The district was first known as Creswick’s Creek after Charles, John and Henry Creswick who squatted there with sheep in 1842. Gold was first discovered in September 1851 and a rush occurred in 1852 following rich alluvial finds. There was another rush in 1855-6 when deeper workings were opened up. Alluvial yields were maintained steadily and by 1861 Creswick’s population was about 5,000.
In December 1882 the Australian mine was flooded trapping 44 men. Of these, 22 drowned or were suffocated. Today, large areas of the district’s old mining works are covered by pine plantations.
