Curio

State Library of New South Wales
View of Clarke Street, central section looking south, Hill End

View of Clarke Street, central section looking south, Hill End

1872
Glass photonegative

Hill End in 1872 was a gold town at its peak and October 1872 was a memorable month. On Friday 4th, locals woke to 18 inches of snow and a view that was ‘quite English’. On the evening of the 18th, an earthquake shook everyone wide awake just before 7 pm and a spectacular red Aurora Australis was visible over the town. On the following day, the evening shift at the Star of Hope mine unearthed the largest specimen of reef gold ever found.

From the Sydney Morning Herald, 3 Dec 1872

Like other excellent things, Hill End is better under the surface than above it. It is remarkable altogether that this modest town, with so little commotion, should make the stir it does in the outside world. (‘To Hill End and back’, Sydney Morning Herald, 3 Dec 1872, p5)