Heavy excavation equipment has been brought in to expand what was once a small hole into a much larger open pit.

The size of the hole is temporary as Parks Victoria and the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources works create a new ground level.

Nearby residents believe that some kind of seal or slab will be installed on top of the pit.

Marg Hutton lives next door to the site and said the hole had to be widened so that a back hoe could reach the bottom.

There is now a pile of earth and scrap metal beside the hole.

Oriental Street resident Norma McIntyre said the mine shaft might have ended its life as a garbage dump.

“Back then, if people wanted to dump rubbish somewhere, they did,” she said.

The mine shaft collapsed early last month and was then a much smaller hole.

“I was down the street when I heard it had collapsed,” Mrs McIntyre said.

“I rushed back to see if I still had a house.”

Mrs Hutton said she had walked over the top of the mine shaft many times without knowing what was underneath.

The Department of Economic Development has been contacted for comment about the works but did not respond before publication deadline.