Diggers & Mining. Getting the Gold. Slide: MEMS FROM THE MOUNT - But in spite of all these wonderful golden discoveries, day after day, the grand desideratum is wanting - water, and with the amazing population rushing into these fields. I am surely afraid of very serious consequences arising . . . . As much as 30s. a barrel is now being paid I some of these gullies for water, and the price is likely to increase. Near to every tent you will see great heaps of washing stuff up, waiting for the first rains; one friend of mine has 400 cartloads this piled up, which he calculates will yield about 3 ounces to the load, and he and his mates still keep adding to their monstrous heap. (M.M.H., June 14, 1853.) . . .while others would spend the dry weeks heaping up ''stuff'' to be treated when the stream flowed again Markings: 68 994.LIF:4. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Diggers & Mining. Getting the Gold. Slide: On some fields - notably those on the Ovens and its tributaries, where there were no leads - ancient gold-bearing sands and gravels were found in river terraces high above the level of the stream. These were usually treated by a process known as sluicing. Water from higher levels of the stream was diverted through races to point of operations . . . Markings: 59 994.LIF:4. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Diggers & Mining. The Digging - The Diggers. Slide depicts: Murrey River, Kiewa River, Ovens River, King River. The Ovens Field consisted of widely separated diggings, discovered and worked at intervals during the gold rush. Markings: 23 994.LIF:6. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Diggers & Mining. The gold licence. The Government Camp. The licence system aroused much hostility among the diggers. They objected to the principle of the fee - a tax on their labour levied by a government in which they were not represented. They objected to the incidence of the tax, which bore equally on the fortunate diggers who could afford it, and the large number of unfortunate diggers who could not. But the most objectionable feature of the licence system way the method by which, on most fields, it was generally enforced. Markings: 34 994.LIF. 4. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Diggers & Mining. The gold licence. The Government Camp. Depicts diggers on the goldfield with one on the run. Some diggers avoided payment - and ''digger hunts'' were a feature of many fields. 'Joe! Joe!' marked on picture. Markings: 32 994.LIF. 4. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, goldfields

Diggers & Mining: The Diggings - The Diggers. Slide reads: Nearly all of the early Victorians diggings (prior) to the widespread adoption of deep skinking on some fields) presented an appearance something like this. There was the stream, lined with men feverishly washing for gold; behind this was the field proper, honeycombed with claims; behind this again were the tents and huts of the diggers, what stores there were, and - perhaps - in a clearing, the headquarters of a Commissioner. The following frames show Tulloch's drawings of three of the diggings in 1851. Markings: 2 994.LIF 6. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, mining

Diggers & Mining: Diggers & Mining. Slide reads; Working from very imperfect records, all we can say is that, from 1851 to 1858, while new fields were being discovered, and much gold was to be obtained by primitive methods, the number of independent digger grew rapidly (though in the latter years of this period the average earnings per digger was falling rapidly). There were certainly over 100, 000 diggers in Victoria in 1858. Markings: 51/ 994:LIF 1. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, mining

Diggers & Mining: Diggers & Mining.Slide reads: And nearly all of the illustrations we have been able to find depict only the three main fields of this early period - Ballarat, Castlemaine, and Bendigo. However, the picture they give may be taken as fairly typical of the other diggings of the time, and, in some respects, of the early stages in the development of other fields later in the gold era. Markings: 55/ 994:LIF 1. Used as a teaching aid.hanimounteducation, tertiary, diggers & miners

Manilla Folder containing reports from various mines in Bendigo and surrounding areas. 1. 4 page typewritten report on the Balaclava Hill Mine at Rushworth and some newspaper clippings about the mine with a plan of the underground workings; 2. Page from the Árgus' dated 2nd August 1900 featuring an article on the survey of the Garden line of Reefs; 3. 5 page report with maps on the Tooleen Gold Field; 4. Single page report about an unnamed mining area claimed to be on the southern end of the Deborah line of reef. (this could be the 'Three Jays' mine in Sedgwick. P. Wilkin); 5. Hand written report on the Coronation Mine, 2 miles east of Walhalla.; 6. Hand written report dated 1935, of the Queen Mary mine, St. Arnaud.; 7. 1932 report on the North Neangar lease.; 8 4 page report on the Kings Prize Gold Mining Syndicate.; 9. Description of the plant of the Marong Alluvial Company? Also a guide for marking out leases.; 10. Crushing details (1 page) from the 'Enterprise' Mine South of and adjacent to Perseverence.; 11. 1 page crushing details from Rowe Brothers, Mosquito Mine, Fryerstown.; 12 hand written report mentions Arthur Hatfield, Scarsdale.; 13. Map with lines of reef showing the position of the New Moon Consolidated and the New Moon United shafts.; 14, Large scale map from Harrison/Victoria street to Havilah Road showing the positions of the Carlisle, North Garden and Unity Shafts.gold mining, miners' safety cage, sundry reports, mining. bendigo, rushworth, balaclava hill, garden line of reef, toolleen, coronation mine, walhalla, queen mary mine, st. arnaud. north neangar, kings prize gold mining syndicate, marong, enterprise mine, perseverence, rowe brothers, mosquito mine, fryerstown, arthur hatfield, scarsdale, new moon consolidate, new moon united, carlisle, north garden, unity.

