Volume 01: Production and resources of the northern and western districts of New South Wales, 1854 [ca. 1850-1857] - Page 509
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NEW SOUTH WALES
JULY 15TH 1851
FIRST OF THE MONSTER GOLD NUGGETS
In My 1851 Mr Hargraves stated his opinion that the precious metal would be found in large masses, and that he should not be surprised if pieces of thirty or forty pounds weight should be discovered. He had seen no country in California which promised metal in such heavy masses -
This opinion met with little credence at the time, was fulfilled in July intelligence having reached Sydney on the 15th of that month that an Aboriginal black in the Service of Dr. Kerr had found a solid block of gold in quartz weighing one hundred & six pounds, which was followed by the finding numerous lumps of gold, to which the name of "Nuggets" were given, these were of
every Variety & Shape. Several specimens weighting ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty, forty, & fifty
pounds and upwards.
OCTOBER 1851
LOUISA CREEK NUGGETS -
On the 25th of October two splendid Specimens of gold from Louisa Creek the one being gold in quartz weighing 90 ounces the other a solid lump
of pure gold weighing 82 ounces being the largest lump of pure metal yet found in the British dominions. During the week ending 25th October 7863 ounces of gold were received in Sydney from the gold districts. Claims were bought & sold at prices Varying from £20 to £150 the price of gold at this date was £3 - 4/- per ounce.
JULY 1851 NEWS RESPECTING THE FIRST MONSTER NUGGET OF GOLD
Intelligence reached Sydney on the 15th of July
of the discovery of this monster block of gold, the
effect of this astonishing piece of good fortune, revived the excitement which had somewhat
abated regarding the gold fields of New South Wales, & to Cause a rush to the diggings. -
Four thousand and five hundred copies of the
Sydney Morning Herald containing the news of this "Marvellous event" were sold, of which a very large number were bought for transmission to England -