Calcining (the roasting of quartz in kilns) was an early method of preparing gold bearing rock
for crushing. Impurities were burnt off, and the quartz was made more brittle.
This process was continued at Maldon until about 1900,
perhaps ten years longer than at other goldfields.
This was partly because of the hardness of Maldon's rock,
but some said it was because of local sentiment and conservatism about the kilns.
Quartz kilns came to be seen as a feature of Maldon,
and these are some of the best surviving examples in Victoria.
Three southern kilns (on the right) were built in 1864
and the northern two were added later.
A conspicuous break in the stonework marks their joining.
The most southerly kiln was partly destroyed in 1913 to construct a rock breaker,
which was located over the concrete lined pit.
