Museum Precinct - Tower Street

Experience the sight and sounds of the impressive Fraser and Chalmers steam winding engine, which was built in 1912 and operated at the Sons of Gwalia mine from 1913 to 1963.

An excellent example of the leading technology of the time, the Steam Winder lowered miners into the shaft in skips which could accommodate 12 men at a time, and hauled the ore skips up the incline headframe to empty the gold-bearing rock into the storage bin.

The steam winder would also transport skips containing equipment and even the horses that were used in the underground workings.

The steam engine has twin cylinders measuring 27 inches (68.6 centimetres) in diameter, with a 5-foot (1.52 metre) stroke. The cylinders drive twin winding drums measuring 10 feet (3.06 metres) in diameter. The Steam Winder is the largest of its type in Australia and one of only three remaining in the world.

The speed of the engine is believed to have been about 1,500 feet (457.2 metres) per minute, or approximately 48 revolutions per minute of the winding drum.

The Steam Winder was relocated in 1987 and can be seen in the Winder Shed, west of the headframe. On entering the building the visitor can listen to the winder engine sound on an audio track.