Janefield Mill

Janefield Mill is in a picturesque spot at the junction of Plenty River and a gully now known as University Hill Creek. A former cart track was cut into the north side of the gully to access the mill site, and as the slopes down to the creek are very steep, this provides a reasonable easy access. The track became clear after the fire of December 2019 cleared the way. However it was again taken over by blackberries, and so a path had to be cleared.

The location was photographed in 1877 by German born Fred Kruger, with the track can be glimpsed in front of the mill and about half way up the gully. A small shack and fenced orchard can be seen on the ridge and a terraced area immediately behind the mill. these were clearly visible after the fire.

The mill site itself is quite clear with a two story high rear retaining wall on the north side and lower sections of wall on the other three sides. A channel can be identified leading north along the base of the cliff and beside the river flats. This is clearly the remnants of the water race. Stonework is sufficiently intact to determine the overall dimensions and some details of its construction. The building was 14.3 metres long x 6.7 m wide, the walls are up to 0.8 metres thick and the  pit for the water wheel was 2 metres wide. An opening near the south west corner can be matched to one of the ground floor windows.

George Coulstock came from Reigate in Surrey, where his father was a millwright and miller. He first settled in Launceston carrying out the trade of Baker, but in about 1837, he wrote to his parents about a new venture:

I have had an eye to exploring for a site that would answer for a water mill, it being one of the best businesses in the colonies, particularly of New South Wales, there being so few places that will answer the purpose. I have found such a situation about 10 miles up the Yarra from Melbourne, but not more than three by land. It is in a very rough place, and not considered fit for the purpose, but they say there are situations which will do about 30 miles up the river. I have taken the level at a great deal of trouble, and find the fall of nearly 20 feet within a distance of 500 yards, being a rapid rather than a fall. This, of course, I keep a profound secret, and believe, as far as I can learn, that it is on the first of the sections which will be sold, being a square mile or 640 acres I will buy it if possible, and will at all events go as far as 26/ if necessary, although it is not expected to reach 10/ an acre. … I forgot to say that there is a sufficient supply of water at the site I have chosen for the mill to drive six or eight pair of stones the year round and so good is the situation that a small mill may be erected for about £300. I should open a store, improve my own ground and be on the spot to lay out what little money I could for a crop. I calculated if we dissolve to have about £888 and my home; and I could get credit of the merchants if I required it for a thousand or two." 

The site Coulstock had in mind is almost certainly Dight’s Falls, which meets the criteria for both distances from Melbourne and the fall in river height. However, he missed out in obtaining the site possibly because land sales were held in Sydney in 1839, where John Dight was able to acquire Portion 88 Parish of Jika Jika and establish his own water mill shortly after. Rather than venture further up the Yarra, Coulstock found a site on the Plenty River, about 12 miles (or 19 km as the crow flies). This could be the "30 miles up the river" that Coulstock refers to, since geographic knowledge of Melbourne’s waterways was still limited, but it is more likely he was referring to Warrandyte, which was the next section of the Yarra with a suitable fall.

In any case, Coulstock found another site on the Plenty River that suited his purposes, where in 1842 he constructed a two storey stone flour mill driven by a 16 foot (4.9 metre) diameter ‘centreshoot’ or breast-shot water-wheel (where the water is delivered about halfway up the side of the wheel).  

The mill was able to grist 8 bushels of wheat per hour. The first reference in the newspapers simply states:

It is not generally known that a flour mill, worked by water, is in the course of erection at Coulstock's station on the Plenty. 

Kruger photographed the site in about 1871 according to the National Gallery citation. However, the last reference to the mill being operational is in about 1859. The location of his photo is relatively easy to find by following one of the mountain bike tracks towards the 'Serendipity' bridge. 

The point Kruger took his photo is probably the rock outcrop in the foreground of this image. while the other outcrop his assistant, or possibly the land owner is standing on can be seen in the left distance. A photo from the exact position is obscured by the young trees.

Excavations in June 2022 focussed on the area of the Water Wall. This was the eastern wall of the mill facing the river which held the water wheel. Initially it was thought less than a metre of rubble lay on the floor inside the building, but the excavation went down to 1.6 metres and still could not find the bottom.

The waterwall, however, proved to be a substantial structure more than 80 cm wide. The heavy construction

 was required to take the weight of the wheel and gearing and withstand the vibration and forces generated by the moving machinery.

While the base of the excavation could not be reached (OHS require shoring up holes deeper than 1.5 metres), there was enough evidence revealed to determine the size of the water wheel, and the likely arrangement, with the water wall supporting its full weight and no support for the axle on its outer end. The arrangement was probably something like this (Hyde Mill Wisconsin):