The 61-year-old prospector dug his mine 20 feet below the surface, and constructed an underground drive 30 feet across, where he was looking for gold to supplement his disability support pension.

His mine had bunting, pickets and protective mesh, similar to safety measures at other protected mine shafts in the area. He was at the site several times a week, except in winter.

The lack of a big haul of gold did not bother him – it was more of a hobby.

So when he arrived at the site on Sunday, February 25, to find it completely filled in by Forest Fire Management Victoria, he was furious.

“Unless somebody physically climbed down there and checked, they would have had no idea if anyone was working down there,” Mr Brown said.

“They’ve destroyed two to three years of hard work, my hobby.

“If they filled it in and you were down there, you’d be dead.”

Mr Brown claims he was operating under the miners right, which he believes allows for excavation using hand tools.

His tools are now buried under tonnes of dirt at the bottom of the mine.

The Prospectors and Miners Association of Victoria has supported Mr Brown in his attempt to get an explanation from the department and compensation for the loss of tools, labour and the hardship he suffered after seeing his work destroyed.

A number of meetings were held in relation to the matter and several hundred dollars in compensation was offered to replace the lost tools.

Mr Brown said the loss of tools was a minor matter, and he was more concerned with the loss of his years’ of work.

Forest Fire Management Victoria claims it attempted to contact Mr Brown “more than a dozen times” over two years without success, and it was aware of the mineshaft since 2015.

District manager Paul Bates said the mine was filled in preparation for a controlled burn in the area.

“The mine shaft is located within a planned burn area scheduled to be carried out this autumn and a decision was made to fill the open shaft for the safety of firefighters,” he said.