Kaiser Reef has announced it is ceasing active operations at the A1, one of Australia’s longest operating mines.

It is moving the Woods Point facility into care and maintenance while the company determines the long-term future of the mine.

The move leaves the fate of the once thriving Woods Point community looking somewhat uncertain.

After all, since the town’s earliest days at the height of the Victorian gold rush, Woods Points’ fate has been tied to the mines operating in the region.

At various times the mines have been open and they have been shut.

Investors with gold rush fever come and investors go.

But the town has always survived.

The Morning Star, known for producing exceptionally high grade gold since 1861, ceased operations in 2023.

The A1 will move into dormancy on 4 October and 50 of the 54 person workforce will be left seeking alternative employment.

The path that lies ahead for Woods Point looks as uncertain as the roads that connect the historic bush town with Mansfield to the north and Matlock to the south.

Jonathan Downes, Managing Director of Kaiser Reef told the Mansfield Courier that the decision to run a strategic review of the A1 mine proved extremely disappointing.

“The mineralisation identified in the recently reached mid to northern region of the Nova Zone is showing reduced alteration and less consistent and lower grade gold than in the levels immediately above it, resulting in lower mined grades,” he said.

“The company is currently reviewing financial and strategic alternatives to determine the future of the mine.

“Staff numbers are being reduced, a care and maintenance team commencing on 6 October will employ four people.

“The longer term future of the A1 Mine is still subject to review and work at this stage."

In his 2025 Kaiser Reef's Annual Report to its shareholders, Mr Downes called the decision to close the A1 the right step to protect shareholder value and focus capital on more robust opportunities.

Mayor Cr Steve Rabie, speaking on behalf of Mansfield Shire Council, expressed his sadness at the closure of the A1 Mine and the job losses it represents in the shire while pointing to the cyclical nature of the gold industry.

“The A1 mine has weathered many storms in its time.

“Sometimes it’s on the crest, and sometimes it’s in the trough.

“Right now, it is in the trough but the price of gold does fluctuate and we remain hopeful that the industry and the mine will recover.

“The whole shire is facing financial challenges at the moment.

“The loss of jobs means there are 50 people out of work with less spending happening within our local economy.

“We are doing our best to support the local economy in all the ways that we can."

Tony Rugys, a former maintenance fitter at both the Morning Star and A1 mines whose association with Woods Point goes back to days spent underground in the A1 in the late 1980s, expressed the uncertainty the Woods Point community is feeling at the loss of its biggest employer.

“It’s a case of wait and see,” he said.

“Investors come and investors go, the mine has always survived.

“I did hear a rumour that they were going to turn the pumps off and let the mine flood, hopefully it proves to be nothing more than a rumour.

“Because that’s not care and maintenance, that’s a total shutdown.

“I was disappointed to hear the four-man care and maintenance crew doesn’t include any Woods Point locals, it would have been good if they could have kept the locals in work.”

Carley Burdon, proprietor of the Commercial Hotel Woods Point is optimistic for the historic bush town’s future, pointing to the fact that the area’s history of industry and the natural beauty of the bush will continue to drive visitors to the area long after the mines have closed.

“The A1 moving into care and maintenance is a shame but it isn’t necessarily the end of the mine.

“It certainly won’t be the end of the town.

“We will miss the sense of community and friendship from the fifty miners who called Woods Point home while their swing was rostered on.

“But we aren’t worried about the business side of things, Woods Point attracts so many tourists who come for the bush, not the mine.”

While Carley is optimistic for the town’s future regardless of what happens with the mine, she would like to see the bush community receive a level of support befitting its status as a popular tourist town amongst campers, hunters, anglers and motorbike riders.

“We have regular customers who tell us they would visit Woods Point twice as often if the roads weren’t as bad as they are.

“Woods Point really isn’t very remote in terms of distance but the potholes in the road make it a difficult journey.

“The road was fixed just a few months ago and it’s now as bad as it has ever been.

“It’s dangerous heading up towards Mansfield and it’s dangerous down past Matlock.

“When locals do supply runs, it often comes at great expense when a car axle cracks and needs to be replaced.

“It happens all the time.

“It can feel a little bit like Woods Point gets forgotten at times.

“The town could do with more support, it’s a beautiful part of the world but the town is looking a little bit tired.

“Our Progress Association does a lot of work but we do need outside support.

“We see the crews tidying up the garden beds in Mansfield Township and we would love to see a little bit of that in Woods Point.

“The Commercial Hotel won the Best Bush Pub at the Australian Hotels Association Excellence Awards in 2024 and People’s Choice in 2025.

“It would be great if council could help us get that message out.

“We know they are working with outlying communities at the moment, we hope they will come out and work with us to help Woods Point move forwards."

Woods Point has so much history.

One of the most prolific mining areas in Victoria, more gold has been pulled out of this ground than anywhere else.

“The bush is still filled with fascinating machinery, remnants from the gold rush, but no one is helping us maintain the vegetation around the paths and trails so you have to bushwhack your way through," Carley said.

"People still frequently pull gold from the local waterways.

"There is more than enough to Woods Point to attract visitors, we just need some help to get them here.”

Whilst the path that lies ahead for Woods Point looks as uncertain as the area's bush-surrounded roads, anyone who has recently braved that succession of potholes and corrugations, a surface more akin to a cheese grater than an access route to a township, knows something is happening down there in that historic part of our shire.

This time of year, the wattles are blossoming in abundance, thick and fragrant.

Patches of acid yellow, they burst through the tired tangle of greying green bush.

Perhaps there is new life in these parts yet.