Bendoc’s Forgotten Boomtown Goldfield

 

Gold was discovered in Bendoc in the mid-1850s, making it one of Victoria’s earlier but more isolated rushes. The first rush began around 1856, with serious mining activity expanding in the 1860s–1880s. Despite its remoteness, Bendoc developed into a significant mining township, with hotels, blacksmiths, post offices, and over 300 men on the diggings at its peak.

The gold was found in creek beds, shallow leads, and high terrace gravels, and later, in quartz reefs with free-milling gold. Bendoc and its surrounding creeks—including Clarkes Creek, Delegate River, and Bendoc River—were known for coarse gold, much of it still being found today.

 

✨ Notable Finds & Features

Numerous gold nuggets discovered, some exceeding 10 ounces, particularly in the 1860s and 1870s

The Delegate-Bendoc River system produced steady alluvial gold from gravels just a few feet below surface

Quartz reefs yielded up to 1 oz per ton, often with free gold visible in hand samples

Deep gutter leads and ancient terrace workings still hold good potential for detectorists and sluicers

Rich patches were often reworked in the Great Depression, but large tracts remain untouched today

 

🥾 Ideal For:

Detectorists searching for coarse alpine gold nuggets in old workings and untouched ridges

Alluvial fossickers working creek bends, gutters, and drift terraces

History-focused explorers tracing abandoned shafts and ghost town remnants

Adventurous prospectors seeking unworked gold-bearing ground in scenic alpine bush

 

⚠️ Access & Fossicking Info

The Bendoc Goldfield sits within state forest, crown land, and public stream corridors, making it largely accessible to holders of a valid Victorian Miner’s Right. Some parts border national parks or private land, so always verify access conditions. The area can be remote and rugged—ideal for well-prepared fossickers who enjoy getting off-grid.

Nearby settlements like Bendoc and Delegate offer limited services, so plan accordingly.

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Where Gold Still Waits in the High Country – With the Bendoc Goldfield prospecting map, you gain insider access to a quiet but richly gold-endowed region that once bustled with miners and now beckons with unmined potential. Whether you're panning in creeks, swinging a detector on high benches, or retracing the footsteps of 19th-century diggers, Bendoc still delivers.

 

Link to the Bendoc Goldfield Map:

https://viewer.slv.vic.gov.au/?entity=IE15492607&mode=browse