RFDS was begun by Reverend John Flynn as an aerial Medical Service out of Cloncurry, Queensland in 1928. By 1934 it had expanded across outback Australia. Cobb and Co. was a stagecoach line transporting diggers between the gold fields. There were many coach lines but there names were generalised to "Cobb and Co. It operated between 1853 and 1924.Two small blue and white flag for Cobb & Co. - Royal flying Doctor service 1963 coach run souvenir. The flag has a map of Australia, a horse drawn coach with two men driving, the emblem of the flying doctors and the route from Melbourne to Port Douglas.cobb & co., flying doctors, coach run

BHS CollectionCollection of Government Gazette articles. Content includes documents relating to: 1. An Act to restrain by summary Proceeding unauthorised Mining on Waste Lands of the Crown 1852; 2. Gold Regulations 1853; 3. An Act for the better regulation of Mining Companies 1855; 4. An Act to amend the Laws relating to the Gold Fields 1855; 5. An Act to limit the Liability of Mining Companies 1864. Phyllis Toy Collection:adventure gold mine, sandhurst, goldmining, adventure and advance amalgamated quartz mining company

BHS Collection52-page soft cover lime coloured booklet. Australian Gold Fields their Discovery, Progress and Prospects, Edited by George Mackaness and printed January 31, 1956 by D.S.Ford , Printers, Sydney. Illustration by R.S.Anderson of the Mount Alexander Gold Diggings. Includes a section 'Advice to Emigrants'. Australian Historical Monographs Volume VIIgold, australia

George Edwin Wells was born in Oxford in 1826. He served an apprenticeship as a coachbuilder and in 1841 he went to New Zealand. He was returning to England in 1848 when he changed his mind in Singapore and turned around and came to Melbourne. He operated a store with Mr W Gibbs and when gold as discovered they left their wives in Melbourne and went to the gold fields of Ballarat in 1851. At this time George was newly married to Catherine Kiely. In 1852 the two men were at the Golden Gully area of the Fryers Creek gold fields, they then move to Bendigo, initially to White Hills before settling in Long Gully. They then brought their patient wives, who had only had visits from their husbands, to Bendigo. George had several successful mining ventures in Bendigo. He died in 1898. One of his sons, Alfred, married Margaret Rotherham in NSW where he was living. Alfred died in 1911 leaving Margaret with a young family. She moved to Bendigo to be nearer to family support. Alfred and Margaret's daughter, Elma Winslade Wells 91904 - 19/1/1988) became a teacher and was posted to Camp Hill Primary School. She was also heavily involved in the Scout movement in the Bendigo area.Blue hardcover scrapbook belonging to the Wells family. (Elma Wells). The cover has gold, black and blue flowers and birds on it. The word "scraps" in red within a gold rectangular box completes the cover. Inside all the pages are filled with drawing and pictures of people, animals, flowers and landscapes. Also, various poems are transcribed on the pages. Newspaper cuttings are also glued to pages and in two yellow envelopes.Inside cover in pencil: The Wells Family scrap book donated to the Royal Historical Society Bendigo Branch by Miss Elma W. Wellsfamily history, wells family

Plan showing portion of the Bendigo goldfield. Area of main goldfield: 140 square miles. Deepest mine working: 4593' (Victoria quartz). Gold output of field to 1935: 20,775,000 ounces. Dividends paid 1870-1935: 10,740,000 pounds.map, goldfield, bendigo

The coach was at the school for the Colonial Day celebrations which has been included as part of the students' history studies. Coaches are relevant to the district's history as they regularly plied between Melbourne via Bulla on their way to the Bendigo Gold Fields before the advent of rail transport.A coloured photograph of a Cobb and Co. Coach arriving at Bulla Primary School. bulla primary school, colonial days, cobb and co.

