Golden Gully and Tambaroora Sluicing Company

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28 February 2026

GOLDEN GULLY and TAMBAROORA SLUICING COMPANY

(Information to be added when found)

Summary of the Companies Operation

This Companies operations may arguably have been the first hydraulic sluicing operation undertaken on the Goldfield or at the very least on a large scale.

An Enquiry was held on the 25^th May 1911 to hear from interested parties objections or otherwise an application for a dredging lease made by Mr. Wells and Mr. Wallis. The area comprised approximately 100 acres along the Golden Gully.

Source:(159) Pg.2, 18 May 1911

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Image courtesy of: TROVE - National Library of Australia

Organisation of the Company commenced in 1911 with the acquisition of Gold Lease No.264 of 97 acres of land upon Golden Gully.

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Image courtesy of: TROVE - National Library of Australia

Again in 1912 the Company acquired another Gold Lease No.290 of 2 acres.

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Image courtesy of:

Many current mining lease holders gave up their leases readily and found work with the company. An earthen wall dam approximately 500 feet long with an average depth of eight feet and to hold between 10 and 12,000,000 gallons (54,553,080 Lts) of water was constructed near the junction of Golden Gully and Deadmans Gully (later known as Foremans Gully). The latest in sluicing equipment was installed along with power generation to enable the anticipated 24 hour operation.

Operation was expected to start in February 1912. By August 1912 the Plant had undergone trials in readiness for start of production. November 1912 saw the Plant move upstream in the Gully due to the difficulty in breaking down the hard banks of the Gully.

In late Dec 1912 or early January 1913 the Company increased its share capital. This may have been in response to the damage done to the Companies assets, in early January the worse rains ever recorded breached both of the Companies Dams and swept them away. Again in the same month further set backs were to take its toll on the Company, the future of the Company became uncertain, sluicing operations had not revealed expected returns. Experienced miners contend that the operation has been undertaken in the wrong area. With the realisation that the returns being made were not enough to continue operation an extraordinary meeting of shareholders was held on the 2 August 1913 to wind up the affairs of the Company. 1914 saw the Company surrender its Leases and its machinery was removed to the Tingha area.

All that remains today is the scaring of the banks where the sluicing operations took place, the 500 foot dam which is now silted up and some suspect machinery which although not confirmed lays in the vicinity of the Companies area of operation.

Not all was lost, a part of the large dam eventually became a waterhole, was called the "Canton waterhole" and was fence off and used as a water supply for the surrounding community, some of the fencing still exists around the waterhole.

What Remains Today...

Water pipes, gate valves, etc.,...

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Image courtesy of: Warwick P Taylor - 2018

Dam wall looking west from upstream...

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Image courtesy of: Warwick P Taylor - 2018

Dam wall looking east from upstream, Mudgee road in the background...

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Image courtesy of: Warwick P Taylor - 2018

Newspaper Reports of the Companies Operations

15 Apr 1912: Commencement of Operations...

Source:(002) Pg.11, 15 Apr 1912

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Image courtesy of: TROVE - National Library of Australia

5 May 1912: Details of Operations and Equipment...

Source:(160) Pg.9, 2 May 1912

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Image courtesy of: TROVE - National Library of Australia

5 Aug 1912: Construction of the Companies Plant Equipment...

Source:(160) Pg.1, 5 Aug 1912

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Image courtesy of: TROVE - National Library of Australia

10 Aug 1912: Company ready to commence work...

Source:(159) Pg.6, 10 Aug 1912

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Image courtesy of: TROVE - National Library of Australia

13^th Aug 1912: The Company purchased Lot 2 Section 13 in the town of Tambaroora from John Hurley ⁽⁴³⁴⁾

15 Aug 1912: Trial Run of Plant Equipment and Operations to Commence ...

Source:(160) Pg.6, 15 Aug 1912

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