Where is the Tarshish Goldfield ?

I have seen a couple of references to it which link it to the Abercrombie and to the Laclan Rivers, but I cannot quite figure out exactly where it was . Anybody been there ?

thanks,

Jig.

From a Newspaper Article in 1851

THE TARSHISH DIGGINGS, ABERCROMBIE RIVER.
September 9th, 1851.
My Dear Sir,—I have much pleasure in congratulating the people of Bathurst on the
fact of their having an extensive South Western gold field on the Abercrombie River. There
are now 40 persons at work earning from 7s. to 10s. per day each, and I have no doubt when the
waters subside the river will prove highly auriferous. The geological structure of the
country is highly favourable to the production of gold, and is of great extent. You are therefore
quite correct in your statement to me a short time ago that the next gold field of any magnitude would be discovered on the Abercrombie River. The place has been visited by Mr. Hargraves, the gold discoverer, who named it ''Tarshish," as you see by the heading of my letter.

The diggings are situate 20 miles S. E. from Carcoar, about seventeen miles from Mulgunnia, fifty miles from Bathurst, and seventy miles from Goulburn. They are claimed by the Goulburn people, who have given them the designation of the 'Albert diggings;' but I can assure you that they have no more claim upon them than upon your Turon or Ophir, as the locale is not in their district, neither have they any right to name them. They unquestionably belong to the Bathurst Country, but I suppose you can well afford to allow the Goulburnites to
amuse themselves, baby fashion, by calling them theirs. They are badly off, poor people, for a
golden bait. What do you say if we transfer them as a present? This act of generosity on
our parts would help to cheer their drooping spirits. I procured 115 small scales of gold in a pan of earth. Its general distribution through the soil is favorable to industrious miners. A good hand would earn £1 a day in the bank of the river.

Jeff

Mike
Isnt it out the other side of Crookwell...went there years ago.. most of it was on private property an interesting place lost in history.... the old Bathurst Rd from Goulburn goes thru there...

Ray

Jeff,

I have Googled up that description, but I am really none the wiser as to the location. At one stage I thought it might be an early name for the Tuena Field. I am still stumped.

Jig

Ray,

I have heard of a small field up on Mt Werong in the vicinity you speak of, but I had the feeling Tarshish was more right down on a river.

I even thought that maybe Wyangala Dam may have covered it, that's why we never hear about it.

It is project for me the. To find the lost field of Tarshish !

Cheers,

Mike / Jig

Mike
I will make some phone calls and get back to u... but thats where I thought it was...

Ray

Mike
Made a couple of calls to a mate who lives at Tuena and hsi family comes from there...according to his Dad the field was the main camp of the Abercrombie diggings... so I take it that after u leave Tuena on your way to Bathurst it was near the crossing of the Ambercrombie River not far from the caves...

Ray

Thanks for going to that trouble Ray. Surprising how little seems to be known about it. I think the name must have been unpopular and changed later.
Thanksagain,
Mike / Jig.