Line 3. The character of the for-. Near any of these. In places the slate is. In trench-. Moult has proved his reef — which he. The reef shows a decided in-. The stone shows free. According to Mr. Moult's assay, the. The present shoot of gold has. Line 4. Some exceedingly. This property. A prospect of 4 tons of stone from. The stone is soft and rubbly, with a.
In Moult's claim the water. Still another party are prospecting a reef. Line 5. Clark as the junction of three main. This part of the country has ap-. This is the nish which has been so much talked of latterly, and which has been kept so great a secret. Close What the Kiandra discoveries did do beyond any measure was to put southern NSW gold firmly into the headlines and to set up a major new pulse of goldseekers flowing into the region.
In this environment, the discovery of a new goldfield near Murrumburrah marked the start of a remarkable influx of new miners into these previously slumbering rural landscapes and their environs. While the name of the field would officially be 'Burrangong' once it was declared in November, the name most commonly used for the diggings was Lambing Flat. One was an order to a mercantile house for a number of tents and canvas to be dispatched immediately.
The following is an extract from a letter received by a gentleman in town. July 6. There is a second Snowy just broke out, about ten or twelve miles from Murrumburrah. It is the opinion of many hero that the Snowy River will be nothing to it.
The sinking is to the depth of twenty teet, when the lend, which consists of blue clay, is reached. There is on an average about three feet of washing stuff. The sample of gold shown to us by Mr. Murphy on 1 hursday was rough and nuggetty. On the same dtiy that gentleman deposited in the bank for tinnsmission to the Mint, two bogs of gold dust, procured at the diggings on Demondrill Creek.
One of the bags weighedarfourteen ounces, the other ten and a-half ounces. The grains were very fine. The lot was purchased by Mr. English and Mr. Kennedy from some Chinamen. Some months since Mr. The bed-rock of the latter place is granite. Close 4th August Within a month though the news was beginning to build of the potential of the new find — and indeed of the district.
Just down the road at Gundagai new gold discoveries at Stony Creek were also beginning to gain attention. The colour is very bright, and many of the grains appear to have been flattened by igneous action. Lambing Flat is thirty-two miles from Binalong, and about twenty miles from Murrumburrah, and is situate on Mr. Sheedy says that it is about four weeks last Friday when he and several other persons were out looking for horses : they camped at this station.
An American who acted as cook, and who was familiar with the appearance of many other gold- fields, was struck with the appearance of the place ; he washed a few spadefulls of the surface earth, and succeeded in getting a good prospect of gold. The horses having been procured, Mr, Sheedy and party started for Binalong, and a few days afterwards returned with six men, well supplied with tools and provisions, determined to test the auriferous quality of the place. They com- menced working, but in a few days some of the party had to leave the place, on account of the influenza.
In the second dishful washed was a nugget of 7 dwts. There were about fifty persons at this place when Mr. Sheedy left on Sunday last, but some had come badly supplied with tools and provisions, and had been compelled to leave to procure them. The sample shown us was procured by a party of four, in three feet sinking in the creek. Gold is also found by surfacing. A good prospect has been found within three or four miles from Lambing Flat.
Within the last few days, several of the parties have turned out three ounces a day. There are at present men at work. There is plenty of gold for miles around, but at present it is all surfacing.
One hole was bottomed, but was of no account. Large numbers of cradles are on the ground, and anything that is required. Some of the gold has found its way to Binalong, Mr. Miles Mur- phy being the purchaser. Enright received a parcel of gold weighing 10 ozs. Miles Murphy of Binalong. It is from Lambing Flat, which promises to turn out a payable gold-field. There are now four parties in full operation, all of whom report favourably of the new field.
Two have em- ployed themselves in the bed of the creek, while the others are engaged in. Many would-be diggers have been to see it, and have left in disgust.
The men who originally opened it, and who have worked in Victoria since her gold-fields have been opened have no intention of leaving. I do not wish to bring a man to the diggings and deceive him, and have only to say that those at work are satisfied, and fully believe that they will open a payable gold-field. Close So just what was the overall state of the NSW diggings at this time? As always, talk of new finds was constantly trickling through in the Sydney media.
