78-649: Avon Yard is a railway yard west of Northam, Western Australia . It lies on the southern side of the Avon River on the Eastern Railway between Toodyay and Northam. As part of the project to gauge convert the East-West rail corridor from narrow gauge to standard gauge , a new yard was built on the Eastern Railway to the west of Northam by the Western Australian Government Railways . It
156-542: A gantry crane assembled by Vickers Hosking in Bassendean was commissioned to transfer intermodal containers . It was last used in July 1981. In 1978 a turntable assembled at Midland Railway Workshops was installed. The yard has been modified at various stages, as the different operators dealt with the services required. It has also been considered as redundant grain receival or storage location with some arguments for bypassing
234-458: A burgeoning economy. The mateship that evolved between these diggers and their collective resistance to authority led to the emergence of a unique national identity. Although not all diggers found riches on the goldfields, many decided to stay and integrate into these communities. In July 1851, Victoria's first gold rush began on the Clunes goldfield. In August, the gold rush had spread to include
312-545: A friend. This find was concealed at the time because of the fear it would bring undesirable strangers to the run. Observing the migration of the population of New South Wales and the panic created throughout the whole colony, and especially in Melbourne, and further motivated by a £200 reward (equivalent to A$ 63,000 in 2022) that had been offered the day previous to anyone who could find payable gold within 200 miles (320 km) of Melbourne, on 10 June 1851, Campbell addressed
390-489: A gum tree. At this place I found numerous particles of gold convenient to river." In 1834, with government help, John Lhotsky travelled to the Monaro district of New South Wales and explored its southern mountains. On returning to Sydney in that same year, he exhibited specimens that he had collected that contained gold. In 1837, gold and silver ore was found about 30 miles (48 km) from Segenhoe near Aberdeen . The find
468-434: A letter to merchant James Graham (member of Victorian Legislative Council 1853–1854 and 1867–1886 ) stating that within a radius of 15 miles of Burn Bank, on another party's station, he had procured specimens of gold. Campbell divulged the precise spot where the gold had been found in a letter to Graham dated 5 July 1851. Prior to this date, however, James Esmond and his party were already at work there mining for gold. This
546-508: A shepherd brought in rich specimens of auriferous quartz which he had found to the eastward of Northam, but he failed to locate the spot again. Various small finds were made up to 1882, when Alexander McRae found gold between Cossack and Roebourne , with one nugget weighing upwards of 9 dwt (14 g). Edward Hardman , Government Geologist, found traces of gold in the East Kimberley in 1884. His report about his finds subsequently led to
624-400: A specimen of gold embedded in quartz for sale, with the gold weighing about four ounces (113 g), with the shepherd saying he had been robbed of double as much on his way to town. The shepherd did not disclose where he had found the gold; instead, he intimated that, if men were to take engagements with squatters , they, in addition to receiving their wages, may also discover a gold mine. Gold
702-598: Is a major railway junction, and serves as the commercial centre for much of the western Wheatbelt . The dual gauge Eastern Railway terminates here and becomes the standard gauge Eastern Goldfields Railway . Narrow gauge radiates both south of the town to York and beyond ( Great Southern Railway ), and north to Goomalling , another rural railway junction. Northam railway station is served by Transwa 's AvonLink , MerredinLink and Prospector rural train services, and Great Southern Rail's Indian Pacific to Sydney . The original station on Fitzgerald Street
780-642: Is a town in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia , situated at the confluence of the Avon and Mortlock Rivers . It is the largest town and regional centre in the Avon Valley region of the Central Wheatbelt. It is located approximately 97 kilometres (60 miles) north east of Perth , the capital city of Western Australia . At the time of the 2021 census , Northam had a population of 6,679. The area around Northam
858-643: Is believed to have been found in Northern Tasmania at The Den (formerly known as Lefroy or Nine Mile Springs) near George Town in 1840 by a convict. In the 1880s, this became known as the Lefroy goldfields. The Reverend William Branwhite Clarke found gold on the Coxs River , a location on the road to Bathurst, in 1841. In 1842, he found gold on the Wollondilly River . In 1843, Clarke spoke to many people of
