Transcription

306
NEW SOUTH WALES.

the River Condamine, black mud and rock, ferruginous Sandstone & Conglomerate further on Scoria in abundance - Drayton to Ipswich Scoria, sandstone & porphyritic Schist - Ipswich to Mount Brisbane conglomerate Sandstone & porphyritic Schist - Ipswich to Brisbane Limestone sandstone shale white spar with blue silex in abundance, about North Brisbane white spar & porphyritic schist - Mr Hargraves considered that as far as his researches went that it was most likely that a gold field would be found in the Northern districts at the Hanging rock and Peel river.
On the 7th of July 1852 the number of licenses [licences] issued for the month of April were 188-
                                                      May    -     223                                                       June         210
and at that date there were arrivals from the Southern and Port Phillip gold fields - On the 24th July, the first gold escort from the Hanging rock gold field reached Maitland - Mr Commissioner Durbin accompanying to see that the arrangements on the road were made properly -
The amount was much larger than was generally
expected being six hundred & forty one ounces for private persons & one hundred & forty five ounces on Government account
the amount for licenses was £418 -10/- in cash
This made a total of 785 ounces - The value of this first escort at three pounds five shillings per ounce being about £2.972
 
THE HANGING ROCK.
 
This is a prodigious mountain the sides of which are overhung with huge masses of rock, which seemed waiting only for some internal convulsion to be precipitated in the yawning gullies beneath, neither in its name nor in its appearance ( except in regard to size) is it peculiar. The herbage on the Rock is scant & bare, & it is with difficulty that horses & Cattle are provided with subsistence - Descending over the ridge which shaddows [shadows] what is called the Rock the Swamp diggings & Hanging Rock Creek are come upon
- During favourable weather, parties at these diggings earn a good wage, while during a flush of water some diggers have not a favourable Chance - Some are making a bare living others
are making a fair average half say 10/- a day - while others are making twelve or thirteen ounces of gold in one day, much depending on the State of the weather & the situation of the Claims at these gold diggings -
This gold field was discovered by Mr Schofield in January 1852

                         

 

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