1872
27 June 1872
Wednesday.
The first washing has taken place at the Home Rule lead, Gee's claim, a block south of the prospectors and adjoining Masters' paddock. Seventy two loads taken from a depth of 91 feet, yielded 108 oz. 17 dwts. of fine, good, heavy gold, which has been sold to the Oriental Bank1
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1903
19 November 1903
AN INTERESTING RETROSPECT.
The Home Rule Progress Association have issued a most interesting report, to which are attached the various reports and official correspondence dealing with the boring operations on the deep ground. These documents have already appeared in the "Guardian." The Progress Association's report reads: -
The Home Rule diggings broke out in 1872. The first gold was found in the Home Rule lead, a name by which the town has been known ever since. In a few months after the Nil Desperandum and Home Rule were found to be one and the same run of gold. The Nil Desperandum lead heads from a hill north of the Canadian township, runs through Stott's paddock, the Rose of England paddock, Lowe's paddock, Masters' paddock, on to the Home Rule, in all about 4 miles of the richest alluvial deposits in N.S.W. It crosses the Cooyal Creek, the present drain of the Linburn and Cooyal watersheds, and takes a course to the east, where, according to the late Government; Geologist, Mr. C. S. Wilkinson, F.G.S., the old drain of these watersheds exists, i.e., a deep channel having its rise beyond Cooyal and having for its outlet the Murray River, somewhere below Cullengoral. Where the lead crosses the creek, or to be more correct, where the present creek crosses the lead, the workings were 40 ft below the present bed; this lead was worked down to the Union, a shaft a few hundred yards west of the deep channel, or old watercourse. Work only ceased on this lead when the water drove the miners, with their primitive pumping appliances, from the deep workings of the Union. In this claim, which is the furthest worked on the lower end of this lead, the gold was as good as ever.
The Home Rule lead had numerous feeders, notably the Canadian, Rose of England, Shallow Rush, Haphazard, The Camp, Christmas, and Tatton's leads, all rich and payable. About half a mile south of where the Cooyal Creek crosses the Home Rule lead is the ridge known as the Rocky Hill, a rise on which the township is built. From this hill three leads head, the Christmas lead heading from the eastern side of the hill, and taking a course parallel with the deep channel, and joining the Home Rule lead about 300 yards west of the Union; and two leads known as the Shallow Rush, one running to the north-west and emptying into the Home Rule lead, the other crossing the creek and making a junction with the Hibernian lead, which heads about one mile away from this hill, in a north-westerly direction, crossing and recrossing the creek (which flows at the base of the hill), and then making east of the deep channel. All four leads were exceptionally rich, on the Shallow Rush huge nuggets of gold being unearthed. The Hibernian lead, which was worked east as far as the Red, White and Blue shaft, though the gold was as good as ever, had to be abandoned, owing to primitive pumping appliances.
About one mile further south, still on the western side of the deep channel, is the Chinaman's lead, coming in from the west and making east into the deep channel. Two miles south from the Chinaman's lead is the Homeward Bound lead, which presents the same features as the Chinaman's lead and the Hibernian.
Eight miles further on is the Stony Creek and Walford's diggings, which have been traced to the deep channel. Crossing over the main channel, and taking the leads, which rise in the east and flow west into the deep channel, the first is Linburn lead. This lead, together with its tributaries, has been worked for a distance of about 3 miles. The next lead, north of the Linburn lead, is the Cornstalk lead, which has also been worked until water drove out the individual miner. The next is John's paddock lead, a run of about one and a half miles long.