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#1732872491691936-651: Is held annually on a Friday and Saturday in mid-September. It is an agricultural show similar to others held in the area, such as the York Show and the Toodyay Show. The Kep Ultra running race is held each year on the Western Australia Day long weekend in early June. The race starts in Northam and includes 100 km and 75 km events finishing at Mundaring Weir . During World War I , Wilberforce, an area on
1014-631: Is home to several iconic Western Australian events and activities. The Avon Descent is an annual, two-day white water river race that begins in Northam, and travels 124 km down the Avon River, into the Swan River before finishing in Bayswater . It occurs each year in August, and allows both power craft and peddle craft. The Northam Motorsport Festival occurs annually between the months of March and April and
1092-423: Is located on Duke Street. It was the first primary school of the area and has approximately over 300 students. West Northam Primary School is located on Habgood Street and has approximately 140 students. Avon Vale Primary School opened in 1954. It is located on Hutt Street and has approximately 140 students. Northam Senior High School is the public high school for the area. It is one of the oldest high schools in
1170-573: Is the main regional centre for the Central Wheatbelt region, and as such many local and state government departments choose to operate out of the town. Services Australia operates a Centrelink office in the town. Northam has a number of tourist attractions, including hot air ballooning , wineries, cafes and restaurants, museums, hotels and motels. Northam is connected to Perth via coach services N3 and N5, and rail services Prospector and MerredinLink provided by Transwa . Northam
1248-652: Is the spiritual successor to the historical Northam Flying 50s event. It is a free event which incorporates three activities, the Mount Ommanney Hillclimb, the SCBC Motokhana and the iconic Northam Flying 50s, an event in which the main streets of Northam are used as a circuit in which classic cars may complete time trials and race. There also is a classic car show, and several other small promotions and specials put on by community members. The show attracts around 5,000 spectators annually. The Northam Farmer's Show
1326-556: Is there any doubt in the fact that Mr M'Gregor found a considerable quantity of the precious metal some years ago, near Mitchell's Creek, and it is surmised he still gets more in the same locality." William Tipple Smith found gold near Bathurst in 1848. Smith, a mineralogist and manager of the Fitzroy Ironworks in New South Wales, had been inspired to look for gold near Bathurst by the ideas of Roderick Murchison , president of
1404-465: The Avon Yard . Northam has three public primary schools, a public high school, and a TAFE campus. It also has a private Catholic school, St Josephs which conducts classes from Kindergarten to Year 12, across two campuses. The original Northam Primary School was established in 1890, making it one of the states oldest primary schools. The current school opened in 1978 replacing the original structure, it
1482-572: The Murchison River , near Northampton , by explorer James Perry Walcott, a member of A. C. Gregory 's party: In 1852–53 rich specimens of gold-bearing stone were found by shepherds and others in the eastern districts, but they were unable afterwards to locate the places where the stone was discovered. The late Hon A. C. Gregory found traces of gold in quartz in the Bowes River in 1854. In 1861 Mr Panton found near Northam , while shortly afterwards
1560-581: The Town of Melbourne . In evidence that Clarke gave before a Select Committee of the NSW Legislative Council in September 1852, he stated that the subject was not followed up as "the matter was regarded as one of curiosity only, and considerations of the penal character of the colony kept the subject quiet, as much as the general ignorance of the value of such an indication." Towards the end of 1853, Clarke
1638-480: The Town of Northam handling the affairs of the town, and the Shire of Northam which also manages other towns, such as Bakers Hill and Wundowie . After 53 years of debates and failed attempts, the two councils finally merged as of the 1 July 2007 to form a conglomerate council, simply known as the Shire of Northam . The public sector is a large employer for residents of Northam and surrounding areas. The town of Northam
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#17328724916911716-494: The colonial government of New South Wales ( Victoria did not become a separate colony until 1 July 1851) had suppressed the news out of the fear that it would reduce the workforce and destabilise the economy. The Australian gold rushes changed the convict colonies into more progressive cities with the influx of free immigrants . After the California Gold Rush began in 1848, many people went there from Australia, so
1794-458: The 1890s the location of the source of water for the Goldfields water trains. Northam has a hot-summer mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csa ) with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. A severe thunderstorm lashed the town and surrounding areas on 27 January 2011 resulting in roofs being ripped off, trees being uprooted and power lines being brought down. About 50 houses were damaged in