The discovery of gold however did not itself a goldfield make and often it took several months for the wheat to separate out from the chaff. By late August for example, reporters were still wary of giving the new gold finds north of Murrumburrah at Lambing Flat a tick as the next big thing. They could however confirm that with 50, ounces of gold already on its scorecard, Kiandra would always count as a major find - even if everyone upped and left there and then.
As those who decided to stay at Kiandra over winter hunkered down and waited for spring to come in order to resume mining, the Chinese on the diggings showed their resourcefulness by taking on a winter job of providing a human carrier service for goods and materials onto the snow-locked fields.
Advice is thrown away upon them, and experience preaches in Vain. They must suffer. It is curious to observe in contradistinction how the Chinese adapt themselves to adverse circumstances at Kiandra.
Europeans would scarcely be able to endure this strain upon the shoulders, Tmt the Chinese are to the manner bom, and? As to their dirty habits, we are aware that Chinamen wash their feet with far greater regularity than their faces. But that may be a peculiarity of theirs. It cannot be denied, however, considering that leprosy exists amongst them, that it is a wise precaution to make them encamp by themselves.
At Murrumburrah, further south, towards Yass, some new ground has been opened, but the result is not sufficient to warrant a rush of population. The gold found is rough and nuggetty, and the sinking is about twenty feet. At the Carcoar and Bunda fields there are some i two hundred Chinamen, who are working steadily, and making fair wages.
At Carcoar on the flat land, the gold is fine-in the hilly country, nuggetty. At Maitland Bar, near , Mudgee, a forty-five ounce nugget was lately unearthed, but these diggings are not much thought of at present. The Bathurst diggings are increasing their yield, and great hopes are entertained of a quartz reef there, which, hav- ing been tested, shewed a very good average of gold to the ton.
At Spring Creek diggings, in the south, a large number of China- men are at work, and some of them average three ounces a-day. Gold is reported to be plentiful for miles around, but none was found by sinking — as surface dig- gings, therefore, they will soon be worked out. At Adelong, a recently-discovered quartz reef is highly spoken of, and is said to go far to prove the theory that a large hill in that lo- cality is traversed by a succession of auriferous I veins.
The remainder of the diggings are not worthy of extended notice. The diggings at Kiandra have already yielded some 50, ounces of gold. If not another ounce were to be procured, they would still have had a most beneficial effect upon the Southern I country in particular. They have already given a stimulus to trade in the metropolis and the in- land towns lying on the route to the Snowy, and further, have tended to create ports on the sea coast which before were almost deserted.
Eden for instance, a port nearly midway between Sydney and Melbourne, where diggers land coming from Victoria bound for the Snowy, has grown into quite a bustling place since Kiandra has become famous. Buildings are springing up in every direction, and something of the activity is observable there which caused San Francisco to rise out of the plain almost in a day.
In addition to this, the country about the Alps will be taken up for agriculture and squatting, and thereby the general prosperity of the colony will be augmented. Our English readers will be able to compre- hend how these new diggings have attracted the people, when we inform them that from the 16th July to the 20th July, there crossed the border into New South Wales from Victoria alone, 14 wagons, drays, horsemen, and pedestrians.
And this is only a portion of the migration which has been setting in towards the Snowy. Lately, it has suffered a check ; but next month, will probably see a stampede un- equalled in this colony at all events. Close 25th September Come springtime, and those on the Kiandra field however had some serious competition for the label of the next big thing in southern NSW. By then the Lambing Flat diggings were getting a reputation for just how extensive the distribution of gold across the region seemed to be and how relatively easy it was to obtain it — quite a heady mix this when the news got out.
The diggers continue to find new ground every day, and it is expected that the richest part of the neighbourhood has not yet been struck. Provisions are cheap and pro- curable in abundance. Additions to the population are occurring every day; the greater part of the arrivals being from the Bathurst country. There are a great many Chinese on the ground, and the labour being light, this place, is likely to become a favourite with them.
It is much to be desired that the Execu- tive would proclaim Lambing Flat a gold-field, as then the gold-mining regulations would be brought into operation, and persons would go to work in con- structing dams and cutting races.
But at the present time, as there is no protection, and therefore no en- couragement for such laborious undertakings, the diggers are only scratching about, and not turning the ground to its most profitable use. We have no doubt that Mr.
