Welcome to the Upper Yarra's "Secret" gold mines. There is no need to go underground to get this cache, I don't feel it is wise to enter any of these tunnels as the opening is clay and could, and has, come down at any time (The Miners would have shored the entrance with timber), Please be carefull walking in this gully as there are multiple openings, Forestry has done some work to block entrances but this has been tampered with.
Yankee Jim's was discovered around 1860 by a couple of Canadian gold miners who came from the Californian Gold fields to seek their fortune in Australia. Travelling up the Yarra Valley, they recognised the potential of this small mountain valley. They kept it quiet and made weekly trips to Hoddles Creek, where there was a current gold rush (Lucky Strike GC7HVPR), to buy supplies with the "few ounces" of gold that they said was their week's earnings from rather poor diggings. It transpired that they were some time later spied at a Kew Gold buyer with a large quantity of gold, and so the next gold rush began. What started as alluvial panning, then small tunnels in the valley side, Huge hydrolic mines which involved Aqueducts (one or which ran all the way to Big Pat's Creek), and a large amount of mine shafts (Shelob's Lair GCJJWA) and Tunnels (Little Moria GCHW3F) in the hills. A Crushing plant, utilising a water wheel (A shining star GCTP43), was installed near the base of Mt Little Joe to process the spoils.
an engraving by Samual Calvert in 1875 shows Hydrolic Mining works at (Old) Warburton (State Library Victoria)
Please enjoy the History, If you find any gold nuggets, take it home and mention it to no-one, We don't want another gold rush, messing up our bush again. Please be gentle replacing the Cache.
And Remember "Mum's the Word" regards from Victourer
First to Find is awarded to 999Hunter, /Congratulations.