1872-579: The Fitzroy Ironworks, in late January 1849, and he was presented with "an elegant knife, containing twelve different instruments, of colonial workmanship, (mounted in colonial gold) the steel of which was smelted from the ore taken from the Fitz Roy mine" . Gold was first detected in Western Australia in 1848 in specimens sent for assay to Adelaide from copper and lead deposits found in the bed of
1950-710: The New South Wales government sought approval from the British Colonial Office for the exploitation of mineral resources, and offered rewards for finding gold. The first gold rush in Australia began in May 1851 after prospector Edward Hargraves with others claimed to have discovered payable gold near Orange , at a site called Ophir . Hargraves had been to the Californian goldfields and had learned new gold prospecting techniques such as panning and cradling. Hargraves
2028-529: The Northam area. On 18 October 2010 the Yongah Hill (YHIDC) centre was announced as being established at the former Northam Army Training Camp. It was not opened until early 2012, however, and, after it was downsized from the original 1500 expected occupancy, talk of expansion has been happening. It is run by Serco for the Department of Home Affairs . Australian Border Force officers are also present at
2106-569: The Pyrenees Ranges. Alexandre Duchene and Joseph Forrester, both working for Charles Brentani, confirmed the stone contained a total of 38 ounces (1,077 grams) of 90 percent pure gold, and Brentani's wife Ann purchased the stone on behalf of her husband. A sample of this ore was given to Captain Clinch, who took it to Hobart; Captain White, who took it to England; and Charles La Trobe . As a consequence of
2184-472: The Royal Geographical Society, who in 1844 in his first presidential address, had predicted the existence of gold in Australia's Great Dividing Range, ideas which were published again in "The Sydney Morning Herald" on 28 September 1847 suggesting that gold "will be found on the western flanks of the dividing ranges". Smith sent samples of the gold he found to Murchison. Governor FitzRoy visited
2262-635: The Spencers Brook to York Road was the area set up for the breeding and selection of horses to be transported to overseas theatres of war involving Australian horseman in particular the iconic 10th Light Horse Regiment . Australian gold rushes During the Australian gold rushes , starting in 1851, significant numbers of workers moved from elsewhere in Australia and overseas to where gold had been discovered. Gold had been found several times before, but
2340-498: The abundance of gold likely to be found in the colony of New South Wales. On 9 April 1844, Clarke exhibited a sample of gold in quartz to Governor Sir George Gipps . In that same year, Clarke showed the sample and spoke of the probable abundance of gold to some members of the New South Wales Legislative Council including Justice Roger Therry , the member for Camden and Joseph Phelps Robinson , then member for
2418-401: The centre. In September 2018 a riot broke out at the centre and some buildings were set on fire, after a detainee was reportedly found in his cell injured after a suicide attempt. The detainee, who was a refugee, later died. Also in September 2018, a guard was alleged to have sexually assaulted a detainee. The town and hinterland of Northam are located in the Avon Valley - so named after
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2496-498: The community. During the 1940s and 1950s in Northam there were extensive camps for displaced persons and immigrants from continental Europe . The Northam Migrant Accommodation Centre closed in September 1951. It had been the first place of residence in Western Australia for approximately 15,000 immigrants from the Baltic states , Hungary , Poland , Czechoslovakia , Italy , Yugoslavia , Ukraine , Belarus and Bulgaria . During
2574-540: The discovery of payable gold and the first Western Australian gold rush. Gold was found in the Pyrenees Ranges in 1848 by a shepherd, Thomas Chapman. In December 1848, Chapman came into the jewellery store of Charles Brentani, in Collins Street, Melbourne, with a stone that he had "held for several months". Chapman said that he had found the gold where he worked on Charles Browning Hall (later Gold Commissioner) and Edmund McNeill's station at Daisy Hill (near Amherst) in
2652-437: The event for over a week with Northam competitors showing their dominance in the sport in the state. Three local riders who participated in this event (Dale Reynolds - then ranked 3WA for 18 Men's, Chris Marris - then ranked 1WA for 18 Men's, and Kyle Martin - then ranked 4WA for 18 Men's) have subsequently completed cross country rides from Adelaide to Perth demonstrating the interest in cycling in Northam. Steve Fossett became
