Silver Spur, QLD: Abandoned Silver Spur Mine near Texas

Located in the Goondiwindi Region of Queensland, Silver Spur lies about 16km from the town of Texas and 230km southwest of Brisbane. This area was a hive of mining industry from 1892–1914.

 

Sulphide minerals of zinc, lead, silver, copper, and some amounts of gold have been found at Silver Spur, probably formed in early Permian times. (a geologic period and system which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous period 298.9 million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Triassic period 251.902 Mya) 

Silver Spur, however, has joined the list of Australian ghost towns.

Aboriginal People

In the Texas/ Silver Spur area, various Aboriginal groups share interests in the land, including the Bigambul and Gambuwal/Kambuwal people.

In 1827, when explorer Allan Cunningham travelled north from the Hunter Valley in search of fertile land, he crossed the Severn River and the Dumaresq River, between Texas and Boggabilla, and he saw smoke rising from Aboriginal camps.

By the 1840s, large numbers of Europeans began to move into the Darling Downs area to claim land, soon outnumbering the Aboriginal people and disturbing their access to food sources. Aboriginal people also had no immunity to diseases like influenza, whooping cough and measles, as these diseases were passed to humans around 8,000 to 9,000 years ago, to human groups who had domesticated large herd animals. 

With their survival under extreme threat, Aboriginal people began an intense guerilla war against the European settlers. However, by 1854, only 100 of the Bigambul people were left alive.

A letter exists from Goondiwindi, dated March 16 1874, requesting blankets for about 20 Aboriginal people at Texas.

Evidence of the long occupation of the Aboriginal people around Texas and the surrounding area can be found in the more than 1000 grinding grooves on rocks beside a creek near Inglewood QLD, where Bigambul people once sharpened their axes and spears.

Aboriginal grinding grooves near Inglewood, QLD

The Find

The Silver Spur mining field was found by farmhands from Gunyan Station, John White and Jack Hill, who were splitting fencing posts. White then, looked about for a spot to light a fire to boil his billy, when he noticed:

"Some yards awáy from
where he had been working he noticed an out
crop of iron-stone surrounded by a patch of
bare ground. He forthwith commenced to
lay his fire near the rock, when his attention
was attracted by a formation in ironstone.
What he saw was really blue and green stains,
and as at that time there was a small copper
show being worked near Texas he recognised
the substance as carbonate of copper, similar
to that which was being worked at the mine.
Without much concern or much thought White
took pieces of the stuff to some of the men
who were working at the mine, but he was
informed that it was no good. However, other
people thought differently, for some time
afterwards a local syndicate was formed, and
a lease was pegged out on the spot."

"From Stanthorpe to Texas." Queensland Country Life (Qld. : 1900 - 1954) 1 June 1910

Another story says that a branch from a tree fell to the ground and exposed gossan from green malachite (Gossan: oxidized, weathered or decomposed rock) (malachite: associated with copper ore deposits).

A syndicate formed and a shaft was sunk, but as little copper was found, the venture was abandoned. 

Silver Spur Mine and smelter, QLD, Queensland Country Life (Qld. : 1900 - 1954), Wednesday 1 June 1910

In 1892, John Quinn applied for a lease at Silver Spur and a new syndicate formed. When samples of rock from the area were sent to Brisbane, the presence of silver was revealed. 

In 1893, Edgar Hall took over the old Texas reverberatory furnace, and started mining, in a systematic manner. This operation ceased during WWI, and then afterwards, continued successfully until 1921.

Some sporadic production went on until 1976, however.

Between 1892 to 1925 (and 1952, 1970 and 1976) approximately 100,000 t of ore was extracted from the Silver Spur underground mine producing 2.19 Moz silver, 990 t of copper, 1050 t of lead, 690 t of zinc and 4516 oz of gold (2.)

1. The pretty homestead of Gun yan station. 2. A section of the Silverspur mine, QLD, Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Thursday 28 February 1929

Sydney Mail (NSW : 1912 - 1938), Wednesday 18 September 1929

Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Saturday 9 February 1929

Some of the employees of the first poppet at Silver Spur, QLD, 1896, Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Saturday 9 February 1929

Settlement

By 1895, there were about fifty men employed at the mine, and approximately, an equal number of women and children on the field. A new store, also a boarding house, and a provisional school being erected, for the 14 children listed as school age. (1.)

A.E. Girle and Sons had a sawmill at Silver Spur in 1908.

According to a newspaper article of 1910:
"'The no public house' policy of Silver Spur had been called a failure. As a reformatory scheme for drunkards, it was a failure, but for sober people, it was a great advantage."

Mailman Jim Ryan crossing Oakey Creek, on the road from Silver Spur to Pikedale and Stanthorpe, 1924, SLQLD

The cost of transport was significant and a major factor in Silver Spur becoming inoperative.

"The huge cost of cartage and lack of means of,
conveyance generally to carry the product of
the mines to the railway gradually ruined
the project and the settlers. The mines
had to be abandoned, and the town
dwindled considerably."
Sydney Mail (NSW : 1912 - 1938), Wednesday 18 September 1929

St Mary Magdalene's Anglican Church, on the Stanthorpe Texas Road, opened August 1932, and closed circa 1966.

After the mine closed in 1926, many businesses left. By 1936 the last general store had gone. The school closed in 1960 and the Post Office in 1969. Silverspur became yet another mining ghost town.

However, some amounts of silver, lead, gold and copper, and zinc may remain in the slag dumps at Silver Spur.

Silver Spur Mine wagon number 34422. Used to transport zinc ore from the mine to Inglewood railway station

Around Silver Spur

Silver Spur Mine, Texas, Queensland, Mark

Silver Spur Mine, Texas, Queensland, Mark

Silver Spur Mine, Texas, Queensland, Mark

Silver Spur Mine, Texas, Queensland, Mark

Silver Spur Mine, Texas, Queensland, Mark

Things To Do and Places To Go

Abandoned mine machinery at Silver Spur: Silver Spur Mine is on the Bruxner Highway

Texas Heritage Centre & Tobacco Museum: 40 Flemming St, Texas QLD 4385

Texas & Inglewood Heritage Railway Society: 20 Moore St, Texas QLD 4385