| BACK HOME Usually the dirt from the digging had to be washed in puddling machines, most of the gold being won in this manner. But since the rainfall of this area is small, mining operations had to be suspended in periods of drought. In his mining report for 1883 (the year Broken Hill was founded) Warden King remarked "During the early part of the year the field languished for want of water, but the welcome rains which fell in February, May and October enabled the miner to wash up the greater portion of the dirt they had stacked and registered, and 2,450 oz of gold (alluvial) were sent away by escort. There still remains, however, several heaps of washdirt awaiting another fall of rain. At Tibooburra, the population has considerably decreased, owing in a great measure to the want of a permanent water supply, the well that was being put down at public expense having turned out a failure to a depth of 170 feet, and the miners have nearly all abandoned this portion of the field. Some of the dirt (at Tibooburra) yielded good results, but the water collected did not last sufficient time to wash all the dirt they had stacked for the past three years. During dry spells the miners often had to win a little gold for food and necessities. This was done by "dry blowing" blowing the sand away to leave heavier grains of gold. Bellows could be used, but usually the miners used their breath. The wardens often remarked how unhealthy this practice was. In the period 1870 - 1883 four townships were laid out. Mount Brown, Milparinka, Tibooburra and Albert. Today one hotel remains at Milparinka and the other two townships, Mount Brown and Albert, are scattered ruins. Tibooburra, serving the needs of the surrounding pastoralists, is quite a thriving centre with a large hospital with two Sisters, a new two - teacher school, two hotels and quite a number of shops. Few today prospect for gold, although from time to time all pick up "specks" especially after rain. The boys and girls carry little bottles in which they keep their "specks" and often make quite a little pocket money from this practice. Albert and Mount Brown were largely deserted by 1885, Milparinka started to languish in the late 1930s. Earlier, it still acted as a staging centre on the stage coach route to White Cliffs and Wilcannia, or to Broken Hill. One of the last mining reports of this area was in 1907; "The field has been deserted except by a few old miners who are not able to follow ther occupations". LIFE WITH THE PIONEERS Old - timers tell wonderful stories of the prodigality and endurance of the pioneers who opened up this country. There can be little doubt that the mining towns are replicas of Bendigo and Ballarat in earlier times. The increase in population was often ahead of the provision made for its reception. Those who possessed tents were envied, the top of a billiard table was a luxury, and many a man had to content himself with the shade of a bush or the shelter of a bare rock. Bread, meat potatoes and flour were often at famine prices, water at 6d to 1/- per bucket, sometimes more. A number of Chinese vegetable gardens, however, flourished. TRANSPORT In the early days, stage coaches carried the passengers and bullock wagons the goods. The routes were: Hay, Ivanhoe, Wilcannia, White Cliffs, Milparinka and Tibooburra for the stage coach. From Wilcannia to Wentworth could be taken by paddle steamer, which usually carried goods. Another route during the gold rush was Peterborough, SA up through Hawker Gate on the fence, across to Milparinka, through Yandama and then to Tibooburra, mainly for bullock wagons. Later came the route from Broken Hill: Broken Hill, Yanco Glen, Torawangee, Euriowie, Fowler's Gap, Cobham, Milparinka and Tibooburra. A branch ran from Euriowie to White Cliffs. About every 25 miles was a camp for change of stage - coach horses. The drivers did about 85 miles before being replaced, while the coaches travelled on day and night at an average of six or seven miles per hour. On the Tibooburra run a new driver CONTINUE NEXT PAGE |