Commissioner Beckham, who is anxious to promote the interests of the diggers, will urge the Government to take the necessary step. Close 8th October By October Lambing Flat was really beginning to make a stir with one pundit predicting it would produce more gold than any other goldfield in NSW. Small wonder then that people were really starting to stream in. Significantly fears were already being expressed about the general lack of water however, and it was the absence of this precious resource that would help fuel tensions on the field.
A correspondant writes :It is our impression that the country at and around Lambing Flat will produce more gold than any other goldfield in New South Wales. Those who have seen the richest gold-fields lu Victo. Elijah Howard of Tumut has returned from a brief visit to these diggings, and altogether reports favourably of them.
He considers there is about persons at work there, whose success is more or less great. It is his impresslon that the field will be workable during the entire summer with a little economy with respect to the water.
On Monday last there was a rush to the head of Spring Creek ; the first hole sunk there produced a prospect of IS dwts. The following lottcr has been rcoolved from o townsman. There are a great number of diggers flocking here every day. There are now upward of a thousand people on the mines. Wc have no commissioner at present. The sinking in Chance Gully is frcm six- to ten feet, and in other parts from twenty to twenty-live feet.
The avorage yield is from about one to three pennyweights of gold I per tub. The water is too muddy and scarce for sluching.
The diggers ore all of opinion that it would pay well if thorc was plenty of water. In my opirlon the water in Chance Gully, if wo have not rain occasionally, will be due up in a months timo. There ure often new rushes from one place to another.
A quartz reef has been struck on the ri60 of the hill from ClianceGullv, and c1 uni all around it were taken up immediately , I had a look at the quariz, and it shews well; you can sec the gold, which is quite visible in it. Kiandra Court House is now a small museum displaying gold rush artefacts and mining equipment and cultural mostly Chinese artefacts.
The museum is open for groups by arrangement bookings required and on some weekends. I am very sorry but the Kiandra courthouse has never been open to the public at all in the 30 odd years I have been visiting northern Kosiusko National Park. I have been through the building when the front door had been left unlocked. It is in good condition. I visit 1 week in 4. They certainly cannot afford to reconstruct the courthouse at Kiandra despite huge revenue from Thredbo etc. I had my first skiing experience at Kiandra it must have been in about or so.
We stayed in a youth hostel for about a week. I remember trying to ski after hanging onto a rope which hauled us up to the top! And then down we staggered trying to stay upright. I heard much later that the youth hostel was demolished … what a shame! Still we had a great week I fell in love with the cook who was a man from Czechoslovakia so he seemed pretty exotic to me at the time! Ah memories!! I love it in Kiandra. Been up there twice this year. Sad to see the old Court House damaged by the fires but the toilets still stands.
There was even a hint of snow around. The air so clean and fresh. Got something to add? Have we missed something or got a top tip for this town? Have your say below. Click here to cancel reply. Your Comment required. Name required. Email required, not published. There is one caravan park. Good sealed roads run north from Kalgoorlie up to Leonora, Leinster, and east out to Laverton. All other roads are dirt. The largest known nugget found for the season was a ounce lump rumoured to be from near Laverton.
If you want to experience the kind of trip we did look at: www. We will take you to all the wonderful places we found, plus more. We give one-on-one coaching every day of the tour and guarentee you will find gold. Tour numbers are limited to 16 people. Try us out, we are sure it will be the adventure of a lifetime. Our tours are based in Leonora, Western Australia, the centre of the Eastern Goldfields and home of some of the richest alluvial gold areas in the world.
So we can offer you plenty of choice alluvial spots along with that all important "local knowledge". You can experience the rugged beauty of the Australian bush, the splendid isolation of camping under the stars of the "Southern Cross", the rich history of the of "the old diggers" who discovered gold here in the 's and of course the chance to find your own gold - and you get to keep everything that you find!
You will be visiting a few known alluvial areas but we also emphasise prospecting for new patches - when you hit one of these then the adrenaline really flows! The "Tag-Along" tours are our most popular way of prospecting for gold. We provide the guides, metal detector tuition, advice and a safe approach to travelling in the vast and rugged West Australian bush.
You provide your vehicle, camping accommodation, your detector, food, fuel and you do your own cooking. A full list of suggested requirements can be provided by us. Package Tours include transport from Kalgoorlie to Leonora, your transport out into the bush, camping and cooking equipment. Pick-up in Perth can be done by special arrangement or we can assist with your bookings for transport from Perth to Kalgoorlie.