2730-625: The facility and railing direct to Fremantle . It ceased being used as an operational yard by Aurizon in May 2013, however was still used to store withdrawn rolling stock. Watco Australia used the depot to maintain its CBH class locomotives and rolling stock. As part of its new contract with CBH Group that commenced in September 2021, Aurizon reopened the yard. [REDACTED] Media related to Avon Yard, Western Australia at Wikimedia Commons 31°38′34″S 116°37′59″E / 31.64278°S 116.63306°E / -31.64278; 116.63306 Northam, Western Australia Northam
2808-608: The first member of the electoral district of Loddon of the Victorian Legislative Council from November 1851 to May 1854. In 1854, Campbell received a £1,000 reward (equivalent to A$ 183,000 in 2022) from the Victorian Gold Discovery Committee as the original discoverer of gold at Clunes. At the time of the find in March 1850, Campbell was in the company of Donald Cameron, Cameron's superintendent, and
2886-639: The first person to fly around the world alone, non-stop, in a hot air balloon when he launched from Northam on 19 June 2002, and returned to Australia on 3 July, landing in Queensland . In July 2016 Russian adventurer and balloon pilot Fedor Konyukhov took off from Northam airfield to attempt a solo nonstop round the world balloon flight. He completed his circumnavigation, covering 33,521 kilometres (20,829 mi), in 11 days, 4 hours and 20 minutes, beating Fossett's record by 52 hours. Between 1952 and 1956 several motor racing events were held using streets within
2964-571: The first, though unofficial, gold rush in Victoria, or perhaps the gold rush that was stamped out. Charles La Trobe quickly put an end to the search for gold in February 1849 by ordering 10 mounted police, William Dana and Richard McLelland in charge of 8 native troopers, to 'take possession of the Gold-mine', 'prevent any unauthorised occupation of Crown Lands in the neighbourhood' (Hall and McNeill's station
3042-470: The gold find by Chapman, official printed notices were posted on a number of prominent places in the town (Melbourne) proclaiming the fact that gold had been found in Port Phillip (Victoria). The Bertini's shop was thronged by persons wanting to see the nugget and asking where it had been found. This find sparked a mini gold rush with about a hundred men rushing to the site. This could perhaps be categorised as
3120-631: The gold rush period. Between 1852 and 1860, 290,000 people migrated to Victoria from the British Isles, 15,000 came from other European countries, and 18,000 emigrated from the United States. Non-European immigrants, however, were unwelcome, especially the Chinese : The Chinese were particularly industrious, with techniques that differed widely from the Europeans. This and their physical appearance and fear of
3198-526: The gold. Before being taken down the harbour, after being warned by an officer that he would be put to death if he attempted to deceive him, Daley confessed that his story about finding gold was "a falsehood". He had manufactured the specimen of gold ore that he had exhibited from a gold guinea and a brass buckle and he produced the remains of the same as proof. For this deception, Daley received 100 lashes. Many convicts continued to believe that Daley had found gold, and that he had only changed his story to keep
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3276-557: The goldfield at Buninyong (today a suburb of Ballarat ) 45 km (28 mi) away and, by early September 1851, to the nearby goldfield at Ballarat (then also known as Yuille's Diggings), followed in early September to the goldfield at Castlemaine (then known as Forest Creek and the Mount Alexander Goldfield) and the goldfield at Bendigo (then known as Bendigo Creek) in November 1851. Gold, just as in New South Wales,
3354-400: The harbour ( Port Jackson , Sydney)". On the pretence of showing an officer the position of his gold find, Daley absconded into the bush for a day. For this escapade, Daley was to receive 50 lashes . Still insisting that he had found gold, Daley next produced a specimen of gold ore. Governor Arthur Phillip then ordered Daley to again be taken down the harbour to point out where he had found
3432-540: The lucky finder can obtain tons from the same spot by the simple mode of stooping down and picking it up. The attitude was completely different just a couple of years later in 1853 after the Victorian gold rushes had begun: Smythe's Creek, a branch of the Wardy Yallock river, is also attracting its share of the mining population, who are doing tolerably well. One very fine sample of gold has also been received in town during
3510-485: The many European immigrants living at the Holden Camp a league was formed comprising nine teams from Northam and one from Wundowie. Many of the teams were based on ethnicity such as: Italian; Dutch; Polish; Hungarian; Romanian; Yugoslav; Austrian; German and Bulgarian. In recent years, Northam United FC was a men's team whilst Northam Springfield FC is a children's football club in its tenth season (2021). Springfield play in
