Managed by the Community

Since 1974, the Blackwood Crown Reserves Committee of Management has overseen the park and six other public reserves in the town. Operated entirely by volunteers under the Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978, the committee is responsible for:

• Blackwood Mineral Springs & Tourist Park

• Blackwood Public Park & Recreation Reserve

• Blackwood Mechanics Institute known to most locals as the Blackwood Hall

• Blackwood Cricket & Recreation Reserve

• Jack Cann Reserve

• Blackwood Swimming Pool Reserve

• Povey’s Road Reserve

The current six-member team continues to coordinate maintenance, upgrades, and visitor management.

Guardians of the Mineral Springs

In the late 1960s, Blackwood Mineral Springs welcomed its first full-time caretaker, marking a new era of professional park management. Residing on-site with his wife in a private caravan, the caretaker brought dedicated oversight to this historic location. This innovative approach quickly boosted park revenues and enhanced visitor experience, continuing the community's long tradition of preserving this cherished natural treasure.

Continuing a Cherished Legacy

Today, the spirit of community care lives on. Just as the first caretakers did in the late 1960s, a dedicated couple now calls the Blackwood Mineral Springs home. Living on-site, Nicole and Wyatt carry forward a tradition of passionate management, ensuring that this historic location remains a vibrant, welcoming space for visitors. Their commitment honors the generations of local families who have nurtured these springs since the days of the gold rush, keeping the heart of Blackwood's most treasured natural resource beating strong.

Blackwood Mineral Springs: A Community Treasure Built by Hands and Heart

Tucked into the Lerderderg River Valley, the Blackwood Mineral Springs Reserve is more than a picturesque campground—it’s a community-built legacy of resilience, stewardship, and transformation.

From Goldfields to Spring Waters

In the early 1850s, Blackwood was part of a gold rush explosion. By 1855, 13,000 people had arrived, drawn by dreams of gold. Among them were Chinese miners, who in 1858 discovered not gold, but something arguably more enduring: mineral springs of exceptional purity.

The area bore the scars of extensive mining, including the construction of the Rip Van Winkle Tunnel in 1859—nearly a quarter-mile long—and a massive water wheel used for crushing quartz. These were feats of sheer determination and innovation.

By 1879, the first acre of land containing the springs was officially surveyed. Over the following decades, basic infrastructure—bridges, rotundas, and access points—was gradually built, often lost to floods and rebuilt again, reflecting the enduring community spirit.

A Caravan Park is Born

In 1955, the Public Works Department developed the Blackwood Mineral Springs Caravan Park at a cost of $3,500. Funding came from a $2,800 government subsidy and $700 raised by the local management committee. An amenities block with sewerage was built alongside the park.

Electricity was introduced in 1961, followed by the installation of large water tanks and a gas hot water system. By 1968, the park had 26 powered sites. That same year, camping and parking fees had raised nearly $5,000, used to fund ongoing improvements, including roofing the shower block and hiring a full-time caretaker.

Today, the park offers both powered and unpowered sites, BBQs, a camp kitchen, and direct access to bushwalking trails and the springs themselves. It remains pet-friendly and family-oriented.

A Living Legacy

What was once a scarred mining landscape is now a well-loved destination where eucalyptus trees shade campers, mineral water still bubbles to the surface, and community effort flows just as steadily as the springs themselves.

The Blackwood Mineral Springs Reserve is not just a park—it is a living story of volunteers, vision, and the value of public land in public hands.

Written in honor of the history documented by CR. J.F. Rayner, October 26, 1975.