gold

Lovely scan, so much detail: the birdcage, the recently washed and neatly lined up tin mugs and plates, the fine bark hut, the camp oven, the billies, the wash dishes... Machattie Park in Bathurst was named for Dr Richard Machattie. www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDe...

Merryjack Plenty of fire wood and that large camp oven appears to be adjacent to a fire pit. Is that a big pumpkin on the right with a smaller one on top? I suspect Beaufoy Merlin arranged the objects in the foreground to add interest to the photo.

Merryjack I agree, although a poor attempt arranging the items when just moving the camera forward a bit would have solved the empty space problem and provided a closer detail of the subjects.

Thanks for all the extra information - there's a wealth of detail in these negatives. The clarity and focal depth early cameras like this one was very good especially on the larger plates like this 10 in. x 12 in one. But the exposure times were another matter as you can see with the trees and the tent flap.

The multiple gold locations of Queensland that were spread far and wide across the state have certainly and importantly contributed to the economy of Australia. Ranging from Queensland’s far north towards the southern regions, these gold-bearing zones form some of the better-known goldfields of the nation. There were also many lesser-known goldfields that marked their own significant contributions in the past, but which have now been long forgotten. There still exist several gold locations that most prospectors might have not even come across to nor ever heard of. New discoveries of gold continued to occur in Queensland, particularly in 1986, when the precious yellow metal was found in Kidston Town in the Shire of Etheridge; and, in the Mt. Leyshon near Charters Towers, where gold deposits have been sporadically reworked. Source: raregoldnuggets.com/?p=529

Having no luck finding this in google maps streetview - anybody? See also - antiqueprintmaproom.com/product/clarke-street-tambaroora-...

beachcomber australia Beyer's cottage on right in Clarke St - flic.kr/p/pfji68 If this image is looking South then Northey's Store would be somewhere on the left but it wasn't built until 1873. flic.kr/p/2gLCfv9 Otherwise the two storey brick building over on the right of the photo could be Hosies Store under construction, but that would put it on the wrong side, although the upper windows do seem to match, it is also 1873. flic.kr/p/caaiPC Clarke St slopes South downhill from the Royal Hotel. flic.kr/p/7cuygG

Blue Mountains Library, Local Studies Thanks for all that information; I have only ever been to Hill End via Mr Merlin and Google streetview which works well for me, except I cannot read the little plaques with old photographs on them. I think this view is about here (looking SW from near Beyer's Cottage, due to the lie of the land, the shadows, and the hill/ridge behind - goo.gl/maps/NzjYpeUd9Yii6koa8 The two-storey building under construction had a hipped roof and two chimneys, seen in the slightly later illustration (linked in my first comment above). This illustration appeared in the 'Illustrated Australian News' in July 1872, so this A&APC photo must be months earlier. I don't think the two-storey building is still there. Someone will know everything! Ref. - trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/60447535?searchTerm=Cl... Also (very slightly earlier) - trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/63618667?searchTerm=Cl... (includes an interesting contemporary description)

beachcomber australia Thanks for the further details and links, now I'm thinking the photo could taken just in front of Beyer's cottage looking north showing Hosies Store in the correct position with the six narrow french door openings on the upper floor and the hipped roof and chimneys, compere with the flickr link in my earlier post - www.google.com/maps/@-33.0338438,149.4150674,3a,75y,60.76... And a close look above shows what may be Short St off to the right. I've an idea that Hosies was extended at a later date producing the distinctive bend in the side wall and the extra chimneys at the rear - flic.kr/p/caaiPC The street levels have probably changed a fair bit too since then. I am a co-admin of the Hill End & District group on flickr (link on this page) and have been visiting and photographing the town since the 1980s, there is always something new to discover there and in the magnificent Holtermann plates. I have also spent some time in Haefliger's Cottage - www.hillendart.com.au/about/haefligers-cottage

Thanks for the comments - do you both think the call of looking North rather than South is a good one? If so I will see about getting the caption updated.