You provide a sleeping bag or "swag" and an adventurous spirit. Both tours are twenty one days but we can arrange a tailored package to suit you if required. Hire of metal detectors can be arranged subject to sufficient notice of your requirements. While you're thinking about the adventure of a lifetime and longing to get away from it all, take a look at our website and view some of the nuggets found by us recently.
Do you think there's some out there with your name on 'em? Having lived near Sacramento, California for the last 20 years or so, And having spent some time fossicking for gold in the creeks and rivers of northern Cal. I had heard that Australia was a long way away - down under - and it was generally a friendly place. I really had no idea of the gold history of the place, so set out using libraries and the Internet to improve my knowledge.
I didn't have much success with libraries, but the Internet aided me considerably in my quest for knowledge. I soon picked up several sites operated by big mining companies, and then I came across Gold Net Australia. Going through this site with meticulous care I read with interest about the gold that was in Australia. I really had no idea that Australia was such a large producer of gold and that it was still pretty easy to get some - or so the site indicated. There were a lot of advertisers there with e-mail connections - so I sent off a few e-mails to various advertisers and to "the Editor".
I didn't expect a lot back and was quite surprised when the e-mails were responded too. After a few weeks my appetite was whetted for what appeared to be a gold treasure trove in that land down under, and of course being somewhat ignorant of what to expect took some advice from my local travel agent to ensure firstly I would be safe there.
The reports were all very positive, so I booked to flight from home to Melbourne, Australia. The flight was a little long, but otherwise enjoyable and when I arrived I was quite surprised to see such a large airport.
I had not really expected to see kangaroos in the main streets, but I didn't really expect to arrive in such a buoyant cosmopolitan city.
The cab drive into Melbourne itself to my hotel was a little strange for me. Everyone was driving on the wrong side of the road and the steering wheel wasn't where I knew it should be. But the cab driver was friendly, but his origins were either Italian or Greek, I couldn't really tell, but his English was good. My hotel was a large multi-story building and certainly worth the 5 star rating afforded it. The staff were friendly and helpful, and although they accepted tips, I got the clear impression that this wasn't the norm here.
I took a couple of days to sort the body clock out as the sun kept coming up when my body said I should be going to bed - but I adapted quickly.
I was really delighted with Melbourne. A rather large city right on Port Phillip Bay. Lots of big modern bridges and freeways here, just like any US city. I just wished they would drive on the other side of the road. I had arranged to head to the gold fields on the first Saturday and had hired a car for the few days that I was going to these unknown and unseen gold fields.
I found the freeway to Bendigo eventually and headed northwest away from Melbourne. Once in the rural areas, what struck me was the dryness. It was November and Australia was just coming into their summer.
I knew Australia was dry but didn't expect it to be this dry. Most of the fields were what I would describe as barren but stock was grazing there so there must have been some feed.
Getting to Bendigo was pretty easy as it turned out. I just had to remember to stay on the wrong side of the road. Having spoken to David Watters, from Trackline Detectors by both e-mail and by phone I knew he was going to be a big help to me.
He met me on the outskirts of Bendigo as arranged and he took me to his home and office where there is a small shop attached to the back of his family home. I met his mom and dad, Joy and Jeff, and we had a good talk about gold both in Aus. I found them a most delightful family and was quickly put at ease. I could have talked all day, but David pushed the point and we were soon heading into the gold fields, which I thought would be miles away. In fact we only went about 2 miles before we stopped just east of Bendigo.
I was amazed that we were so close to a city with about 75, people and there was still gold there, or so I was told. I had heard about the Minelab d and Coiltek coils, and was very quickly informed that this was the only equipment to use. I was a little sceptical at first but after about half an hour of instruction I could see that this gear was not a toy at all - it was serious gold detecting gear.
The ground here was somewhat undulating but was easily traversed. I found there was a clear need to practice with this gear and soon realised that today would be an orienteering day only, but I persevered.
David was very helpful and attached to my detector was a second spot for headphones, so what I was hearing David was hearing too as he walked with me as I swung the detector. We dug a few signals and initially I had some difficulty in working out the ferrous sound from that of gold - but as the day wore on, I knew I was getting better at it.