Prior to the election of female Councillors and Mayors from the 1960’s onwards the Mayoress role was one of the few ways women could be active in civic life. Mayoresses made important contributions to their local communities through their charity work and as ambassadors for their region on a state and at times, international level. They also undertook some Mayoral duties on occasions when the Mayor was unavailable. Annie Irene Michelsen (nee Tussup) born Huntly (1870-1955). Mayoress 1926/1927, 1935/1936, 1942/1943. Wife of Cr John Andrew Michelsen OBE. Pioneer in the field of social work and regarded as a woman of tremendous vitality and versatility. Known as an outstanding horse woman and breeder of standardbreds for harness racing. Member numerous sporting clubs and foundation president of the Bendigo Nurses Association. Framed, oval photographic studio portrait. Hand coloured detail. Mrs. Michelsen wore a gown of black crepe eros, cut to mould the figure and fall into a train at the back. A cascade eflect of gold lame from one shoulder to the hem in front gave graceful movement to the front of the gown, and wing draperies lined with gold lame were shirred to the shoulders of the square neckline. She wore a shoulder spray of golden orchids and carried a bouquet of old gold roses and golden leaves (1). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Wed 3 Jun 1936 annie tussup, mayoress michelsen, mayor michelsen, vincent kelly photographer, city of bendigo, city of greater bendigo portraits

The Bendigo School of Mines was opened in 1873 following the first report of the Technological Commission in 1869 which recommended the establishment of schools of design and science to meet the scientific and technical needs of the mining industry on the local gold fields. Initially mining, chemistry, geology, metallurgy and art were taught while a separate school of design was established in c. 1870 but incorporated into the School of Mines around 1883 when it was renamed as the School of Mines and Industry. In 1904 The Mechanics Institute was liquidated and its assets and buildings acquired by the School of Mines. Around 1907 a Junior Technical School commenced to operate at the School of Mines and Industry but ceased operating in 1961 with that function being transferred to the White Hills and Kangaroo Flat Technical Schools. The Bendigo School of Mines and Industry became known as the Bendigo Technical College from the 1st July 1959. It operated under that name until February 1967 when it became the Bendigo Institute of Technology (B.I.T.). Construction work commenced in c.1965 which saw the Institute progressively re-locate to new buildings at Flora Hill. (Fn: https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/VA3091) Richard Hartley Smith Abbott was the step son of Joseph Henry Abbott and continued on in the family tradition of entering into business. He was elected a representative in the Mandurang riding in the Shire of Strathfieldsaye in 1887, served as Mayor of the City of Bendigo from 1917 - 1918 and was Secretary of the Bendigo Art Gallery for over 20 years. His father Joseph Abbot had been a member of the School of Mines Administrative Council and RH Abbott served as President of the School of Mines for two years and was a highly regarded business man within the local community. The School of Mines and Industries would have written to him asking him to intervene to ensure that their reputation remained intact.Handwritten letter by the registrar from the School of Mines to R H S Abbott on lightly lined writing paper.city of greater bendigo education, city of greater bendigo mining, mayor rhs abbott, shire of strathfieldsaye, bendigo art gallery

The Bendigo School of Mines was opened in 1873 following the first report of the Technological Commission in 1869 which recommended the establishment of schools of design and science to meet the scientific and technical needs of the mining industry on the local gold fields. Initially mining, chemistry, geology, metallurgy and art were taught while a separate school of design was established in c. 1870 but incorporated into the School of Mines around 1883 when it was renamed as the School of Mines and Industry. In 1904 The Mechanics Institute was liquidated and its assets and buildings acquired by the School of Mines. Around 1907 a Junior Technical School commenced to operate at the School of Mines and Industry but ceased operating in 1961 with that function being transferred to the White Hills and Kangaroo Flat Technical Schools.Obverse; Ornate relief design made up of a coat of arms with mining icons in each quarter flanked by flags on either side. Per varios usus artem experientia fecit written in scroll underneath. Translation: Practice has brought skill through different exercises. (Manilius) Reverse; Outer wheel Bendigo School of Mines and Industries. Inner; 1873 /Jubilee /1923Obverse; Per varios usus artem experientia fecit Reverse; Outer wheel Bendigo School of Mines and Industries. Inner; 1873 /Jubilee /1923city of greater bendigo education, bendigo school of mines

