The Palmer River flowing through the Cape York Peninsula in far North Queensland was once the site of a major gold rush when gold was discovered along the river's sandy bed in 1872.
In September 1873 after Irish explorer James Mulligan arrived in Georgetown some 300 kilometres south of the Palmer River and put on display 102 ounces of gold he gathered there, he sparked a wild gold rush and within days hundreds of eager diggers headed north through the harsh trackless bushland to make their fortune along the palmer.
By the end of October there were 600 diggers working the Palmer River. The lack of rations had forced many to leave but most of those who stayed on were doing well. Some were getting up to five ounces a day and 10 to 20 ounces per week.
Eventually thousands of European and Chinese diggers were attracted to the gold fields with Cooktown being established as support for the new gold field.
The Palmer was ideal for poorer miners because it had rich alluvial gold nuggets and specks of gold that could be washed out of the sand in the rivers and creeks.
The township of Maytown was established along the Palmer River becoming the main business centre of the fields. At its peak there was an estimated 24 000 people living in the area with 12 hotels numerous European and Chinese stores and even a local newspaper called the golden age.
Eventually banks a courthouse and a school was established in Maytown and in 1976 the first crushing mill was built marking the end of the early alluvial gold seeking period and the beginning of the deep reef mining period.
By the 1890s most of the deep brief mining had finished and Maytown's population slowly evaporated leaving little behind but the remnants of what was once a thriving settlement.
Today the area is managed by the Queensland parks and wildlife service and relics of old reef mines and building foundations can still be found scattered throughout the hills.
Unfortunately gold fossicking is not permitted except on private land where written permission has been provided
_________________________________________________________
This is a clip from The Minelab Show.
Live Every Wednesday Night at 7.30pm (AEST).
See the latest gold industry news.
Learn prospecting tips from the pros.
Discover the equipment you need for your next gold hunting adventure.
Weekly prize giveaways and much more.
_________________________________________________________
Subscribe to Miners Den Australia for all your Gold Detecting, Coin and Relic Hunting news.
Website - www.minersden....
Facebook - / minersdenaustralia
#goldrush #history #metaldetecting #goldprospecting #minelabmetaldetectors #minersden #goldhunting #goldhotspot #findgold #minelab #metaldetectors #metaldetectingaustralia #wheretofindgold #goldinaustralia #placestodetect #palmerriver #queenslandgold #golddetecting #goldhistory
Негізгі бет Gold Hot Spots of Australia - Palmer River, Queensland
Пікірлер: 5