1861-1862 Francis Watkins, a stonemason of Stawell, discovered an outcrop of freestone in the Mt Difficult range while on a shooting trip, and recognised that the stone was extremely durable
1866 Watkins submitted an ornamental carved freestone pillar to an ‘exhibition’ in Melbourne. It was latter returned to him.
1870’s Grampians freestone from ‘Watkins Quarry’ used in construction in Stawell. It was initially used for rebuilding after a fire in the Main Street of Stawell, but mainly for headstones and similar items. Watkins obtained a lease over 3 acres for a quarry at the Mt Difficult site. The methods that Watkins and his workmen used did not meet what was expected in quarrying.
1872 Watkins submitted samples of the freestone from Heatherlie quarry for consideration for use in the Governor’s proposed new residence
1876 Watkins again submitted samples, for the new Law Courts. He enlisted the support of the local member of Parliament, Mr John Woods MP. The samples were rejected because they were too expensive.
1877 Mr P Galbraith, a Mining Agent of Stawell, sought a rough estimate (from local member of Parliament, Mr John Woods) of the cost of a tramway from Stawell to the Mt Difficult Quarry. Inspector Sutton, Public Works Department, visited the quarry to test the quality of the stone for possible use in an extension to Parliament House
1878 Stawell Quarry Co. borrowed a crane from Public Works Department for use at the quarry.
Victorian Railways Assistant Engineer, Mt F Rennick, Public Works Department Inspector Mr Sutton, Francis Watkins and ‘Mr Smith’ of Stawell investigated two suggested routes for the tramway.
Mr P Galbraith, who wished to form the Grampians Tramway and Freestone Quarry Co. to develop the quarry, again sought details of the cost of constructing a tramway.
Consequently, a preliminary survey was authorised. A survey camp was established in the vicinity of the quarry, with Mr C A Lawson in charge. About this time, Watkins gave up his quarry lease “to the company” in which he held a 10% interest.
A lease of over 3 acres was granted by the Lands Department to 3 people for 21 years. The lessees agreed to supply stone for any Government buildings at a fixed rate.
The Leggatt Committee suggested a gullet be put into the quarry to show whether or not it was worth opening up. This was not done because of insufficient funds.
1879 Lawson was instructed to survey a line from the quarry tramway line to Halls Gap. Victorian Railways refused to build the tramway to the quarry and to supply Mr Galbraith with so he could do the job himself.
The Commissioner for Public Works appointed a Board to examine a report upon suitable stone for the erection of the Houses of Parliament. The Board examined a sample of “Stawell Freestone” and visited several quarries including Mt Difficult. It recommended, unanimously, that “Stawell stone” be used and that a tramway be constructed from Stawell to Mt Difficult.
Tenders invited for west front of Parliament House but all were too high.
1880 The Royal Commission on the Parliament Buildings adopted the Boards recommendations.
Victorian Railways again declined to construct the tramway, but in October, it was agreed the Public Works Department would meet all construction costs.
1881 Contract for the construction of the extensions to Parliament House signed by Mr Samuel Amess, the government having undertaken to build the tramway from Stawell to the Quarry.
Contract for construction of the tramway signed by Messrs Pallett & Tamlin in February
1882 Amess arranged with the lessees of the quarry for them to supply the stone for the extensions to Parliament House.
On 23rd February the first four rail trucks carrying stone from the quarry reached Stawell en route to Melbourne.
Considerable controversy broke out about the quality of the stone sent to Melbourne. It was found to be inferior to the samples originally supplied, exhibiting “peculiar” defects of an unexpected kind. The Public Works Department ordered work at Parliament House to cease.
An expert committee, a board of enquiry and a Parliamentary Select Committee investigated the quality of the stone, all visiting the site in the process.
The Select Committee confirmed the original selection:
“the Mt Difficult freestone was superior to any other….known to Melbourne, local or imported”. It recommended that the Government make an advance to the quarry company to enable development of the quarry by “putting in a gullet” of about 60 metres into the mountain, or to the extent necessary, to obtain the best quality stone.
1884 Contract was let Comben, (?) and Otter of Yarraville to “put a gullet into the freestone at the Grampians, Stawell”.
Samuel Amess declined to continue work on Parliament House, forfeiting his contract.
1885 John Pigdon’s tender for the west face façade, using Mt Difficult freestone was accepted
1886-1887 Peak period of production at the quarry. Over 100 men were employed. They lived in crude huts nearby, which may have been partially built of stone fragments. Derrick Cranes were supplied and erected; several leases were being worked.
1888 Township of Heatherlie was surveyed; land sale from November but few blocks taken up. About 33 children of school age living in Heatherlie. Many of the workers who had first lived in tents were building houses.
Site for a State School gazetted.
School building removed from Darra to Heatherlie (August)
1889 School closed in October – attendance dropped to only 4 children.
1890 As a result of a strike, a tender for the supply of building stone from the quarry was not let.
1891 Five Children (and their families) were living at the quarry 1892 Seven families at the quarry
Only two “decent” houses had been built, others were of bark
1893 The quarry was probably closed earlier in the year mainly due to the cessation of the Public Works Department Contract.
1900-1910 Standard Quarries Pty Ltd took over the existing mining leases
1938 Lack of orders forced the quarry to close.
1939 Quarry untouched by the disastrous bushfire
1940 Some of the machinery was removed to marble quarry in South Australia
1949 Tramway line officially closed to all traffic
1951 Legislation passed to authorise dismantling of the tramway line. Almost the whole of the track removed. Many of the sleepers and a few rails are still in place in the quarry.
1971 Some stone extracted to face a building in Adelaide
c 1981 Stone from the quarry used to face a wall in the City Square, Melbourne, and in extensions in an ANZ Bank in Melbourne