Lisle Dredging Company

By October 1900 Bogle and Clark had secured the contract to supply mining equipment to the Lisle Dredging Company. This was for the supply of two large boilers, engines, pumps and associated equipment. One cannot help but think that some of the equipment reclaimed from the Ringarooma Dredging Company was then reused in this project. The contract was to supply plant with all the latest improvements capable of treating 100 tons of dirt per hour, the same capacity to that supplied to the Ringarooma Dredging Company. Most parts of the machinery were conveyed to site by rail with exception to the largest boiler, which was delivered by Mr. Von Bibra’s traction engine. In all 52 tons of equipment were supplied to the Lisle Dredging Company. By June 1901 most of the equipment was on site being erected, Bogle and Clark had five men working at Lisle making all the necessary water and steam connections aboard the barge. The barge was set up in Main Creek or Bessell Creek as it was formally known. Originally discovered by Charles Bessell and his brother in 1879, more than 2,500 miners worked the area and produced around 300000 oz. of gold until the depth ceased further operations. With enough capital raised the suction dredging plant was constructed and was fully operational despite adverse weather conditions by August 1901.

The following years the Lisle Dredge worked quite successfully until operations ceased in July 1905 and the dredging equipment sold to Queensland.