Visits to the Western Goldfields of New South Wales, 1852 – 1859
Compiled and edited by Beatrice Brooks & Lorraine Purcell (2012)
$49.95 + $13.00 postage within Aus |
GOLD… just the word is enough to conjure up dreams and imaginary experiences in the most dispassionate of readers. This book aims to take that reader on their own ‘Golden Journey’.
Filled with contemporary reports on the early gold discoveries this volume follows the day-to-day travels of three journalists of the mid 1850s. The reader is exposed to the everyday living and working conditions of the earliest miners on the Western Goldfields of New South Wales. It covers the area from Ophir, along the Turon, the Meroo, the Louisa, the Macquarie and the Cudgegong Rivers. It encompasses the early mining history of the region surrounding Bathurst, Orange and Mudgee and so gives us the first impressions of Sofala, Tambaroora, Richardson’s Point (Windeyer), Burrendong, Avisford, Hargraves and Pyramul amongst myriads of other smaller, now forgotten, localities.
Tapping into the expertise of the journalists, the goldfields are seen through their eyes as they present their findings to the worthy readers of the Sydney Morning Herald and the Empire newspapers.
To assist in tracing these journeys the book comes with a large double sided insert with 2 early colour maps dating from 1851, showing the location of these goldfields and leases, many with names attached.
Family historians will find this a fascinating depiction of those early years, knowing that they are reading the same reports that their ancestors may have read. Early arrivals on the goldfields are recorded within the text and the work is well indexed by names and locations.
There is no reason why, armed with this information, a pair of stout boots and good metal detector, the modern fossicker may not stand a good chance of finding something that the first visitors to the area may have overlooked.
Combine Golden Journeys with Hill End Gold and save on postage. Contact us to assist with this.
$49.95 + $13.00 postage within Aus |
