THE ONLINE HISTORY OF GULGONG AND SURROUNDING DISTRICTS: RED HILL

Red Hill is the location of the golf find (attributed to Tom Saunders') that kick-started the goldrush of the 1870s and led to the foundation of Gulgong town. The enormous amount of gold found in the subsequent decades and the richness of the landscape for agricultural pursuits, once the gold ran out, are the reasons that Red Hill is still surrounded by a thriving township today.

The Red Hill

Source: 1887 Parish Map

Red Hill, aerial photo 1964

Source: NSW Spatial Collaboration Portal

Whim and shaft on the Red Hill Mining Companys Property, 1897

Source: Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919) Sat 13 Feb 1897 Page 26

Property of John Kelly on Red Hill

Parish Map extract, Town of Gulgong, 1904
Source: Parish Maps on HLRV

John Kelly, born 1869; died 9 April 1922 aged 53. His parents were Michael and Mary A Kelly.

John Kelly married Johanna nee _______, born 1866; died 2 Feb 1941, aged 74.

Her parents were Bartholomew and Mary _______.

NEWS ITEMS

1870 - [EARLY RUSH]

From a gentleman who visited this spot on Friday last we have ascertained that the locality of the new rush is a place called Redhill, near Gulgong. The accounts of the number of people on the spot were greatly exaggerated in the reports prevalent in Mudgee during the early part of last week. The actual number does net exceed 200; and is probably, between 150 and 200. A very great drawback to successful working is the scarcity of water; the place not being considered likely during the late rains, when a dam could easily have been constructed. The prospectors are on what is known technically as a 'quartz blow,' and have obtained eighty ounces of gold, amongst it some fine nuggets. A large, number of claims are pegged out, the major part of them being shepherded, the difficulties experienced from want of water and other things preventing the ground from, being properly tested. There seems to be great probability that the whole district is one extensive gold-field; favourable opinions of that character have been pronounced by experienced persons.

Source: Sydney Mail (NSW : 1860 - 1871) Sat 14 May 1870 Page 9

1870 - [DEITZ AND PARTY]

At the end of last month Deitz and party discovered some surfacing at a place known as the Red Hill, about two miles from the Gulgong Reef. A rush took place, and there are now some 250 miners on the ground, a great number of them on payable gold. Some of the claims are very rich, amongst which we may mention Fox and party, whose average washing is about 40 oz. a week; Downey and party, Ryan's party, Guinan's party, and several others. The latter have a quantity of small pieces of stone stacked, each piece being more or less impregnated with the precious metal. Arrangements have been made with Mr. Chappell to crush on an early date. This party are supposed to have the reef through their claim, which promises to be surpassingly rich.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Thu 26 May 1870 Page 6

1915 - THE RED HILL

The magazine at the Red Hill, Gulgong, has been completed. The poppet timber has arrived, and a start to erect it over the main shaft has been made. This work is expected to be completed within the next week. Four extra men have been put on in order to get the shaft ready for the cage for hauling. They are also engaged in getting the shaft in order generally. The new boiler and wench are expected on the mine shortly.

Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Mon 15 Nov 1915 Page 2

1915 - The Famous Redhill Gold, Gulgong.

As a Company is now being formed to work the famous Red Hill at Gulgong, the following important report on the mine will be read with interest : —

Situation. — The property is situated on a small hill, in the town of Gulgong, N.S.W., 209 miles by rail from Sydney.

Formation. — The formation is a contact deposit which can be traced for over a mile on the surface. Strike is north and south, with two distinct walls. Diorite on the west. Silurian slate on the east. These two walls are over 300 feet apart for a length of 450 feet on the surface. The ore in this large channel is composed of veins of quartz from 2 inches to 12 feet thick, flat and running irregularly through the deposit, iron and arsenical pyrites, argillaceous rock, and a variety of rock and ore, which has been considerably changed owing to hydrothermal action, the whole now consisting of one large deposit of gold-bearing ore. There in a large quantity of free milling ore present, but the greater bulk of the values are in the form of sulphides. Two of the richest alluvial gold leads worked in N.S.W., known as the Black Lead and Adams Lead, has been worked right up on to the crown of the hill, or to the centre of the deposit. Several tons of alluvial gold had been won from the two leads, in a few years, in the early days. (16 tons of gold has been taken from these leads). It is generally considered, beyond doubt, that the source of the gold was the Red Hill. In my opinion it is correct. No doubt, great gold values are still contained in the deposit, ready for the first energetic mining company to exploit it.

Development Work Carried Out on the Property. — A number of costeans have been cut in different parts of the hill, each exposing gold-bearing ore. Several open cuts have been made in the hill showing large quantities of gold-bearing ore. The deepest open cut is 60 feet deep, 80 feet long, by 20 feet wide, all in gold ore — the bottom, two sides and two ends.

There Are Seven (7) Shafts on the property, ranging to a depth of 225 feet.