David stuck with me for about two hours, guiding and assisting, as I required it. He was really very helpful and I was concentrating hard to - "get it right". I liked him actually. He was a character. Warm, communicative and at times downright funny. We ate about midday, and after that I thought I could use this gear well enough now to go on my own, so we both got fitted out with gear and off we went. I forgot to mention that I hadn't got even a little bit in the morning but in the afternoon - well that was a different matter.
We had shifted location a little to a low flat gully, and David has said that he had got gold here a few days before. I had been going only a few minutes when I got a good signal and digging it I found I had a nice little piece of gold. Just a small nugget, but it was gold. I couldn't resist telling him. I was delighted. I kept at it for the afternoon and got another 3 pieces, making a total of 4 all together.
I wanted more, so decided to stay in Bendigo for a couple more days. I stayed in the centre of this beautiful rural city in the Shamrock Hotel. It was a delightful place with friendly staff and very spacious rooms. Obviously built last century the ornate architecture was fascinating.
Well-maintained old buildings were everywhere, and I spend the evening after dinner walking along the streets just admiring these fine old buildings. I was very tired but also very happy with my day. I had gold and I was in a warm and friendly place.
I was enjoying this and was looking forward to the dawn so I could get back to those gold fields again. David had promised we would go to Dunolly somewhere west of Bendigo where there were large nuggets.
I just couldn't wait. Tasmania was formerly known as Van Diemens Land, and first settled at Port Arthur as a penal settlement. About , people, today populate this island, with the capital being Hobart, in the south, and the second city being Launceston, on the Tamar River, in the north. It is a picturesque place and is now known as the "Holiday Isle.
However after the great gold rushes of Victoria during the 's and 60's, interest was again stimulated in the Tamar River around Beaconsfield. The reef is about 18" thick and well defined gold is showing very freely in the stone. The mining registrar of the district was over today and says that it is the richest reef in Tasmania. Although gold finds had been reported previously, in the main they had not amounted to much. However this find near Beaconsfield was to prove a great bonanza and eventually produced over , ounces of gold.
Between and this area produced about half Tasmania's total production of gold. Although the area was only some 28 miles north of Launceston, and access was by track the wet winter of , encouraged use of the packet steamers who plied the Tamar up to Beaconsfield which was near the gold field.
By August , much of the area had already been applied for by lease. Although water is plentiful in Tasmania, ironically none was situated vert near the gold field and horse and carts were used extensively to cart the wash dirt to Brandy's Creek or to Blyth's Creek, about a mile away. Although there was good gold here, the Tamar River Rush never really inspired a great influx of diggers.
At best only about 1, men were on this field at its peak. As most of the alluvial was held under claims disputes were frequent. The gold field was not huge, and the five Dally Brothers were known to hold over 52 acres in leases, but it was secretly known that they held over acres. This was considered more than a reasonable share, and feelings ran high, with many diggers ignoring the lease boundaries and digging across the boundaries. Claim jumping was rife and considered normal behaviour if one could get away with it.
Feelings ran very high and near riots, were common place. In October the Dally's sold out to W. Grubb and W. At about this time it was discovered that a number of the leases had been improperly organised and boundaries were being encroached on. The situation was slowly but surely becoming more volatile, with the independent diggers being denied access to the alluvial.
Companies provided guards around the clock to protect their claims. It is of interest to note that there were no police on the gold fields at all. Eventually a settlement was negotiated between the diggers and the large lease holders to the satisfaction of both parties. By , that area was taking on a more permanent status. A regular postal service, post office, Courthouse and telegraph office was established.
A distinctive community had emerged in Beaconsfield with Cornish and Welshmen being the most populous. It is note that here only a handful of Chinese worked this gold field. As the mines became deeper water was becoming a problem.
The vast quantities of underground water here were a substantial impediment to further development, and a number of mines were abandoned.
On the Brandy Creek field an over abundance of water was the main problem. Limestone was close to the main quartz reefs and water just kept draining into every shaft that was dug. In June , there was a sudden influx of water into Dally's United mine, a large mine that employed a good number of diggers. The water was so prolific that within a few minutes it was gushing out of the main shaft flooding the surrounding shafts as well. It was not until when huge pumps partly solved the problem. By water was being pumped out at about three million gallons a day, and that was insufficient to cope with the ever increasing flow.
