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Extract

Title
Squatter David Reid writes about gold discovery at Reid’s Creek, Beechworth
Description

This is an extract from an article sent to the Mines Department in Melbourne in 1905, by the Hon. David Reid, which appears in ‘Records of the Geological Survey of Victoria’, Vol.2, Part 1, page 6.

Reid describes how he discovered his shepherd, Howell, finding gold at Reid’s Creek, Beechworth.

Published Source
Flett, James, The history of gold discovery in Victoria, The Poppet Head Press, Melbourne, 2001. Details

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Transcript

‘One day my brother John and myself were going round the stations, and I said, “Let us go up towards the falls, as Howell and his mates are prospecting about there, and we shall see what luck they have had.” Accordingly, we made up the creek – Reid’s Creek – from the wool-shed, and just above the junction of Rocky Creek and Woolshed Creek, we found Howell and his party. They saw us coming, and we saw them hastily put a pint pannikin under the bank of the creek. I said, “What luck have you had, Howell?” “Oh!” he said, “just middling”, showing a small quantity of gold. “Oh!” I said, “that is all moonshine. What is that you’ve got under the bank?” They laughed. “Out with it,” I said, “and let us have a look at it.” They brought it out, and there was a pannikin nearly filled with gold, almost 14 lbs weight, roughly. They had only been there a few days. They begged me to say nothing about it, but it soon leaked out, and a rush set in.’