THE WAUKARINGA GOLDFIELD.

Kumara Times, Issue 3120, 2 November 1886, Page 3

THE WAUKARINGA GOLDFIELD.

The special coriespondenl of the Age gives the following account of the new diggings in South Australia : The diggings, the scene of the present rush, lie in the most northeastern paddock of the Teebnlpa Run, and the work is at present chiefly confined to a small dry gully or watercourse running . from so.uthiwest or north-east. It is scarcely sufficiently well defined to deserve the name of a cieek, and would only run when there had been a heavy fall of rain on the neighbouring rise. There is nothing to partic darly indicate the presence of gold about the general look of the place, and the find was made almost by chance. Thomas Brady, with his p rtner, T. Smith, found The first nuggets, and have in consequence claimed the. Government reward of £IOOO for the discovery of a payable alluvial goldfield. In reply to questions, he said : —' It was on Tuesday afternoon, the sth October, that I found the fiisl gold, just about the centre of the gulyl. We had been there searching about a week.' We picked about tin ounce and a half, and th'-ii we look about four buckets of stuff, but could find nothing more by turning it over. Then we washed it, gelling another half ounce or about 2uz-i. in an hour and a half. I was at Bendigo in 1852, and was the first to mark a bole iu California Gully. This place is not like the Bendigo gullies in appearance, but there are gullies not far from here exactly like those of the early Victorian diggings. I have been about six miles north-east of this, and there I think it looks exceedingly well for gold. lam certain they will get it on the flats, and I believe no one ever saw so much gold got so soon without water as. here. I believe many pounds’ wonh of gold is being thrown away every day owing to the inability to

wash the dirt. None has been washed except just he'e and there a little.trial in a dish. The bottom of the g(illy is all slaty, just 1 like' where we gbt‘ tlv first gold, and 1 hrlieve it will yet be nne of the finest fields in Australia. My son and Smith have picked up several nice nuggets, one about ’loz. and another about half that weight. All the gold I have seen is smooth and waterwoin. A little quartz jammed on to some of the pieces, l>ut is easily picked out. The first finds were made in the bottom of the gully, but now they are picking it out of the sides/ On the Saturday after the fust find about 30 men were on the ground, and the number is now (October 18) reckoned by the Warden to be over - 150. The, largest nugget which has yet been discovered was tak» n out on Friday hy a miner name 1 Bvrues. It was thought at fit at to be .over soz. in weight, but when placed on the scales at Waubaringa it went loz. 13dwt. This find was made just where a smaller watercourse joins the main gullv. On Saturday Smith found about 2oz. in small nuggets. Another man namedYarrell found loz. on the same day, along with his party of six. The latter has been successful in getting over 3 z. in two days, having searched without lesult during the first part of the week. The sinking has hitherto all been in the bed of the meek, down to 7t'\ in depth, and all the gold has been got out of the wash brought down from the Higher slopes hy the flood waters of many years. A number of claims have been pegged out higher up the gully, above the break in the ground, about 4f f . deep, below which the precious metal has hitherto been found, but so far only the colour hits bien obtained. It is impossible to say what I.bo permanent value of this alluvial fn-'d will tie until water is provided and the stuff can be washed.”