Harcourt Football Club was formed in 188 and for the first two years played social games until joining the Castlemaine District League in 1891. However the club had to wait until 1937 for its first triumph.In 1951 the club joined the Bendigo Football association with reasonable success until it moved to the Maryborough Castlemaine League in 1970. The original guernsey worn by the players was maroon with maroon stockings and blue shorts. The colours were later changed to royal blue with a gold stripe. Originally called the Apple eaters, the club has adopted the name "lions" and continues to function successflly with the added spect of fielding a highly successful netball team.Harcourt's first ever Australian Rules Football Premiership team.A group photograph of team and officials. names of players, president, vice president, secretary, trainers, coach, steward are all recorded on the mounting of the photographHarcourt Football Club Premiers Castlemaine District F L 1937

This map shows geological features, suggests the last basalt flow, and includes alotments and names of Mining Companies. Although this map has no date on it the Ballarat Industrial School is used for dating purposed. The Ballarat Industrial School ran from 1869-1879, but the term Ballarat Industrial School Reserve was still in use in 1898 and possibly beyond.Geological Map of Ballarat with 3 holes in the left hand side. The map indicates the position of Lake Wendouree, Township of Warrenheip, Ballarat East, Industrial School Reserve, Winters Swamp, Police Paddock, Wyndholm Premptive Right (Salton and Waldie), Black Hill, Vale Park Reserve, Pennyweight Hill, Little Bendigo, Black Swamp Lead, monte Christo Reef, Chinaman's Gully, Miners Rest, Pincotts Dam, Northumberland Gully. It also show the following goldmining companies: City of Ballarat, Kohinor, Hand and Band, Great North West, Northern Junction, Kneeshaw, Rossers Freehold, Silurial.ballarat, warrenheip, lake wendouree, ballarat east, winters swamp, winter swamp, wyndholm premptive right, cemetery, vale park reserve, little bendigo, kneeshaw co., industrial school reserve, kirks dam, pincotts dam, black hill, wombat hill, dead horse gully, miners rest, mt rowan, salton and waldie, rose hill co, great north west no 1, rose's freehold co, hand and band co, police reserve, police paddock, mount rowan, ballarat industrial school reserve, market reserve, winter's swamp, kneeshar co, monte cristo line of reef, chinaman's gully or black snake, milkmaid's gully, ballarat gold field, bakery hil lead, old gravel pits lead, golden point lead, eureka lead, miner's rest, yarrowee creek, leigh creek, black swamp lead, yorkshire reef, nil desperandum reef, cockatoo lead, hit or miss gully, herbert werner frederick de nully, pennyweight hill, esmond's lead, ash's lead, nightingale lead, john bull gully, gladstone reef, whitehorse reef, petticoat creek, pincott's dam, frenchman's gully, tim's crushing plant, jenkin's gully, california gully, drake's creek, sulton and waldie, ballarat undustrial school, ballarat & mariborough railway

A party of surveyors camped by Yuille's Swamp (later Lake Wendouree) and surveyed the countryside for a map to be produced by the Geological Survey of Victoria. In November 2004 the Central Highlands Regional Library presented a special edition of 200 copies of the 1861 map reproduced from a copy in their collection. Original 1861 map of Ballarat showing streets and leads. Blue dots indicate gold leads, and red lines indicate auriferous quartz reef and outcrops of quartz veins."Compiled & Drawn from the Survey of Mining Surveyors Davidson, Fitzpatrick and Cowan & the Plans in the Surveyor General's Office by J. Brahe, 21st October 1861. R. Brough Smyth, Secretary for Mines. The Honourable J.B. Humffray, M.L.A. Commr of Mines.”ballarat, map, ballarat east, lake wendouree, survey, mines, robert davidson, ballarat gold field 1861, yuille's swamp, wendouree swamp, little bendigo diggings, gold leads, old post office hill, specimen hill, bakery hill, black hill, dead horse creek, brown hill, pennyweight hill, clayton hill, soldiers hill, golden point, gum tree flat, white flat, poverty hill, chinese village, robert brough smyth, ballarat map 1861, ballaarat vineyard, dead horse gully, deadhorse creek, invermay, black hill flat, gaelic church, police reserve, magpie range, dalton's flat, caadian lead, rifle butts, powder magazine, bathing house, government camp, gold office, chinese, llanberrris, victoria theatre, charlie napier hotel, united states hotel, grape's hoel, clayton's hill, cattleyard hill, free trade hotel, esmond lead, bakery hill, black hill lead, juvenile reformatory, ballarat orphanage, lady barkly lead, triffet's slaughter yard, little bendigo, melbourne road, t. cowan, thomas cowan

