Nicol Goldfield, Karratha, City of Karratha, Western Australia, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Nicol Goldfield	Ore Field
Karratha	- not defined -
City of Karratha	Shire
Western Australia	State
Australia	Country

Arthur Bayley came away from this goldfield with a 200 ounce slug, which financed his expedition with Ford from Southern Cross, and subsequent discovery of the fabulously rich Coolgardie Goldfield. As they say the rest is .....

The Nicol Goldfield is 10 kilometres south-east of Karratha, in the upper reaches of the tidal Nicol River estuary. Part land, part mudflats, part under water. Its gold with sticky black mud, mangroves, crabs and mosquitoes.

Gold was discovered here in 1890, when some men were sinking holes for fence posts. Some near surface nuggets were located, but the small pits quickly filled with water, the field was abandoned.

Along rolls 1895, subsequent to the gold finds at Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie. London investors are throwing money at Western Australian gold ventures in get rich quick schemes. The Nicol Goldfield is rediscovered. The grandly named Great Chirratta gold lode is announced. Several leading mining men in Western Australia, who are set to gain financially, send off messages to London, enthusing about the deposit. The key here is the statement the lode had been opened to two feet, hardly enough to make a judgement.

The United Nicol Gold Mines of Western Australia Limited is formed, and raise 80 000 pounds capital. Investors are not told two weeks before, a flood has swept away the mining camp, and filled the holes to the surface with water. One month later the company folds, investors lose their money (although it is assumed not the directors), and the company combines with no less than five other new companies on the goldfield, to raise a further 375 000 pounds.

The goldfield quickly reverts back to the haunt of the lone prospector. Government geologist Gibb-Maitland in 1908 states the site contains several small auriferous reefs, considerable alluvial workings, on mudflats with gold found down to 9 feet deep. Several gold slugs were found 5-10 ounces each.

He states the reefs outcrop from the mudflats, and a little further inland to the Kings mine. The reef dips 40-60 degrees east, 18 inches to 2 feet of quartz carrying a little gold.

Further north are a group of parallel reefs outcropping on the beach near the high water tide mark. Some water filled trenches had been cut across the beach by prospectors. He mentions a prospector called Tozer working the deposit, and 4 years before J.W. Archibald. It is likely there were many more intermittently over the years.

The site covers one square kilometre, with several small pits to 20 metres deep, scattered along the edge of the estuary. There is also several bits of machinery and building ruins from over 100 years of mining. The site is just north of the North West Coastal Highway, and can be seen from the road. It is likely the location is still an active prospecting camp.

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