March/April 2008

Boy strikes it rich at first attempt

Gold fever as rain and floods hit Nundle park

By DENNIS AMOR

FORTUNE-seeking caravanners are injecting new life into an old gold mining town in New South Wales ... thanks to recent torrential rains.

Torrents of floodwater have flushed out local rivers at Nundle near Tamworth revealing gold deposits and creating a 'mini-goldrush'.

Nundle Caravan Park's acting manager Elaine McMillan told Caravanning News: "Locals say that when Oakenville Creek, which runs right through the middle of our park, starts flowing, it's time to dig for gold. And it's certainly flowing now."

She described how one nine-year-old boy holidaying at the three-and-a-half star park tried his luck in the local creek ... and came up trumps.

"It was his first attempt at fossicking and he found a nice piece of solid gold about half the size of a fingernail," he explained. "He was over the moon. It just goes to prove that it's worth having a dig anywhere in the area at the moment because there has been so much water."

Wild weather dumped more than 120mm of rain on the town, 440km north-west of Sydney.

Ms McMillan said bookings at the 100-site Top Tourist park had increased since news of possible gold leaked out.

"It's blackberry picking season, but many have said they are going to put blackberries on hold and start digging for gold!" she said.

The ruins of old mine workings and equipment still lie scattered around Nundle. Traces of gold and gemstones are still found, with hopeful caravanners panning the Peel River or fossicking in the Hanging Rock area.

Ms McMillan said floodwaters had affected her park and some campers had had to be moved to higher ground. She said about 20 visitors had delayed their journey to the town, but would arrive when the bad weather abated to try their luck at finding gold.

"I have had a lot of calls from people saying they are on their way," she said. "The 'phone has hardly stopped ringing."