The Tunnel Bend diversion tunnel is located at Tunnel Bend, near Sheepyard Flat, on the Howqua River

Howqua River

The Howqua River is a river in south-eastern Australia. It originates on the slopes of Mount Howitt before flowing through the Alpine National Park in Victoria...

, approximately 30 km south-east of Mansfield

Mansfield, Victoria

Mansfield is a small town in the foothills of the Victorian part of the Australian Alps. It is approximately 180 km north-east of Melbourne...

, Victoria

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

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The tunnel is approximately 100 metres long. It was built in 1884, during the Victorian gold rush

Victorian gold rush

The Victorian gold rush was a period in the history of Victoria, Australia approximately between 1851 and the late 1860s. In 10 years the Australian population nearly tripled.- Overview :During this era Victoria dominated the world's gold output...

, as part of the 4 km headrace from the Howqua River to a 63 foot waterwheel at the Howqua United gold treatment works at Sheepyard Flat.

The site is part of the Howqua Hills Historic Area and is registered in the in the Victorian Heritage Register

Victorian Heritage Register

The Victorian Heritage Register lists places of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 1995 which establishes Heritage Victoria as the permit authority...

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