Favourite Flat is located between Clear Hills and Mudmelong. The early miners would have crossed Favourite Flat to reach Clear Hills station. They would likely be attracted to the prospect of first making the acquaintance of the Badgery’s for food and information. We do not have any reports of mining in Favourite Flat until June 1859. When these reports start, there were already many claims taken up and well developed. Also it appears existing claims are not just in Favourite Flat, but all the way to Mudmelong. The correct location of the claims is not always clear, and the best guess for the location is somewhere between the two places.
NB – Burketown, as it appears in the map above, was named after an early settler, Mr William Burke. Authors and newspapers of the 1850s and 60s used the spelling Burketown, but from 1872 the newspapers referred to this area as Bourketown. I have used Burketown on the map and in notes, for the 1850s and 60s.
From McGowan’s exploration of the area he has noted1McGowan, Golden South, p 31. …
Favourite Flat is characterised by a large number of hut sites cut into the sides of hills, these cuttings extend south from Crown Flat for well over a kilometre. On some sites stone remnants of chimney foundations remain, and on other sites there are no such remains. The most prominent of these sites is at the southern end of Favourite Flat, where there are three cuttings, one above the other, the largest of which is 40m long. There were at least six hut or camp sites in this area. Between these sites and Araluen Creek there is a dam measuring 60m x 20m, which was probably used for domestic purposes.
In June 1859 the Empire reported that2Empire, 2 June 1859. …
At the Favourite Flat, and near Mr. Sweeney’s public-house [between Favourite Flat and Mudmelong] all the miners appear satisfied, and the only hindrance to their going ahead in right good earnest is the want of water. Extensive works are going on at Cavanagh and Young’s claims, and Cowan’s, of Favorite Flat, is turning out well ; on Wednesday, 6 ozs. were washed out between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mr. Eaton, late of Bell’s Paddock, is about opening an extensive store here, and has just returned from Sydney with a large stock bought under advantageous circumstances. He will consequently be able to supply other storekeepers in the neighbourhood, as well as the diggers, at very moderate rates. The stock is being brought by the way of Broulee, and from thence conveyed to Mudmelong on pack-horses. Fifteen of these animals are now employed at this work, and the number will immediately be increased. The reason for using such an unusual mode of conveyance is that the road to the coast is extremely bad and very rocky.
The Sydney Morning Herald also comments on Favourite Flat in June 1859 3Sydney Morning Herald, 18 June 1859. …
Favourite Flat is turning out as prolific in gold as I prophesied it would, and as yet it is the most auriferous spot in the whole valley. Desmond and Smithers and Jones and party had a slice of good-luck last week, in hitting upon the lead, which is very rich. Cowan’s party still continue to do well. Gold is being purchased in large quantities by the storekeepers. On Saturday, Mr North purchased 180ozs. being a portion of the dust obtained during the week from this famed spot.
In July 1859 the population had increased and a butcher shop had opened4McGowan, Golden South, p 55. …
In late August 1859 and continuing into September there was another water problem. This time the lack of water due to a drought. The drought affected all the mining in the valley, down to Mudmelong5Sydney Morning Herald, 27 August 1859. …
At every point and flat the cry is for rain, and so uncertain are the seasons, that gold-digging in the valley is a double lottery. There is an abundance of ground, reckoned poor by the digger, that would pay very well if water were sufficiently plentiful to admit of washing large quantities of dirt during the day. At Sweeney’s there is nothing of moment doing just now. We may mention that O’Hare’s, Crawford’s, Cavanagh’s, Young’s, Carver’s and Goodenough’s parties are doing very well, their several claims yielding gold in abundance.
In February 1860, McGowan states that6McGowan, Golden South, p 56 …
… new claims were opening and work was brisk. The population was numerous and all appear contended.
Then a few days later the worst flood in the district shattered hopes of continuing fortunes. The Empire reports7Empire, 20 February 1860 …
The flood at this part of our district has been disastrous in the extreme. ‘The mighty element carried death and destruction every where. Friday night and Saturday morning the 10th and 11th of February, 1860, will long be remembered in the annals of Araluen. The loss of human life here has been the greatest yet, so far as we have heard. Mr. J. Carney, Mrs. Carney and family, numbering some eight or nine persons, were all lost, with the exception of one boy, their son, who, after swimming some three miles,-saved himself by clinging to some driftwood. It appears that on Saturday morning, about 5.30 a.m., a miner, at the risk of his life, ventured to the house of Mr. Carney, and gave the alarm that the creek was rising. Mr. Carney, unfortunately, persisted that it was not, and that he would stay ; at this time the house was surrounded with water. Mrs. Carney, as her husband would not move, refused to go also. But it appears the fears of the wife and mother were soon after roused, as seeing the water rise higher and higher, she, with her children, attempted to get out of danger ; but, alas ! in crossing the torrent, which was sweeping at a frightful rate past their house, she was struck by a huge drift log, knocked down, and swept away, the poor children, save the boy alluded to, sharing the same unhappy fate. This intrepid youth, though stunned and knocked under water by the same log that caused the death of his mother, brothers and sisters, yet managed, after a severe struggle, to reach the drift as above-mentioned. Mr. J. Carney and family were people of the highest respectability, and until recently, owing to reverses of fortune, he held a prominent position in Sydney as one of the largest master builders in the metropolis, and was a few years since worth, it is said, over £40,000. A daughter of this unhappy family, who has been educated at Subiaco, is still, we believe, staying with a friend in Sydney.
