Explore Gold Prospecting Maps of Tanjil, Russell’s Creek, and East Neerim Victoria – A Forgotten Goldrush Gem

 

Discover the untapped goldfields of Tanjil and Russell’s Creek, nestled within the Baw Baw region of Victoria, Australia. These detailed gold prospecting maps provide invaluable insight into a historically rich yet often overlooked area of the Victorian Goldrush, perfect for modern fossickers, amateur geologists, and serious gold prospectors alike.

 

🔍 Historical Overview: Tanjil / Russell’s Creek Goldfields

The Tanjil goldfield was officially proclaimed in 1865, following a series of alluvial gold discoveries along Russell’s Creek, Tanjil River, and surrounding tributaries. Early reports from 1864–1866 detail rich alluvial workings, including coarse gold and multiple nugget finds in shallow creek beds and leads. Though overshadowed by larger rushes in Ballarat and Bendigo, Tanjil drew hundreds of hopeful diggers and became known for its coarse gold, auriferous quartz reefs, and remote beauty.

 

📍 Notable Finds and Features

Rich alluvial gold was reported along the upper reaches of Russell’s Creek, with some individual miners averaging over an ounce a day during peak yields.

In 1865, the area around Mount Tanjil saw quartz reef mining attempts, with several shafts opened on promising leads.

A 5-ounce nugget was reportedly discovered in 1866, just upstream from the Russell’s Creek junction, stirring renewed interest in the field.

Geological surveys in the early 1900s confirmed auriferous quartz veins, ironstone ridges, and arsenopyrite-bearing schists, indicating potential for reef-style gold systems similar to those found in nearby Walhalla and Neerim districts.

 

⛏️ Ideal For:

Weekend gold fossickers looking for accessible alluvial spots

Metal detectorists chasing coarse nuggety gold

Hobbyist geologists and historians exploring Victoria’s lesser-known goldfields

YouTube prospectors and content creators documenting rare gold discoveries

 

⚠️ Note:

Parts of the Tanjil goldfield fall near or within Bunyip State Park, where fossicking is not permitted. However, the Russell’s Creek catchment lies outside the restricted zone, offering legal access to promising terrain.

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Unlock Victoria’s Hidden Gold Legacy – Download your copy of the Tanjil / Russell’s Creek gold prospecting map today and retrace the footsteps of 19th-century diggers in one of the region’s most scenic and overlooked goldfields.

 

Link to Tanjil / Russell's Creek Gold and Geological Map 1878:

https://viewer.slv.vic.gov.au/?entity=IE15494320&mode=browse

 

Link to Tanjil / Russell's Creek / Neerim East Gold and Geological Map 1915:

https://viewer.slv.vic.gov.au/?entity=IE15495119&mode=browse