In late 1859, a small mining settlement known as Durham emerged working the Indigo Lead on the Chiltern-Rutherglen goldfield. It was located on the Christmastown School Road which runs northwards from the Chiltern-Rutherglen Road, and was in the vicinity of Christmastown, Cornishtown and Indigo. Over the next half century, Durham’s gold mining fortunes fluctuated depending on the quality of gold yields.