "b">{{Citation| last = Phoenix Auctions History  | title = Post Office List | url = http://www.phoenixauctions.com.au/cgi-bin/wsPhoenix.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&filter=*Mine*Settlement*|access-date=19 January 2021 }}</ref> It included two hotels, a general store, a school, a church, and possibly a restaurant. The town's industry was centred on a crushing machine which worked the three gold reefs in the area. These sites and others were amalgamated into the A1 Mine, which continued operation until 1992.

A receiving office opened here on 1 July 1910; it was later upgraded to a non-official [[post office]] and closed on 9 March 1967.<ref name="b" />

The A1 Mine has historically produced in excess of 450,000 ounces of gold and was one of Australia's longest operating mines having been worked from 1861 through to 1992.

== Reworking the A1 Mine ==
{{unreferenced|section|date=June 2020}}
* August 2009{{spaced endash}}[[Heron Resources]] purchased an Option to acquire and reopen the A1 Gold Mine. During the Option period (two years) a feasibility study will be completed using the results from the evaluation program.
* November 2009{{spaced endash}}[[Department of Primary Industry Victoria]] and [[Mansfield Shire]] approvals have been received to commence site works required as part of the evaluation program for the A1 Gold Mine. Initial works will involve the setting up of a site office, workshops and ancillary buildings to support mining activities. Community consultation meetings were commenced in 9 September, these are an ongoing part of the evaluation and will continue through the life of the operation. Establishment of the decline portal is expected during November, while dewatering and underground drilling are expected to commence in the New Year when final approvals are received.
* February 2011{{spaced endash}}Heron Resources sold the A1 Cold Mine to [[A1 Consolidated Gold]] who have more than 20 years experience at the A1 Gold Mine. Heron then became a foundation shareholder in A1 Consolidated Gold, by obtaining 19% interest in the company.
* June 2012{{spaced endash}}A1 Consolidated Gold listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX Code AYC). Some {{convert|5000|t|ST}} of development ore has already been mined. The IPO price has dropped below 10 cents per share.<ref>[http://www.australian-shares.com/mining/AYC A1 CONSOLIDATED GOLD LIMITED Company Profile] Australian Shares. Retrieved on 8 October 2014.</ref>

== Fire problems ==
In 2006, A1 Mine Settlement was threatened by bushfires.<ref>[https://www.news.com.au/news/bushfires-could-stretch-100km/news-story/d9d3487456f2c2b98fab2b4e1a41abeb?sv=b32805472fdd7524eff11b217a88a3c2 Bushfires could stretch 100km] News.com.au 4 September 2009</ref> Not much of the town remains anymore except a couple of houses which survived. The whole area was burnt including [[Gaffneys Creek, Victoria|Gaffneys Creek]] and [[Ten Mile, Victoria|Ten Mile]].{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Towns in Mansfield Shire}}
{{Mines in Victoria}}

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[[Category:Towns in Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Shire of Mansfield]]
[[Category:Mining towns in Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1862]]
[[Category:1862 establishments in Australia]]