Darnley's tunnel

Hi, after any information on Darnley's tunnel located in Plenty Gorge, Vic. The man who made it was known as the human ant, dug around 600m of tunnel. Very little info except what we can find on Trove. If anyone has anything it would be much appreciated

you've piqued my interest, I found that TROVE has more info on the tunnel than does the Victorian Heritage Database

We think we have a rough location going by the lay of the land and a picture we have seen from Parks. We have been told it goes straight for 50 or so meters then there is a white cross on the highest part of the tunnel and by the person who told us at last they heard the entrance was the size of a wombat hole, so every wombat hole we see we have a little peek now! Have seen a post about a hole in the cliff face that needs a rope to get too but that was about 5 years old. Also been told will need a gas mask too go into. We don't want to go in it we just want to know more about it. It seems a mystery but so much info on Trove. This Human Ant as he was known lived in there, he did collect some gold as well. We are just really curious as we are always walking in there with scouts and want to know as much history of the area as we can to tell the kids instead of having just a walkk in the bush for the hell of it. If you have or know any history of the area please share if you can. We have a small map that we found which is like a hand drawing which also shows another abandoned mine further up the river and on a orienteering map it also shows a abandoned structure on a really steep part of the river which we will look into after we have finished with Darnley's tunnel.

Maybe try the Plenty Historical Society. They might have some info on it.

Address: 27 Howell Rd, Plenty VIC 3090
Phone: (03) 9435 9117

I have been there with a local historian ( Heritage Survey ), around 14 years ago.
Its within a Park so strictly NO PROSPECTING.

did you end up finding it ?