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VICTORIA.
REMAINS OF AN ANTEDELUVIAN TREE
FOUND IN ONE OF THE GOLD SHAFTS SUNK AT BALLARAT 1854-
The remains of this tree was found by a party who had sunk their shaft to the depth of one hundred & fifty feet, in tunnelling at that depth they came upon their antedeluvian relict it was not charred nor did it appear that the action of fire had been on it - the trunk readily broke with the force of a spade upon it -
This year 1854 a similar specimen of the antedeluvian world was found in one of the Coal mines at Newcastle on Hunter River in New South Wales
RICH YIELD AT THE GRAVEL PITS BALLARAT, FOSSIL REMOVED
The gravel pits have been turning out some of the heaviest yields ever found on that rich line, on more than one occasion lately, fifty pounds weight of gold have been taken from one single bucket of washing stuff. So highly is a chance upon this celebrated line prized. that £600- have been offered for a single share in Claims which are not yet bottomed. One party, whose Claim has not yet been wrought out, was so satisfied with what had already been taken from it, as to give it away to some friends who has not been so fortunate on the gold fields. Strange times when a gold digger is Content with what he has got, and of his free will give it away to some friends who has not been. So what he has got, and of his free will gives away a Claim still rich in gold
Another most extraordinary specimen has been turned out on the same line - A shaft which is now 148 feet deep had a tree right across it.
This fossil had to be removed by an axe, as it was some two feet in diameter, and in the centre was still hard, It has the appearance of having been a stringy bark tree. From the great depth to which the diggers in this line are now sinking, the uncommon richness of the line, the sharpness of turns to which it is subject , & from such fossils, the opinion pretty generally entertained of all our lines Centering in the Ballarat flat is beginning to assume a more definite shape-