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| James Nash in 1868. |
In October 1867, some sensational news reached Brisbane. An experienced miner and prospector named
James Nash had discovered payable gold in three gullies near what is now the
town of Gympie.
WE have learned on reliable authority that the reported gold-field
discovery on Currie Station may be accepted as a fact. The discoverer is an old
miner, named Nash. Three gullies have been tried, and all found payable. It is
thought that the ground will ultimately support a large population. The
distance from Maryborough is between fifty and sixty miles.[1]
A local correspondent described the moment of discovery.
At first Nash kept the news to himself so that he could claim the
reward offered by the Government. After mining a substantial amount of gold, he
set off for Brisbane. When he sold his
gold to a dealer, he was careful not to disclose its exact source.
The first dish opened his eyes - the second slightly
affected his nervous system. After trying several more, he determined on
getting rations and giving the place a good testing before giving information.
Accordingly, procuring rations from Mr. Booker's station, Currie, he went to
work with a will, and in a few days obtained sixty-two ounces of gold.
With
this he started to Brisbane, where he sold the gold to Messrs. Flavelle, as
Cape River, or some other Northern gold- field, and where it was exhibited.
Nash at the same time communicated to the Government some
particulars of the discovery, that there might be no mistake about who was the
original discoverer in the event of his claiming the reward.[2]
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| Mary Street in Gympie in 1868 |
It was good news for the colony of Queensland which at the time was
experiencing a severe financial crisis.
THE excitement with reference to the Gympie Creek
diggings is still increasing, and may now almost be called a gold fever. The
principal street of the city presents a much busier appearance during the day
time than it has done for some months past, and reminds one of the "good
old times before the crisis."
This is caused by the influx of people from the country
who have come here to buy their outfits. The real town population, however, is
fast diminishing, and tradesmen are noticing the absence of old customers.
Much
the largest proportion of the intending diggers go overland, and we have
observed several mounted on decided scrubbers. As the journey, however, is
short, and water plentiful along the road, we have no doubt they will all get
there sooner or later.[3]
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| Miners Panning for Gold |
Rumours were rife and The
Queenslander reported some examples of the wild stories that were circulated
around Brisbane.
It would seem as though the people had caught the gold
fever in its most virulent form, and nothing in the way of exaggeration would
disgust them. To please this false appetite for news without a word of truth in
it, any number of bogus telegrams are shown about town in a mysterious way by
parties who never got them through the telegraph office.
There are scores of men now on the road to the diggings
with most inflated notions of the wealth before them. One Brisbane merchant,
while on his return from the diggings, met a party some forty miles from town
who informed him (the merchant) that he had sent down a message for the
immediate transportation of all his goods to Gympie Creek. This was news indeed
to him, as he had not seen sufficient attraction on the gold-field for him
attempting to do any business there.
A party of Germans from the Logan called at our office on
Wednesday to see if it was true "in the paper" that the Government
wanted 1000 men, at 10s. a day and "rations” to go to the gold-field. Such
are specimens of the yarns credulous men are told, and which have started
scores on the road. Our reports are the most reliable we have been able to
gather; after perusing them, if any man feels disposed to start, well and good.
He ought to be the best judge of his own affairs.[4]
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| Miners working in a gold mine at Gympie |
The reports turned out to be true. Just a few months after the
announcement of James Nash’s discovery, the largest nugget ever found in Queensland,
the 30-kilogram “Curtis Nugget” was unearthed.
February 8. Great excitement prevails about the large
nugget. It is the largest by very much that has yet been discovered. The
circumstances of the "find" were somewhat singular. A person named
Curtis had just finished his day's work with his party in Sailor's Gully, which
lies between the Lady Mary and the Caledonian reefs. He threw out some water,
and immediately a dull red mass displayed itself under the shower. In an
instant he was richer by £2800![5]
Gold mining in the Gympie area continues to this day.
Hi, my name is Brian Burns and I'm the great, great grandson of james nash, it through my mothers side of the family, the hilderbrants.I have just started to find my ansestry but have problems due to lack of infomation.
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