Manilla Folder containing documents relating to the Sedgwick Gold Mine, formerly the Great Eastern. Including plan of area applied for lease No. 10414 by E. Peel. Comprehensive hand written description of mine from R. M. Williams. And record taken from the Bendigo office by J. Caldwell, Field GeologistMcColl Rankin & Stanistreetgold mining, miners' safety cage, sedgwick, gold mine, sedgwick, great eastern, geology

First Public Quartz Mining Coy on Field. Ref: Production Statistics B. M. L. N. L. Page 201 Windmill Hill Coy. 'Bendigo Q. M. Co,1857 - 1863. Claim at foot of Windmill Hill. Probably same ground as Royal Oak Co. No yield given.' Query. - Is this first Public Q. M. Co.? See J. N. Macartney. Bdgo G'Field Registry 1870. Initialled AR. Document from Albert Richardson Collection of mining history.document, gold, windmill hill, windmill hill, first public quartz mining coy on field, production statistics b m l n l page 201, windmill hill coy, bendigo q m c 1857 - 1863, royal oak co, j n macartney bdgo g'field registry 1870

Charles Robert Thatcher (1831-1878) trained in England as a flautist before travelling to the Bendigo goldfields in 1853. He was unsuited and unsuccessful as a miner so decided to rely on his music to make his fortune. He was considered a 'comic vocalist' who wrote many songs about the observations he made on the goldfields. These songs were often satirical and were published in newspapers as poems. He travelled extensively around the Victorian goldfields and also toured New Zealand. In 1861 he married widowed singer Anna Vitellie who performed with him, singing sentimental ballads. In 1870 the family returned to England where Charles became an importer of curios, following in his father's footsteps. He travelled to China, Japan and India sourcing stock for his business and on one such trip he contracted cholera and died in Shanghai. His wife returned to Australia and taught singing in Moonee Ponds.A talk written by Jim Evans for the Bendigo Historical Society in September 2002 regarding the gold field entertainer Charles Robert Thatcher and his many chaotic adventures and performances across Bendigo and Australia.

BHS CollectionSepia toned photograph. Photograph No. 5 - Battery of Stampers for crushing quartz. Printed on front of mount - 'The reduction of Quartz by means of Stampers, adopted on the Gold Fields of Bendigo. The most extensive Plants, being those at Koch's Pioneer Claim, Long Gully; The Great Extended Hustler's; also the Garden Gully United; and the Crushing Plant, New Chum Gully. Nicholas CaireN.J. Cairetopic, mining, battery

( x ref 5673 , 8235 , Box 83 , 9077 ) Reports from the Gold Enquiry Select Committee from September 4th 1890 - 23rd October, including a list of witnesses, Minutes of Evidence 11th September 1890, 18th September 1890 and 25th September 1890; also, Appendices A - T, and also a location map drawn from memory by W. (William) Sandbach 18th Sep 1890 and Lithographed at the Department of Lands and Survey Melbourne by S. B. Bonney 28th October 1890. This enquiry covers the opinions of Robert Atkinson, Henry Frencham and Robert Francis Walker in relation to who was the first person to locate gold in the Bendigo field. Members of the Committee were Mr Bailes, in the chair, Mr Burrowes, Mr Cameron, Mr A, Young, Mr Gordon, and Mr Foster. Other name at the enquiry were, David Dunlop, John Paton, William Steward, Christian Asquith, James Graham, Ben. Bannister, Mr Fenton, T. J. Rossiter, P. P. Farrell, Thomas Robinson. Other persons who had made claims were; Patrick Peter Farrell, Frederich Fenton, Mrs. Margaret Kennedy, William Henry Johnson, Edward Pepperell, Henry Byass, William Sandbach, William Steward, Mrs John Barnett, widow of Christian Asquith's son, Robert Francis Walker, David Dunlop, John Paton.gold enquiry, henry frencham, gold discovery, david dunlop, john paton, william steward, christian asquith, james graham, ben. bannister, mr fenton, t. j. rossiter, p. p. farrell, patrick peter farrell, frederich fenton, mrs. margaret kennedy, william henry johnson, edward pepperell, henry byass, william sandbach, mrs john barnett, thomas robinson