The next day the Empire added8Empire, 21 February 1860. …
…..at this time everything appeared to have been washed clean away from Favourite Flat ; could only see the bark of Denny Barrett’s House, which, in fact, was the only thing visible on the Flat ; Carney’s house was not then visible ; the people on Crown Flat were then under the impression that Barrett’s and Carney’s families were all lost ; about ten o’clock Davy Buchanan and self went down to the Creek opposite to Barrett’s ; after some difficulty we managed to make them hear, and then saw that Denny was alive, but we were still uncertain as to the fate of Denny’s family or that of Carney’s we then went lower down, clambering over the side of the ranges, wishing to learn the worst ; got opposite to Robinson’s, where, after repeated efforts to be under-stood, we learned that Mr. and Mrs. Carney and five children had been swept away—their oldest boy alone being saved, and that trooper Smith had shared the same melancholy fate…It appears that Mr. Carney had no idea that his house or the lives of his family were in danger, and had placed the children on the counter for safety ; but seeing the water rise higher and higher, Mrs. Carney and her children attempted to get into a place of safety. Augustus Carney, who is an expert swimmer, heroically endeavoured to save his mother and baby, but unfortunately a porter cask came down the stream and struck his mother ; he then lost sight of her and his father and the rest of the family ; after this he took to a log, and was then swept as far as Barrett’s where he was rescued by Mr. T. Mullins and Mr. Kidd. The poor boy while relating the foregoing, wept bitterly, and appeared to be almost broken-hearted. In connection with this sad affair, we regret to have to record one of those despicable acts that make us blush for human nature. The night previous to the flood, Mrs. Carney, and her son had placed all the money there was in the house, about £75, with three gold watches, in a bag, and when they attempted to leave the house the boy had charge of the money which was placed in a small reticule. In the struggle for ” dear life,” young Carney dropped the reticule, which—was afterwards picked up, and returned to him, but minus £60 and one gold watch. It was also related to us that after the house of this unhappy family had been washed away, some men (we blush to record it) seized a case of gin that was floating past, and drank of it to such an excess that they fought over it like so many dogs over a bone. A. Carney is very positive as to the amount of money in the reticule.
By July things were improving and people were making, or about to make, good returns9Sydney Morning Herald, 24 July 1860. …
Messrs. Fowler and Gowen, of Favourite Flat, have their tail race up to their ground, which will enable them to get gold in a few weeks. Another engine has arrived on Messr B. Barrett’s and Gardener’s claim, which will be at work in a short time-not more than a month. Cowan and party have at last found, a payable prospect, and are sanguine of pulling up for lost time. Walsh’s claim is paying a steady thing. Grooms and company are doing right well, as also the parties known as Johnson’s, Robinson’s, Cumming’s, and Taylor’s ; the latter are all paying first-rate.
However the Sydney Morning Herald was a little bit late with the above report because a few days earlier it had started raining again and continued to rain, in torrents, for the next 100 hours.10Sydney Mail, 4 August 1860. The Sydney Mail reported that the water rose about 15 feet and at Favourite Flat it was beginning to endanger lives before the water finally receded.
By the end of August 1860, things were looking up again. Several business places were under construction, several races were opened and many men were employed.11McGowan, Golden South, p 58. And by late October fresh ground had been opened and the miners were reaping good rewards.12Sydney Morning Herald, 30 October 1860.
In 1861 there were floods in February, March and April, but there were only brief comments on these floods at Favourite Flat. The flood in April was the worst. All claims along the creek were filled with sand and water. Nothing was spared down to Mudmelong. Wheels, machinery, barrows, plants and other tools were washed away, engines were displaced. The repairs over the months from the last flood were completely destroyed. It was thought that it would take up to six months for all the arrears from the latest floods, to be paid back.13McGowan, Golden South, p 63.
There were no reports until February 1868, when in another flood, we are told that the miners at Favourite Flat were great sufferers. There was no further detail.
From the lack of information, can we assume that Favourite Flat was by now very lightly populated? After mid-1859 many of the diggers, along with the stores and public houses moved to Crown Flat, following new gold discoveries in that area. There are, however, reports of dredging in the 1870s at Favourite Flat.