3588-453: The nearby towns of York and Beverley , but the arrival of the railway made Northam the major departure point for prospectors and miners heading east towards the goldfields . The town has had three newspapers over the years, all now defunct, namely The Northam Advertiser , Northam Courier , and the Northam News . A number of older buildings have heritage significance and still serve
3666-582: The peak immigration period, Northam had the largest immigrant receiving facilities within the State and the third largest in Australia. By 1950, the camp housed 4,000 people and two new blocks of huts were built to accommodate them all. By May 1954, 23,000 migrants had passed through the Northam Camp once the Accommodation Centre had closed. A significant number of these post-war arrivals eventually settled in
3744-587: The place of the gold find to himself. James Daley was hanged in December 1788 for breaking and entering and theft. Some convicts who were employed cutting a road over the Blue Mountains were rumoured to have found small pieces of gold in 1815. F. Stein was a Russian naturalist with the 1819–1821 Bellingshausen expedition to explore the Southern Ocean . Stein claimed to have sighted gold-bearing ore while he
3822-479: The river the Avon River . It has been periodically flooded, and man-made banks protect the town from inundation. The Avon is a name commonly used by organisations, newspapers and sporting groups. The river is spanned by a pedestrian suspension bridge ; at 117 metres (384 ft), it is the longest such bridge in Australia. Burlong Pool a pool just south of the town was known as the Burlong swimming pool, and in
3900-399: The sample was purchased by an employee, Joseph Forrester, a gold and silver smith. The shepherd refused to disclose to Forrester where he had obtained the nugget, but stated that "there was plenty more of it where it came from" on the station where he worked about 60 miles (97 km) from Melbourne. The sample was tested by Forrester and found to be 65 percent virgin gold. A sample of this ore
3978-558: The south-east of South Australia and travelled more than 400 km across country to the Victorian goldfields, along tracks which are still evident today. In 1885, following a call by the Western Australian government for a reward for the first find of payable gold, a discovery was made at Halls Creek , sparking a gold rush in that state . In August 1788, convict James Daley reported to several people that he had found gold, "an inexhaustible source of wealth", "some distance down
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#17328724916914056-559: The state, opening in 1921. The main building is heritage listed, though the campus has had renovations and further additions added to it in 1986, 1996 and 2015 It has approximately 715 students. In Semester 2, 2020 the school became an Independent Public School. It has several specialized programs to meet the diverse needs of its students, such as the Big Picture Program, Clontarf Foundation , Wirrpanda Foundation, Deadly Sista Girlz and others. The school not only intakes students from
4134-403: The surface, the shallowness allowed diggers to easily unearth gold nuggets. In 7 months, 2.4 million pounds of gold was transported from Mount Alexander to nearby capital cities. The gold rushes caused a huge influx of people from overseas. Australia's total population increased nearly four-fold from 430,000 in 1851 to 1.7 million in 1871. Australia first became a multicultural society during
4212-475: The town as a result of the storm but no injuries were reported. A flash flood occurred in the town and surrounding areas on 2 March 2021, with 40 millimetres of rainfall occurring in just half an hour. This resulted in many houses being damaged, as well as the Jubilee oval flooding, leaving silt all over the busy road of Peel Terrace. Originally, the town and surrounding area was split into two municipalities,
4290-646: The town of Northam, but also Year 10-12 students from the surrounding District High Schools, including the surrounding towns of Toodyay , York , Beverley , Goomalling and others. It also has a college for students that board that are from remote communities, Northam Residential College. Saint Josephs is a private Catholic school, with two campuses in Northam. It has approximately 600 students and teaches from Kindergarten to Year 12. The primary school campus, located on Lance Street, teaches students Kindergarten to Year 6. The high school campus, located on Wellington Street East, teaches students Year 7 to Year 12. This campus
4368-505: The town. The first circuit used was on the south side of the Avon River, but this was considered too dangerous, so a new circuit was built in 1956 on the north side of the river. Thoroughbred horse racing is held at Northam Racecourse by the Northam Race Club. The track held its first race in 1863 and has about 22 race meetings during the year. The town is also home to harness racing and greyhound racing . The town of Northam
