Montreal Goldfield is a living museum. It is one of only two goldmines developed on a beach in the Southern Hemisphere.

Thanks to the extremely hard silcrete, it is the most intact goldfield in southeast NSW. It has not been farmed or grazed since it was clear-felled in 1880 so the seedbank, left undisturbed, has regrown into what Captain Cook would have sailed past in 1770.

Some of Montreal Goldfield’s fascinating history has been captured in a film to be launched at Bermagui Country Club on October 10.

When gold was discovered by Canadian Henry Williams in September 1880 it triggered a true gold rush. At the time there were only perhaps seven families living in Bermagui. Within three weeks of news that gold could be found just a few feet below the sand on the beaches north of Bermagui 2000 people had arrived to make their fortune.

Many came by the steamers that carried cargo from Sydney to the remote Far South Coast. It was likely standing-room only on the 16-hour passage to Bermagui. They clambered into smaller boats at Horseshoe Bay to reach land. Then it was a four-mile walk to the goldfield.

Their first stop was at the Mining Office to register their claim. It cot ten shillings, the equivalent of a week and a half’s wages for a labourer, for a year’s licence to mine an area 12-foot square.

The gold on the beach was quickly exhausted but some of the smarter prospectors had worked out that the gold was coming from an underground river. They tried digging tunnels in the sand towards Gulaga Mount Dromedary where the first gold reef had been found in 1877. Tunnelling proved to be unstable and dangerous. Instead, they dug from the surface to find the riverbed where the gold was.

It was dirty work and hard work. The storekeepers who sold tools, food and other provisions did very well though, as did the three publicans.

The 40-minute film was produced by local filmmaker Hiromi Matsuoka. It features three of the longest-running tour guides – Judi Hearn, Chris Franks and Bill Southwood – as well as internationally-known mining geologist Carl Swenson of Bermagui. They share just a fraction of their extensive knowledge of the mine’s geology, the very special flora and fauna that call the goldfield their home, and what life would have been like in the mine’s hey days.

After seeing the film at 6pm on October 10, you will want to go on a guided tour of Montreal Goldfield or even join the merry band of volunteers. Tours run at 2pm, Thursday to Sunday.

Montreal Goldfield Management Committee