Blackwood History Books

Aspects of Early Blackwood is the first book you should read when learning about Blackwood. Written by Alan and Margot and with multiple printings over the years, it is a wealth of information — from the history of the discovery of gold, the mines, the families and many stories in between.

This book gives detailed information on the quartz mining in Simmons Reef with information on the mines there and miners who lived in the area and worked in the mines. Also the school, church, hotels and early pioneers, and the history of the place now called the 'Garden of St Erth'. This book was compiled by Margot on her computer with 55 pages and 36 photographs in A5 size and was launched at the Blackwood hall in December 2007.

Billy Pincombe was a gold miner and the son of John Pincombe, miner, and Mary Ridd. Billy was born in Devonshire, England in 1860 and his sister Gertrude Mary Pincombe was born in 1863 after the family arrived in Blackwood, Victoria. Billy blamed the local minister, Lay Reader Harold Gamil Robinson, for his wife's religious mania which led her to chop off her right hand, so Billy shot and killed the minister. Then the local Constable was called for and Mounted Constable Charles Henry Saunders shot and killed Billy Pincombe in June 1908.

This book focuses on the iconic hotel often referred to as 'The Blackwood Pub'. Written in late 2024 and early 2025 just as the pub changed hands to local owners where significant renovations took place. This is a full colour book with many photos both old and new ranging back over 100 years. There are mentions of movies, local stories, ghosts, tragedies and good times. This is a 50-page book and has been very popular since hitting the shelves in late January 2025.

Discover the remarkable story of the Skinner family, one of Blackwood's most significant pioneering families. Originally from Cornwall, England, the Skinners arrived in Victoria during the gold rush era, settling in the Blackwood district where they would leave a lasting legacy. Brothers Joseph and Alfred Skinner founded the famous Easter Monday Mine after striking gold on Easter Monday, 1907, two miles south-west of Blackwood in the Simmons Reef area. What began as a family operation grew into one of the district's most productive mines — yielding over 5,000 ounces of gold across its working life, with ore averaging an impressive 17 pennyweights per ton. This richly detailed booklet traces the Skinner family tree from Cornwall to the goldfields, featuring rare historical photographs including colourised images of miners at the Easter Monday Mine, family portraits, and plans of the mine workings. Drawing on letters, electoral rolls, cemetery records, and firsthand accounts from descendants in Australia and New Zealand, it paints a vivid picture of life on the Victorian goldfields. A must-read for anyone interested in Blackwood's gold mining heritage, local family history, or the pioneering spirit that built this unique town just 55 minutes from Melbourne.