4446-555: The unknown led to them to being persecuted in a racist way that would be regarded as untenable today. In 1855, 11,493 Chinese arrived in Melbourne . Chinese travelling outside of New South Wales had to obtain special re-entry certificates. In 1855, Victoria enacted the Chinese Immigration Act 1855, severely limiting the number of Chinese passengers permitted on an arriving vessel. To evade the new law, many Chinese were landed in
4524-511: The watchmaker's shop of T. J. Thomas in Melbourne by "bushmen". The specimens were looked upon as curiosities. A shepherd named Smith thought that he had found gold near the Ovens River in 1844, and reported the matter to Charles La Trobe , who advised him to say nothing about it. On 12 December 1845, a shepherd walked into the George Street, Sydney , shop of goldsmith E. D. Cohen carrying
4602-422: The week from the Wardy Yallock itself, found in the locality where the exploring party of last winter ended their labours. The parcel is small,- only 22 dwts. [34 g], but was obtained by one man in a week from very shallow surfacing. In March 1850, pastoralist William Campbell found several minute pieces of native gold in quartz on the station of Donald Cameron at Clunes. William Campbell is notable as having been
4680-669: The winter against their rivals Toodyay Junior Soccer Club. Northam has some very committed sporting teams. Australian rules football is an obsession with many of the people of Western Australia. Northam has two teams that play in the Avon Football Association competition, Federals and Railways. Field and indoor hockey , cricket , and netball also attract significant numbers of players and spectators. Individual sports such as tennis and cycling including BMX are also popular. The BMX State Championships were held in Northam in 2003 with 3,000 competitors and spectators attending
4758-435: The world; and, in less than three years, it has done for this colony the work of an age, and made its impulses felt in the most distant regions of the earth. When the rush began at Ballarat, diggers discovered it was a prosperous goldfield. Lieutenant-Governor Charles La Trobe visited the site and watched five men uncover 136 ounces of gold in one day. Mount Alexander was even richer than Ballarat. With gold sitting just under
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#17328724916914836-463: Was also found in many other parts of the state. The Victorian Gold Discovery Committee wrote in 1854: The discovery of the Victorian Goldfields has converted a remote dependency into a country of world wide fame; it has attracted a population, extraordinary in number, with unprecedented rapidity; it has enhanced the value of property to an enormous extent; it has made this the richest country in
4914-653: Was because Cameron had earlier shown specimens of the gold to George Hermann Bruhn, a German doctor and geologist whose services as an analyst were in great demand. Communication of this knowledge by Hermann to James Esmond was to result in the discovery by Esmond on 1 July 1851 of payable quantities of alluvial gold at Clunes and lead to the first Victorian gold rush. Edward Hargraves , accompanied by John Lister, found five specks of alluvial gold at Ophir near Orange in February 1851. In April 1851, John Lister and William Tom, trained by Edward Hargraves, found 120 grams of gold. This discovery, instigated by Hargraves, led directly to
4992-463: Was brought into town yesterday, having been picked up in a locality near the Wardy-yallock River. Of the identity of the metal there can be no mistake; but whether it was really taken from the spot indicated, or intended merely as a hoax or perhaps a swindle, it is quite impossible, at the present moment, to say. The piece exhibited, is of very small size; but, of course, as in all such instances,
5070-514: Was built as a dual gauge yard to allow freight from the narrow gauge Albany , Mullewa and Wyalkatchem lines to be transferred for forwarding via the standard gauge line. Extending for 3.2 kilometres and built on 40 hectares, as built it had 22 roads, both narrow (1,067mm) and standard gauge (1,435mm). It opened on 15 February 1966, initially only for narrow gauge trains. It had a diesel locomotive servicing depot, four 45 metre lighting towers and an eight cell CBH grain silo . In October 1968,
5148-465: Was described in the newspapers as the discovery of a gold and silver mine about 30 miles from Thomas Potter Macqueen's Segenhoe Estate, by a Russian stockman employed in the neighbourhood of the discovery, which was located on Crown land. Paweł Strzelecki , geologist and explorer, found small amounts of gold in silicate in 1839 at the Vale of Clwyd near Hartley , a location on the road to Bathurst. Gold
5226-463: Was first explored in 1830 by a party of colonists led by Ensign Robert Dale , and subsequently founded in 1833. It was named by Governor Stirling , probably after a village of the same name in Devon , England . Almost immediately it became a point of departure for explorers and settlers who were interested in the lands which lay to the east. This initial importance declined with the growing importance of
