tinpan
Silver Member
Hi all
As seen through the eyes of a new arrival at the gold rush
"May 12 1852, We crossed the range at Mount Alexander towards Porcupine Inn, where a remarkable spectacle was before us.The track was absolutely litterd with drays, carts ,and teams of every description,all labouring feverishly northward. The rush to Bendigo had begun.Round about Porcupine Inn the scene beggared description .Diggers were drinking liquor from utensils of every kind.drunken fights were in progress on every side ,and hundreds fought and clamoured to get to the bar.We reached the Bendigo at the head of Golden Gully.The place was even then changing like magic.Golden,Kangraoo,Ironbark,Eaglehawk and Long Gullies were vigorously worked,and the diggings gave a queer tinge of colour to the natural beauty of the valley.The ranges and the banks of the gullies were covered with ironbark timber and the flats with boxtimber, the park like trees beautiful in shape and foliage.Down on the flats towering redgums,and lower still a border of golden wattle. Through this wide prospect of diggings showed only streaks of yellow and brown ochre, or brown sienna, that were a pleasant contrast with forrest green.
"The sinking was from 6 to 10 feet, and most of the diggers wore large sheath knives, and it was the usual thing to see a man squattered in the hole, using his blade of his knife, flip out the bits of gold, like plums from a pudding."
History of Porcupine Inn . The Inn was the only legal Inn in the area before the gold rush. Firist open in 1840 and closed in 1910. Between 1851 and 1863 this Inn's income was over $60,000 per year or a million dollars by today standards. Moonshine, slygroging and black market were also present.Beening a crude wooden structure with a few add-on over time , little is left. Slowly eaten by white ants and rooted away.
The site today is located in the state park and has been hunted by many mders over the last 30 years.With a VLF and Gpx minlabs 2 of us tried ours luck. method used is called "Shine and rake"
The VLF rakes threw the junk areas in the middle of the site on the flat. The gpx does shine here and there picking up the deep targets on the side and below the flat. The full heat od summer is upon us so we started at 7.30 am this morning and finished about 1,30pm. First hour seemed the longest then first find a large musket ball , then more targets and plenty of holes dug. We both found pieces of melted lead that looked like nuggets covered in clay. Had a good laugh about the size and only if.
early season musket ball [large]
ornate belt clasp
half a chiness cash coin
1/4 of a Peace and Plenty 1862 Token
Best part of a Cricket Buckle [hand holding a ball]
whole Chiness cash coin
Brass hook
Saddle sheild
Plated spoon in 2 pieces
Suspender buckle [small]
Latter season Another cash coin
Late KG 3 1/2 penny [poor condition]
Walked away as the day just got to hot and the ground was quite hard. next time won,t be far away and nice to have a good relic's day for a change. Bit more coinage would be nice .
tinpan
As seen through the eyes of a new arrival at the gold rush
"May 12 1852, We crossed the range at Mount Alexander towards Porcupine Inn, where a remarkable spectacle was before us.The track was absolutely litterd with drays, carts ,and teams of every description,all labouring feverishly northward. The rush to Bendigo had begun.Round about Porcupine Inn the scene beggared description .Diggers were drinking liquor from utensils of every kind.drunken fights were in progress on every side ,and hundreds fought and clamoured to get to the bar.We reached the Bendigo at the head of Golden Gully.The place was even then changing like magic.Golden,Kangraoo,Ironbark,Eaglehawk and Long Gullies were vigorously worked,and the diggings gave a queer tinge of colour to the natural beauty of the valley.The ranges and the banks of the gullies were covered with ironbark timber and the flats with boxtimber, the park like trees beautiful in shape and foliage.Down on the flats towering redgums,and lower still a border of golden wattle. Through this wide prospect of diggings showed only streaks of yellow and brown ochre, or brown sienna, that were a pleasant contrast with forrest green.
"The sinking was from 6 to 10 feet, and most of the diggers wore large sheath knives, and it was the usual thing to see a man squattered in the hole, using his blade of his knife, flip out the bits of gold, like plums from a pudding."
History of Porcupine Inn . The Inn was the only legal Inn in the area before the gold rush. Firist open in 1840 and closed in 1910. Between 1851 and 1863 this Inn's income was over $60,000 per year or a million dollars by today standards. Moonshine, slygroging and black market were also present.Beening a crude wooden structure with a few add-on over time , little is left. Slowly eaten by white ants and rooted away.
The site today is located in the state park and has been hunted by many mders over the last 30 years.With a VLF and Gpx minlabs 2 of us tried ours luck. method used is called "Shine and rake"
The VLF rakes threw the junk areas in the middle of the site on the flat. The gpx does shine here and there picking up the deep targets on the side and below the flat. The full heat od summer is upon us so we started at 7.30 am this morning and finished about 1,30pm. First hour seemed the longest then first find a large musket ball , then more targets and plenty of holes dug. We both found pieces of melted lead that looked like nuggets covered in clay. Had a good laugh about the size and only if.
early season musket ball [large]
ornate belt clasp
half a chiness cash coin
1/4 of a Peace and Plenty 1862 Token
Best part of a Cricket Buckle [hand holding a ball]
whole Chiness cash coin
Brass hook
Saddle sheild
Plated spoon in 2 pieces
Suspender buckle [small]
Latter season Another cash coin
Late KG 3 1/2 penny [poor condition]
Walked away as the day just got to hot and the ground was quite hard. next time won,t be far away and nice to have a good relic's day for a change. Bit more coinage would be nice .
tinpan
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