Honkie & Ginny is a journey that travels from the cottagers of Port Melbourne to Gallipoli, the battle fields of the Western Front and the gold fields of Bendigo. A personal tale from a grand niece.Title: Honkie & Ginny From Black Sheep to Holy Dove, Henry Foster Midgley 1894 - 1917 At Peace in Flanders. Biography. Soft cardboard cover, black print on front, spine & back. 2 sepia portraits, smaller one of a woman superimposed over the left corner of a soldier in uniform, yellow coloured background. Below portraits is a small colour photo of At Peace in Flanders with poppies below these words Back cover has colour photos of a wreath. 220 pages, cut plain paper. Illustrated in black & white are photos, line drawings, posters & paintings.books-biography, military history

2 Photographs on a folded board. One black and white, one sepia. Both photographs of South New Moon Mine, Eaglehawk, taken from 2 different views. Written on board around the photos. Gold yield 257.498 ozs. Dividends $ 1.106.560.00. Leading mine on field 1901-05. Leading mine in state 1903. Operated 1871 to 1920's. Revived 1933 to 1941. The sepia photo on right side of cardboard says, 'Above photo taken 1935.' Written on back of one photo, A.Richardson, 29 Harrison Street, Bendigo.'eaglehawk, mine - south new moon., olive pell collection. south new moon mine

Gold was discovered on One Tree Hill in 1854. The site has been worked intermittently until fairly recent times. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p53 Though still a working mine, One Tree Hill Mine at Smiths Gully, now stands in a tranquil reserve surrounded by bush and native animals - in contrast to its heyday. In the mid 19th century, when the mine was part of the Caledonia Goldfields, hundreds of men in search of their fortune worked the alluvial gold in the Yarra River, its tributaries and the reefs that made up the goldfields. Miner Stan Bone, assisted by Wilfred Haywood, is the last of the independent gold miners in the area and still uses the quartz crushing battery as miners did when gold was first discovered in the area in 1851.1 Stan, who is the last of six generations of miners in his family, was aged 17 when he began mining on his father Alex’ mine, The Golden Crown in Yarrambat. These days, after blasting the gold-bearing rock in Mystery Reef, one of the four reefs at One Tree Hill, Stan transports it around five kilometres by tip truck to the Black Cameron Mine for crushing. There he uses water from the waterlogged mine, (which still contains gold), as the Happy Valley Creek at One Tree Hill is usually dry.2 The One Tree Hill Mine has been worked for close to a century since it opened around the late 1850s.3 The Swedish Reef was its most productive reef and one of the largest in the area. Around 1859, extractions included 204 ounces (5.8kg) of gold, won from 57 pounds (26kg) of stone.4 Then during World War Two, Stan’s uncle, Bill Wallace, and Alex Bone, closed the mine. In 1973, Stan, with his Uncle Bill, reopened the Black Cameron Mine and worked there until 1988. Stan resumed mining One Tree Hill in 1998. As late as the 1920s gold was picked up by chance! When crossing a gully on his way to vote at the St Andrews Primary School, Bill Joyce picked up some quartz containing gold. This site was to become the Black Cameron Mine. The Caledonia Diggings, named after Scotland’s ancient name by local Scots, began around Market Square (now Smiths Gully) and included Queenstown (St Andrews), Kingstown (Panton Hill) and Diamond Creek. There were also poorer bearing fields in Kangaroo Ground and Swipers Gully (now Research). * None of these compared in riches to the Ballarat and Bendigo fields5, but the Caledonia Diggings continued intermittently for close to 100 years. Gold was discovered in Victoria following a bid to stem the disappearance of much needed workmen to the New South Wales diggings. Several businessmen offered a reward of £200, for the discovery of gold within 200 miles (322 km) of Melbourne. Late in June 1851, gold was first discovered at Andersons Creek, Warrandyte. Then in 1854, George Boston and two other men discovered gold at Smiths Gully. Gold transformed the quiet districts, with a constant flow of families and vehicles on the dirt tracks en route to the Caledonia Diggings. Three thousand people worked the gullies in Market Square, including about 1000 Chinese miners. The square established its own police, mining warden, gold battery, school, shops and cemetery and grog flowed. Market Square flourished until the middle 1860s. Bullocks transported quartz from the Caledonia Goldfields to the crushing machinery at the Queenstown/St Andrews Battery, near Smiths Gully Cemetery. It was destroyed by bushfire in 1962. By the late 1850s, most early alluvial fields were in decline, but minor rushes continued until around 1900 and some until the early 1940s. Some miners did well, although most earned little from their hard labour in the harsh and primitive conditions.6 But according to historian, Mick Woiwod, the gold fields helped to democratise society, as individuals from all walks of life were forced to share experiences, and the ability to succeed, depended less on inherited wealth or social rank.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, gold mining, one tree hill mine, smiths gully