5304-739: Was found in January 1846 by Captain Thomas Terrell at the Victoria Mine near Castambul , in the Adelaide Hills , South Australia, about 10 miles (16 km) east of Adelaide . Some of the gold was made into a brooch sent to Queen Victoria. Samples were displayed at the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in 1851. Share prices rose from £2 to £30, but soon fell back to £3 when no further gold
5382-405: Was found in South Australia and Australia's first gold mine was established. From the earliest days of the Colony of South Australia men, including Johannes Menge the geologist with the South Australian Company , had been seeking gold. "Armed with miner's pick, numberless explorers are to be found prying into the depths of the valleys or climbing the mountain tops. No place is too remote". Gold
5460-405: Was found. Unfortunately for the investors, and everyone else concerned, the mine's total gold production never amounted to more than 24 ounces (680 g). Gold was found at Port Phillip (Victoria) by a shepherd. About April 1847, a shepherd took a sample of ore about the size of an apple, that he believed to be copper, into the jewellery store of Charles Brentani in Collins Street, Melbourne, where
5538-471: Was given a grant of £1,000 (equivalent to A$ 154,000 in 2022) by the New South Wales government for his services in connection with the discovery of gold. The same amount (£1,000) was voted by the Victorian Gold Discovery Committee in 1854. Gold was found in the Pyrenees Ranges near Clunes , and in the Plenty Ranges near Melbourne in 1841; the gold was sent to Hobart , where it was sold. Beginning in 1843, gold samples were brought several times into
5616-585: Was given to Captain Clinch who took it to Hobart. It is said that John Gardner found gold-bearing quartz in 1847 on Blythe Creek, near Beaconsfield , on the other side of the Tamar River from George Town. Gold was found by a shepherd named McGregor at Mitchells Creek near Wellington, New South Wales , in 1848 on the Montefiore's squatting run, "Nanima". The Bathurst Free Press noted, on 25 May 1850, that "Neither
5694-549: Was leased from the Crown), dismiss the gold-seekers and prevent any further digging at Daisy Hill. The story was then dismissed by some of the press as a hoax. This did not stop people finding gold. In 1850, according to Brentani's wife Ann, the "gold came down from the country in all directions". She and her husband purchased as much as they could but had difficulty in supplying the money. The first substantiated find of gold in Tasmania
5772-520: Was offered rewards by the Colony of New South Wales and the Colony of Victoria. Before the end of the year, the gold rush had spread to many other parts of the state where gold had been found, not just to the west but also to the south and north of Sydney . The Australian gold rushes changed the convict colonies into more progressive cities with the influx of free immigrants . These hopefuls, termed diggers, brought new skills and professions, contributing to
5850-471: Was on a 12-day trip to the Blue Mountains in March 1820. Many people were sceptical of his claim. The first officially recognised gold find in Australia was on 15 February 1823, by assistant surveyor James McBrien, at Fish River , between Rydal and Bathurst, New South Wales . McBrien noted the date in his field survey book along with, "At E. [End of the survey line] 1 chain 50 links to river and marked
5928-845: Was opened in 1889 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Apparition, while the Marist Brothers opened the Saint Pauls school in 1948 and 1971 before merging the schools together. Northam has a TAFE campus, previously known as the C. Y. O'Connor Institute . It has since been merged with other regional TAFEs and trades under Central Regional TAFE. Northam is also home to the Muresk Institute , one of Western Australia's leading tertiary educators for agriculture. Association Football (Soccer) has been played in Northam since just after World War Two. Due to
6006-509: Was opened in 1900 and closed in 1966 when the new Eastern Railway route became operational. The layout of the pre-1966 narrow gauge railway also had a busy junction at East Northam; this was removed on the completion of the new standard gauge railway. The Western Australian Government Railways originally created it as the Avon Marshalling Yard , and more recent operators in the yards such as Australian Railroad Group have named it
6084-523: Was reported to have been made by a Mr Riva of Launceston, who is stated to have traced gold in slate rocks in the vicinity of The Den (formerly known as Lefroy or Nine Mile Springs) near George Town in 1849. The following news item from the Geelong Advertiser of 10 July 1849 shows the attitude of scepticism towards gold finds that were being brought into towns like Geelong during the pre–gold rush period: GOLD. – A specimen of this valuable mineral
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