Old gold revisited

The Old Montreal Goldfield, located just a few kilometres north of Bermagui near the Wallaga Lake Shore, is a fine example of the type of mining that took place in this area some 120 years ago.

It has been listed as a place of special significance on the National and State Heritage Registers.

The goldfield was the scene of a real gold rush; many hundreds of deep shafts were sunk, almost on top of each other in gold-fever frenzy.

Within three weeks of gold being discovered there in 1880 over two thousand miners were on the field - about as many people as there are in Bermagui today.

During the gold mining days the whole area was completely cleared of trees, from the lake to the beach, leaving just bare dirt, mullock heaps, open shafts, cart tracks and windlasses.

A settlement grew up with a receiving office, stores, bakery, police station, three licensed hotels, a newspaper, school, etc and the area became well known throughout Australia for the "Bermagui Mystery" which also takes in Mystery Bay.

When the gold petered out in 1883, many people moved into Bermagui and the town began to grow.

By 1888 Bermagui had its own hotel and stores, a sea wharf and bridge across the river.

Restoration to preserve a small portion of the goldfield for its historical importance and to provide an example of alluvial mining in the 1880s, is being undertaken by the Montreal Goldfield Management Committee with assistance from the Bega Valley Shire Council, Department of Transport and Regional Services, Mumbulla Foundation, Mission Australia's Work for the Dole group, Department of Mineral Resources, Bermagui Historical Society, Umbarra Cultural Centre, Bermagui Lions and local community members.

The grant money is to provide wheel-chair access via walkways and boardwalks, signage, fencing and covers to shafts etc, plus regeneration and rehabilitation of natural regeneration to allow informative and safe access for all.

Guided tours through the two hectare site, to explain the historical indigenous and European heritage of the area, will be available on completion of the project.

The project is expected to offer year-round interest for visitors.

If anyone knows of some goldmining equipment, or information about Montreal, or any other goldmining activities in the area, that can be used at Montreal would you please get in touch with the Montreal committee by contacting Judi Hearn on 6493 4645 or Fran Vercoe 6493 5034.

Your interest and help will be greatly appreciated.