Late in the Tasmania Company finally ceased operating due entirely to the excess water. However the optimist continued and the company ordered huge pumping equipment costing some 35, pounds. Almost , gallons an hour could be pumped with this huge machinery and on March 12th, the new pumps started.
Work on the mine cost a further 35, pounds to resurrect the mine to a workable state and the company soon was in difficulties repaying the bank. Over men were stood down and the mine although continuing to work, was not returning as well as it had in the past. Eventually all gold recovery work at the mine was suspended. The work force was now down to just 72 men. In February , the gold reef was re-located at feet. Work was again commenced in April that same year.
By early the company's position had improved considerably. Water difficulties continued to hound the company, and extra pumping gear was ordered from England. Although pumping out half a million gallons each 24 hours, working the shafts was proving quite difficult. The costs were enormous and profitable extraction was becoming less likely each month. Eventually the company sold their operations to an English company but they fared no better. Director's fees were enormous. Water, still the main problem, was getting worse.
Although work was continuing into a massive flood occurred on 25th June flooding the entire area including all mineshafts. Despite attempting to get the mines operational again - it was never to be, at least as a profitable entity.
There is no doubt that the gold field at Beaconsfield is still exceptionally rich in ore, but economic recovery is unlikely. Perhaps one day technology and gold prices will combine to allow this once rich area to be resurrected. The Wedden Mountains were a long way from law and order, and the settlers were in general a law unto themselves, with many of the families settled in the area former prisoners. Gardiner had been charged by the local police commander Inspector Sir Frederick Pottinger with cattle stealing and when he was due to appear to answer the charges he had failed to do so.
Consequently a warrant was issued for his arrest. In the meantime June he had joined forces with John Piesley and had taken to the roads, holding up those who just happened by and relieving them of their gold, cash and other valuables. Following information received from an informant Sergeant Middleton and Trooper Hosie were dispatched to Fogg's humpy, a well known haunt of bushrangers.
When they arrived, Gardiner was inside the premises and was caught off guard. As Middleton entered the hut both he and Gardiner fired at each other. Both men were wounded and Middleton, shot in the hand and mouth staggered from the hut ordering Hosie to go around the back to prevent the escape.
The hut had only one entrance door at the front, and Gardiner tried to use it, with the wounded sergeant standing guard, as he attempted to reload his pistol. From inside Gardiner took careful aim and shot at Sergeant Middleton again - hitting him in the hip.
Although severely wounded Middleton held his ground and Hosie hearing the shot ran back to the front of the hut and entered facing Gardiner.
Both men shot at each other. Trooper Hosie was hit in the head and collapsed immediately. Gardiner was hit on the side of the temple, and fell. He rose to his feet in an attempt to escape, and having no loaded weapon attacked the sergeant with the butt of his gun.
Both men, although severely wounded, fought a vicious fight on the ground for their lives. Constable Hosie by this time had regained his senses and had rejoined the efforts to capture Gardiner. All three men fought with strength and vigour. Eventually Gardiner was overcome and handcuffed. The owner of the hut however refused to go for help and Sergeant Middleton although severely wounded was forced to mount his horse and ride for help.
In the meantime - the wounded constable was left to guard Gardiner. Just what happened next is unclear. What is clear though is that Gardiner escaped.
What is obvious from this is that although the police were often lampooned as being cowards and incompetent - the facts indicate that they were brave and courageous men often putting their lives at risk in the defence of law and order. Gardiner disappeared and slowly recovered, hiding with friends throughout the Weddin Mountains. He spent some time at Ben Hall's place while recovering. The police traps has increased their efforts to capture Gardiner after the shooting of the two police officers and patrols were increased in the Wedden Mountains.
A number of properties were searched several times - including Ben Hall's hut, without success. Hall's marriage to Biddy was not proceeding well. Ben had taken to flirtations with the dance hall girls in Forbes and Bridget Biddy was developing a relationship with Jim Taylor a neighbouring farmer. While Hall was in custody awaiting trial Bridget took up with Taylor and left her husband.
When Gardiner recovered he made his way to South Australia where he pretended to be a parson for some 6 months, returning to the Weddin Mountains in February
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