Adit
Definition of adit
- A horizontal gallery or drive, opening out either from some part of the slope or from the base of a hill or range into a mine, either for the purpose of drainage or ventilation, or for ordinary mining purposes.
– The Gold Fields and Mineral Districts of Victoria, 1869.
Adit at Eureka Reef, Chewton
Examples of adits in the Victorian Goldfields
- Tunnel Hill Mine, Talbot VIC
- Mt Tarrengower Tunnelling Company, Maldon VIC
- Union Jack Mine, Percydale VIC
- Hard Hill Tourist Reserve, Wedderburn VIC
- Eureka Reef, Chewton VIC
Safety
For your own safety, do not enter any adits you come across out in the bush.
It is important to remember that although adits may appear safer than vertical shafts, they often have shafts hiding inside them which are either hard to see in the dark or have been unsafely covered by a false bottom or deteriorating cap.