News About Historical Cowra (Cowarra) Creek Gold Mine

Was Out and about in my local stomping ground with my brother during the week and having a good look around the mine and the settlement areas as we do, and ran into some so called Government Officials at the mine dam wall (guessing from Cooma Council) before we ran into them we noticed there had been works done on the dam wall and creek clearing of all plant life.
Thought that they might be reopening the mine, but from coming up from the bottom we ran into the so called government Officials taking photos of the wall and had a chat.
First of all was told we shouldn't be on site (No signage Anywhere) as it was closed, and without fuss moved on but I can say is that it looks like they are going to fence the whole site as its a OH&S Risk..(Surprise NOT) I understand and get why but really. Why now the last time the mine was open was in the 1980's 40 years later and they think they need to fence it off... Starting to rant lol thought I would share the information.

Cheers,
Muddy

Is that the one east from Bredbo?

yeah mate thats it

Hey muddy would you still be able to do a little river sluicing out there? is it worth the drive for gold, seems like there's not much aleft in the area.

Mate that post from Muddy was May 2019, might be a bit hard getting a reply.
Cheers
Mackka

Hey riounits,

Last time I was out there was about 18 months ago now and there was bugger all water then.
Poked around with the gold pan and a few puddles, didnt find much but being a lack of water didnt get to excited
Bet bet would be go look yourself. Least if you dont find anything you could enjoy a cold night camping

Hey welcome back Muddy.

Its funny, a bit earlier today I was thinking of taking a ride out there in the coming weeks, then I came across this post.

The landowner whose property you ride through to get to Cowra Creek told me he owned all of the land that the mines are on, so I dont see how a government official could be telling you that you shouldnt be there. Id be telling them to sod off.

There is alluvial gold out there but its not near the mines and its not easy to get to.

Not to sure about that as the mines a historic site and I believe its crown land anyway but could be wrong.
The cooma council that told us to leave the site once they left we came back anyway.
While we were out there there were new drilling holes all over the place.
Might go for a day drive to see if anything come from it

Hey Muddy you stop at the Bredbo Pub for a countery. Mixed grill, yummy.
Mackka

Never done it on a weekend. But every other time we have been in they only did meat pies.

How things change but it was only 45 years ago, time waits for no man.
Mackka

Muddy said:

Not to sure about that as the mines a historic site and I believe its crown land anyway but could be wrong.
The cooma council that told us to leave the site once they left we came back anyway.
While we were out there there were new drilling holes all over the place.
Might go for a day drive to see if anything come from it

Click to expand...

Muddy, are you talking about the dam near the old 1800's Cowra Ck township, or the one further north near the Cowarra BHP mines?

Maybe the govt has some involvement from an environmental perspective, given the mess that BHP left out there around the settlement pond, but the cocky was adamant that he owned the land. Hard to know who to believe....

We have camped out there at a spot on the river well away from the mines and the landowner was fine with it, just told us to keep our heads down at night because he allows shooters out there.

I know Ironbark have got an active EL over the Fiery Creek workings further south, but I'm not sure who is drilling at Cowarra.

Think it's time I went out for another look too.

We were poking around the old dam but more around the old school and pub site.
But we have poked around with detectors around south and north east town sites.
So much iron trash out there you get cranky quick lol never found anything exciting.
We use to know the people that owned the block the old original good good Homestead was but yeah.
When we were at the mine there had been a heap of work done at the big tailings dam at the bottom.

Yeah there is some interesting stuff out there. I think one of my first posts on here years ago was a photo of my bike parked on the cricket pitch at the old recreation reserve, while I was out there detecting. I never found much detecting around there either.

1974 -78 Bredbo pub was me an me mates watering hole - darts on wednesday night and "Molly" was a lovely ol duck ...
Cheers

bundyjd said:

Its funny, a bit earlier today I was thinking of taking a ride out there in the coming weeks, then I came across this post.

The landowner whose property you ride through to get to Cowra Creek told me he owned all of the land that the mines are on, so I dont see how a government official could be telling you that you shouldnt be there. Id be telling them to sod off.

There is alluvial gold out there but its not near the mines and its not easy to get to.

Click to expand...

Here is the map I was looking for and the red is crown land so I believe the whole area is as its a historic site.

Not sure mate, maybe it's a pastoral lease of some sort. The frustrating part is that you could probably find 10 govt produced maps which will tell you 10 different things.

I guess the easiest way to find out would be to ask the guy who reckons he "owns" the land if you ever come across him out there. I've bumped into him a few times out on the dirt road that runs through his place and stopped for a chat, his name is Peter from memory. As you go in from the Bredbo river crossing end, and along Capawidgee Rd/Chakola firetrail his property is called Waanyarra. From memory there was a signpost just as you cross a cattle grid, his driveway is a bit further along on the right.

I was going to do a ride out there with some mates the weekend before last, but my bike decided it didn't want to go out in the cold and spat it's coolant on the ground instead. Might take a drive out one weekend and see what's going on out there.

Cheers,
JD

Mackka said:

Hey Muddy you stop at the Bredbo Pub for a countery. Mixed grill, yummy.
Mackka

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There not bad hey Mackka. :Y:

I always looked forward to it on my way back to Canberra after doing my run to Cooma. Many years ago mate.
Mackka