The Main Shaft is 120 feet deep (size, 7 feet x 3 feet 6 inches). From the 80-ft. level, a drive has been extended 52 feet, all in gold-bearing ore. It is connected by a rise to the open cut. Ore could now be won from this part of the mine at a very small cost per ton.
No. 2 Shaft (east of Main Shaft) is 60 feet deep. This shaft has been sunk all in gold ore. One stope is opened up at the 60-ft level, all good payable ore. This shaft is about 80 feet north of the open cut.
No. 3 Shaft. Depth, 70 feet. Distance north-east from No. 2 Shaft is 80 feet. A cross-cut has been extended west from this point for 30 feet, all in payable gold ore. Some 7½ dwt. specks have been obtained from this cross-cut. This shaft and cross-cut is all in good ore.
No. 4 Shaft. Some very rich quartz was obtained from this shaft; depth, 34 feet.
No. 5 Shaft. Depth, 70 feet. This shaft has been sunk on the eastern boundary or wall of the deposit. A calcite vein was cut in this skaft 18 inches wide, in places intermixed with quartz, the whole being gold-bearing.
No. 6 Shaft. Depth, 50 feet. All in gold ore.
No. 7 Shaft. Depth, 225 feet; size, 7 feet x 4 feet to the 80-ft. level; from 80-ft, level to bottom, 10 feet x 4 feet. This shaft has water up to the 80-ft. level, so I could not examine the workings which are said to be all in gold ore. The position of shaft is 250 feet north of No. 1 Shaft, which could be connected with a drive and eventually made to Main Shaft. Rich gold ore is said to have been obtained from each level driven from this shaft, right to the bottom, which is said to be in solid quartz with good gold values. The shaft was sunk with a whim, the water became too strong for further progress.

Ore In Sight. — There is over 280,000 tons of ore developed on the mine, at the present time, by estimating one-third of the full extent of the deposit to a depth of 100 feet. This ore reserve could be extensively enlarged by a small amount of development work on the mine. Numerous assays have been made and proves the ore to contain considerably more than 5 dwts. of gold per ton. By estimating the value of the ore in sight on a 5-dwt. basis, there is £280,000 worth of gold ore in sight. The mineral in the ore has been proved to contain good gold values.

Value of The Whole Property. — The probable tonnage of ore to be opened up in the mine is enormous. Rich gold chutes have been met with in the mine and are almost certain to be met with again as development progresses. There is no doubt the mine should prove a highly payable one from the commencement of crushing. Beyond that, at the present stage, it would be very hard to estimate the value of this big proposition.

Treatment. — The ore is very suitable for battery treatment, with heavy stamps, it should yield 3 dwts. gold per ton by amalgamation. The sulphides would be removed from the ore after amalgamation by concentration. The ore will then be classified into sands and slimes, the gold being extracted by the cyanide process. A battery consisting of 20 head of stamps to crush 500 tons of ore per week at 3 dwts. extraction is 75 ozs. gold per week, or 300 ozs. gold per month, valued at £4 per oz., equals £1,200, which will leave a good margin of profit after paying all working costs. You would then have the value in concentrates, sands and slimes to the good. The costs of mining and landing ore into battery bins is 2/6 per ton; crushing and concentrating 6/- per ton of ore. By increasing the size of your plant, you would increuse the output and profits in proportion.

Timber. — There is a good supply of the very best for mining purposes available.

Water. — A good permanent supply of water for all mining purposes can be obtained about 1½ miles from the mine.

In conclusion, gentlemen, I advise you to purchase this property also to erect a Twenty head Battery, Concentrating and Cyanide Plant. There is abundance of ore to start crushing on now, if the plant was ready.E. P. JOHNSON, Mining Engineer and Metallurgist, Graduate School of Mines, Ballarat.

Source: The Newsletter: an Australian Paper for Australian People (Sydney, NSW : 1900 - 1919) Sat 31 Jul 1915 Page 6

1941 - Mrs. J. Kelly

THE death took place in the Gulgong District Hospital on January 31st of Mrs. Johanna Kelly, of Red Hill, Gulgong, aged 74 years. She was admitted to hospital that day and passed away in her sleep.

Deceased was a native of Shell Harbor, and was relict of the late Mr. John Kelly. She had resided in Gulgong for about 43 years. The funeral took place to the Catholic portion of the Gulgong Cemetery, the Rev. Father Foley officiating.

Two sons (John J. and William) and one daughter (Mrs. J. Laughlin, of Darlinghurst) survive. To the bereaved we extend our sincere sympathy.

Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Mon 3 Feb 1941 Page 1

Kelly headstone in Gulgong Cemetery

Source: Austcemindex

John and Joanna Kelly are buried together at the Gulgong Cemetery, Catholic portion, Row BD.

Photo of buildings on Red Hill in 1929

Source: George Johnson Photos from Gulgong Pioneers Museum

Caption: George Johnson Photos: Gold workings on Red Hill 1929. Big hole in the foreground, the cottage and buildings behind it.
Note: Sid Johnson and his sister Venie Hancock visited Gulgong in 1929 and took these photos on Red Hill, stating that their father was in Gulgong where he was a prospector and writer.