Fossicking for gold and general mining began about 1873. The fossickers and diggers working first along the creeks and gulleys and then shafts were formed and tunnels dug along the banks of Sewell, Stoney, Brisbane Valley and Wiseman's Creeks.
There are several water races which ran from the Waterfalls on Brisbane Valley creek, behind Mount Stromboli, down to different points, One finished at the Angle or campsite, others went down towards the junction of Stoney and Wiseman's creek. They are to be seen along most creeks in the area. The one following our creek from the waterfalls was started and built by the Chinese as far as Stringy Bark point where present road crosses creek and then completed by Davey and Peter McNab.
The first mine in the area was the North Wiseman's Creek mine which commenced operations in 1873 and yielded copper and gold.
Then the Phoenix and Mabel mines (which may still be visited today) were discovered by David Rae and Michael Foley which yielded about 36 ton .of copper. David Rae got silver from the Mabel at 80 years of age some 50 feet down and in big cave.
1880 ‑ saw a rush to Mt. Warrens and a find of 87 of of gold recorded and 33 oz from the Oberon Division
1881 ‑ Diggings at Swallows Nest (Top of Sewell's) and Stoney Creek deserted ‑ plenty of alluvial gold but no water for sluicing
NOTE: This must have been the cause of our earlier Quote on the Court Case over the Mountain View Water Race,
In December payable gold reported at top of Sewell's and Blossom Hill
1882 Rush to Blossom Hill with many miners coming from Temora. Little was found
1883 McLeay's on Sewell Creek only mine working as water was found in the tunnel.
1885 Silver rush at Wiseman's Creek with South Wiseman's Mine giving good silver essays. Essington was also the sight of a Copper mine.
The VILLAGE OF GLENBURN was founded at the junction of Wiseman’s Creek. One Hotel has been erected in addition to one on a private property ‑ almost 100 allotments have been occupied and buildings erected there.
SPECIAL NOTE: The Commercial Hotel was owned by the Clout family and whom were related to Barrie and Heather McKinney of Mountain View through their Grandmother who has a postcard from them in her family collection. Another Clout owned the hotel at Bowenfells and yet another was the Mayor of Lithgow. Many of the same family are still at Temora mentioned in the 1882 entry.
1886 Silver rush over
1887 Wiseman's Creek almost deserted.
1890 Little activity
1892 Essington Estate which went as far as Native Dog Creek crossing was thrown open to miners but proved a failure.
1893 Payable gold found on Native Dog creek.
1894 ‑ A wet winter which led to more alluvial work being carried out
1895 Party working on Stoney creek on a well worked point averaged $10 per week over 3 months
1896 A number made their living along Stoney creek
1898 Revival in Copper mining at Wiseman's Creek
1899 Approximately $2,500 of gold obtained from Sewell and Native Dog creeks‑ hampered by weather
1908 The Phoenix mine sank to a further depth of 340 feet
The Village of Glenburn started to grow again
1927 Saw the first bridge in the area across Wiseman's Creek.
1930 2nd North Wiseman's Creek mine discovered by Alf Martin and yielded 5oz to ton of gold. Alf Martin (Nesta from Wiseman's Creek husband); Eric Todd; Paul Murphy (late resident of W.C.); Hector Fawcett and Arthur Gallagher (resident Mountain View) all worked this mine.
It was to the Mabel mine that Arthur Gallagher went to work, walking from his home near the first gate into Mountain View across the hills, the main road and up the ridges opposite to the Mabel to do one of three shifts. The shifts went from 8am ‑4pm; 4pm ‑ 12midnight; 12 midnight ‑ 8am. The gold stamping battery worked all night and carbide lighting was used.
SPECIAL NOTE: The mines in the hill on the top side of the waterfalls on Brisbane Valley creek were Woolfram mines which is used in hardening steel.
Nearly all these mines may be visited today
SPECIAL NOTE: My Uncle also informs me that my Grandfather Norman Carrington Morthern worked all along Stoney Creek and Sewell creeks during the depression years.
1930's‑ These were the years of the great depression and saw many miners at it again.
All the activity kept the locals in work supplying timber for shafts and buildings etc, steam engines, and general necessities. A steam engine worked at the 2nd North Wiseman's Creek mine ‑ had batteries worked by Ray Franklin and this engine was later moved to the Mabel in the 1930's.
All this activity brought to Glenburn, Blacksmiths, Hotels, Stores, Sally Rawson's Drapery Store (still to be seen); the first two to supply bread were Tom Condon from O'Connell and Mrs. Paul Murphy who was renowned for always having fresh baked cakes for all visitors; The butchers came from O'Connell – two brothers Callaghan and Syd Bailey who then owned Inwood's place. Jim Sewell also brought meat down from the top end of Sewell's creek.
1940's Mining was continued by a Watson and Turner
1947 First 3 day mail service from Oconnell to Essington.
The Captain King's Creek Inn was operating from 1858 and Lou Cash will tell the story that the owners use to hang out Red check tablecloths on the clothesline as an all clear signal to the bushrangers waiting in the hills. (This Inn is near the crossing of the creek on the main road and still exists in the form of Cash's house. A painting hangs in Jean Gallagher's place of it)
QUOTE: NEWSPAPER CLIPPING: SLY GROG SHOP
The Police reported yesterday the breaking up of a sly grog shop at Wiseman's Creek 25 miles from Bathurst. A man named Kearns whose ostensible business was to sell ginger beer, had for some time been suspected of carrying on an illicit trade, but could never be fair caught. One of the policemen cleverly planted himself in a gunyah, and saw 8 or 9 young men arrive on horseback sober enough. They emerged sometime later drunk and fightable, some stripping themselves to the waist. Names were obtained and several of the uproarous party were summoned as well as the proprietor who was fined 30 pounds.
RECREATIONAL FACILITIES ‑ GLENBURN
Glenburn had its Sports and Picnic Grounds and held a New Year's Eve picnic each year followed by a concert in the Hall at night. The hall built by Davey, 'The Good Templars Lodge' was between the present tennis court and road and has disappeared with a new iron hall built which is now converted to a weekender.
Later came the tennis courts with many social matches taking place between O'Connell/Brewongle/Tarana and Lagoon.
Euchre nights were also held at the Glenburn School (also now weekender)
ROADS AND SERVICES
As mentioned the first bridge over Wiseman's Creek at the village was in 1927. During the 1950's concrete crossings appeared on other creek crossings at Captain King's creek and Brisbane Valley. Jack Eaton brought the concrete for the Wiseman's Creek bridge by bullock team and it was constructed by the Oberon Shire Council.
The road to O'Connell was upgraded from 1959 on but not completed to 1971.
THE METHODIST CHURCH
At a meeting in November 1870 the Bathurst District Methodists sanction was given for the erection of a concrete church at Stoney Creek which at that time was part of the spreading Bathurst circuit.
A church was built of mud and straw (pizzi) and not concrete and was erected on the property of WILLIAM TODD.
The marriage of Rebecca Todd (Luin's daughter) and Dick Cash took place there.
This church was pushed over in 1947 and a fibro church erected... Ceased 1968.
The graves of David Smith Todd, Lettisha, Eric Todd and Alice Davina Gunning may still he seen today.
This is the church on Hawthorne Farm and may be visited with the permission of the owners John and June White.
HOSPITAL SERVICES ‑ was given unofficially at Spring Valley owned by Caleb Todd (Son of William) ‑ his wife was Nurse and Midwife ‑ Also Portus' wife was a nurse.
