tinpan
Silver Member
It was 1851 and spring had all ready come to the valley. The water of the old bendigo creek, muddied with yellow clay from the winter rains where clear again. Wattles glowed along its banks and the bush around was splashed with flowers-purple saraparillia cascaded over the rocks,there where starry bushes of waxplant, and flurry of redspider-flowers glowed against tussocks. The air was honey-sweet and vibrant with bird calls-the plaintive piping of cuckoos,thrushes calling and leatherheads beating out the ripple of song,and along the creek parrots,scarlet,blue and emerald, dipped and flicked amongst the gumtrees [written by my wife]
The shepherds had tended their flocks in this secluded spot for nearly twenty years.now they where seeing it for the last spring, the carefree days were almost at an end and the valley would not be theirs for much longer.
At a place called "the Rocks" or Slate-bar dammed back the water. This spot was much frequented by both the shepherds and their wifes-to dip water to wash their clothes,to sit and while away the hours.Such bars with cracks and crevices gouged out by flood waters.A perfect place to find gold lodged.It was always wonder by people why the shepherds had not found gold sooner.The fact was the shepherds had found gold there-sometime before and in fear of the colonial government taking their finds and their land, they kept it a secret. With few visitors, it was easy to keep hidden but time was running out.
Just a few miles away a german prospector called Dr George Bruhn had found gold.
The shepherds knew time was running out, so they worked the creek for a couple more months.The men tended their flocks and the women and children worked the creek most of the day.Everyday the women and the children sat on the sandstone bar, with sleeves rolled up and working their clothes washing pans and nail tins. Every nail tin was full of wash and gravel reaped much gold.The wifes used their spare stocking as a pouch for their haul.
On the 17th of December 1851 the wifes heard footsteps and talking.looking up they saw the red shirts of diggers coming their way.A couple of dozen or so.These diggers where looking for better grounds.In vein the wifes tried to hide what they where doing.The game was up,as a few of the diggers where well-seasoned prospectors.In fear for their lives, the wifes and the children made for their camp some 100 yards away and the shepherds where all ready loading their fire-arms..The diggers seemed to move on but where shore to be back in the morning.During the night the shepherds loaded their drays and readied their horses. Just before dawn the shepherds and their families where on the move south to Port philip [melborne] They had made the right chose to leave.As they made miles, the children where amazed at the amount of people,wagons,drays and carts heading north. The gold rush was on.
On the 21 first of december 1851 governor La Trobe decared the gold rush was on and people could keep their finds but would have to pay taxs.
It took another 3 months for miners rights to be issued to all gold prospectors.This was a permit to prospect for gold and cost 2 shillings every 3 months.
Good common sence and a lot of luck helped these shepherds and their families.Never uttering a word of the gold hidden in their drays,on their trip back to Port Philip [Melbourne} These sherpherds had a massed 400 pounds of gold and where to become the first wealthy people of the bendigo gold rush.The shepherds consisted of two families-Jack kennedy and wife Margaret and their three children [names unknown} and Patrick Farrell and his brother stuart and his wife.
These families lived a life of the wealthy in Port philip and even more luck was to come their way.In 1880 Margaret Kennedy was awarded the govenors prize for being the the first person to find gold in the bendigo creek The prize was 5000 pounds.
In the next couple of weeks i intend to treasure hunt the site known as "The Rocks "I went there to day and found a couple of relics and artifacts and will post pics tomorrow.The area is about 60 Hectors square.Got a lot of ground to cover.Mit get lucky and find some gold for a change lol
tinpan [moving into to top gear]
The shepherds had tended their flocks in this secluded spot for nearly twenty years.now they where seeing it for the last spring, the carefree days were almost at an end and the valley would not be theirs for much longer.
At a place called "the Rocks" or Slate-bar dammed back the water. This spot was much frequented by both the shepherds and their wifes-to dip water to wash their clothes,to sit and while away the hours.Such bars with cracks and crevices gouged out by flood waters.A perfect place to find gold lodged.It was always wonder by people why the shepherds had not found gold sooner.The fact was the shepherds had found gold there-sometime before and in fear of the colonial government taking their finds and their land, they kept it a secret. With few visitors, it was easy to keep hidden but time was running out.
Just a few miles away a german prospector called Dr George Bruhn had found gold.
The shepherds knew time was running out, so they worked the creek for a couple more months.The men tended their flocks and the women and children worked the creek most of the day.Everyday the women and the children sat on the sandstone bar, with sleeves rolled up and working their clothes washing pans and nail tins. Every nail tin was full of wash and gravel reaped much gold.The wifes used their spare stocking as a pouch for their haul.
On the 17th of December 1851 the wifes heard footsteps and talking.looking up they saw the red shirts of diggers coming their way.A couple of dozen or so.These diggers where looking for better grounds.In vein the wifes tried to hide what they where doing.The game was up,as a few of the diggers where well-seasoned prospectors.In fear for their lives, the wifes and the children made for their camp some 100 yards away and the shepherds where all ready loading their fire-arms..The diggers seemed to move on but where shore to be back in the morning.During the night the shepherds loaded their drays and readied their horses. Just before dawn the shepherds and their families where on the move south to Port philip [melborne] They had made the right chose to leave.As they made miles, the children where amazed at the amount of people,wagons,drays and carts heading north. The gold rush was on.
On the 21 first of december 1851 governor La Trobe decared the gold rush was on and people could keep their finds but would have to pay taxs.
It took another 3 months for miners rights to be issued to all gold prospectors.This was a permit to prospect for gold and cost 2 shillings every 3 months.
Good common sence and a lot of luck helped these shepherds and their families.Never uttering a word of the gold hidden in their drays,on their trip back to Port Philip [Melbourne} These sherpherds had a massed 400 pounds of gold and where to become the first wealthy people of the bendigo gold rush.The shepherds consisted of two families-Jack kennedy and wife Margaret and their three children [names unknown} and Patrick Farrell and his brother stuart and his wife.
These families lived a life of the wealthy in Port philip and even more luck was to come their way.In 1880 Margaret Kennedy was awarded the govenors prize for being the the first person to find gold in the bendigo creek The prize was 5000 pounds.
In the next couple of weeks i intend to treasure hunt the site known as "The Rocks "I went there to day and found a couple of relics and artifacts and will post pics tomorrow.The area is about 60 Hectors square.Got a lot of ground to cover.Mit get lucky and find some gold for a change lol
tinpan [moving into to top gear]
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I wish you the very best with this place, it is about time that one of us on this forum finds something BIG 