Further north again is the Gamblers Retreat and the McElhone leads. These two leads prove the existence of a deep main channel. The Gambler's Retreat empties into the deep ground, almost directly opposite to where the Red, White and Blue shaft, on the Hibernian lead, was abandoned, and the McElhone empties into the deep ground opposite to where the Union shaft, on the Home Rule Lead was abandoned. The McElhone and Gambler's Retreat leads rise in the east and run west, and the Home Rule and Hibernian leads rise in the west and run east. Further north, and on the eastern side of the deep channel, are the Captain Cook and Flying Pig leads running into the deep channel. Farther north again, but on the western side of the deep channel, are the Lily May, Cat and Dog, Red Lead, and Periwinkle Lead, all rising in the west and running east into the deep channel. All the leads were highly payable, and were worked until the inflow of water interfered with further developments. The best men in the Mines Department, together with such scientists as the Rev. W. B. Clarke, have averred that this deep channel exists, and should prove highly payable. Griff Lloyd, Chairman. John B. Maroney, Hon. Sec2
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1955
17 January 1955
Prospectors Flocked to Dog and Cat Deep Leads at Canadian Lead in 1872
(Forty-third instalment of a series of extracts from a department book on the Magnetic prospecting of the Gulgong Deep Leads for gold in the district’s early days).
The Home Rule Leads. - A number of auriferous leads occur in the Home Rule district, the village itself is situated close to the Main or Gulgong-Cooyal Lead, into which the various leads appear to enter.
This Lead (an extension of the Canadian Lead) was discovered in May, 1872, and a large number of prospectors were soon on the ground. The Britannia, Shallow Rush and Red Leads, were found early, then the Christmas, Dog and Cat, and Lily May Leads were in turn located.
There were but few shallow workings on the Home Rule field for, with the exceptions of the Shallow Rush and Christmas Leads, which head close to the village, the average depth of sinking was over 100 feet and in places (David Buchanan Shaft - on Main Lead) exceeded 200 feet.
As the individual leads were followed into deeper ground prospecting was hampered by heavy water and running drifts and the early efforts to work these portions of the leads were unsuccessful.
In 1872 the David Buchanan shaft was sunk on the Main or Gulgong-Cooyal Deep Lead, to a depth of 170 feet, and then, owing to the heavy water and drifts encountered, had to be abandoned.
In 1875 the Red, White and Blue Shaft (on the deep ground of the Shallow Rush Lead) was sunk to a depth of 180 feet, and was then abandoned owing to heavy water. By the time it was realised that “nothing could be done without the aid of powerful pumping gear, worked by steam machinery, so persistent and extensive in the body of water encountered after a certain depth.”
In 1877, the Red, White and Blue claim was again taken up and the first machinery to be installed on this portion of the field was erected there. For two years this claim yielded handsome returns and was then worked out and abandoned.
In 1879 machinery was installed at the Good Hope Claim (on the Home Rule Lead), at the Extended Claim (on the Red Lead), and at the David Buchanan Claim (on the Main or Gulgong-Cooyal Lead). The following year the Union claim - close to the Good Hope and on the Home Rule Lead was also equipped with machinery.
The Good Hope and Union claims paid wages for a time and were ultimately abandoned in 1883, but the Extended and David Buchanan claims were failures. In 1880 Hewitt and party, and in 1881, Tatton and party, sunk on the deep ground of the Christmas Lead, both claims yielding satisfactory results for a time then gave out.
In 1883 machinery was installed on the Britannia Lead, but apparently operations ceased before bottom was reached.
In 1884, only a few fossickers were working at Home Rule. the Mining Registrar, in his report for that year states:-
“This position of the gold fields presents a very forlorn and desolate appearance.
Half the dwellings are empty and fallen to decay, and so many people have left the locality that it may be considered as comparatively deserted.”
In 1893, an attempt was made to work the deep ground of the Periwinkle Lead. At a depth of 190 feet a limited amount of payable wash was located, but was soon worked out.
The field was by this time practically abandoned.
In 1900, Mr. E. F. Pittman, Government Geologist, investigated the Deep Leads of Home Rule and submitted the following report:-
“Having inspected the country in the vicinity of Home Rule, parish of Wyaldra, county of Phillip. I am of opinion that it affords an opportunity for the legitimate expenditure of money from the prospecting Vote”3
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