Great Northern Gold Mine, Tennant Creek, Barkly Region, Northern Territory, Australiai

Regional Level Types
Great Northern Gold Mine	Mine
Tennant Creek	Creek
Barkly Region	Region
Northern Territory	Territory
Australia	Country

Several internet sources (each probably repeated information) claim that the Great Northern Gold Mine was the original lease pegged on the Tennant Creek Goldfield. This could be based on one newspaper article (The Telegraph newspaper, Great Northern Lease Forfeited, 03/09/1935) which states: 'It was the first lease taken up nine years ago. J. Ambrose worked it'. Our research prefers the Shamrock mine (see Mindat entry) as the first lease, and more sources were found relating to this, and at an earlier date. The Shamrock was discovered by Patt Ambrose, then worked by him and his two brothers, Arthur and Jim. The latter probably migrated to the Great Northern shortly after, when the Shamrock proved relatively poor in gold.

However, regardless, this was one of the very early leases pegged around Tennant Creek (possibly second) around 1926 by Jim Ambrose of Banka Station. It was taken over by the Great Western Syndicate who were unimpressed, and the lease was returned to Ambrose. By at least 1932, it was in the hands of H.J. Udall. He had arrived at Tennant Creek from Victoria two years prior. He was joined by Jack Atterton and Jim Escreet. The source states they discovered the Burdekin Duck mine, which I'm yet to find or write about.

The mine was under lease to the Mid Australian Gold Exploration Company, however it appears Udall was mining during this period, and discovered a rich ore body. Udall in an interview goes into some detail over the discovery. He was loaming east of the workings in 1931, trying to find a continuation of the ore shoot. He discovered steely blue hematite as a one inch wide vein, with heavy gold values, although hardly visible to the naked eye. Specimens returned 1.131 oz to the tonne. A winze and one stamp battery was installed.

Further prospecting underground found the reef changed course. A huge wedge shaped horse of mullock was broken overhead, revealing a large ore body. One sample came in as 44 oz to the tonne. Udall then travelled to Adelaide to buy a bigger stamp battery.

In 1935, the mine was on option to an Adelaide company for 350 pounds as a half interest, with 50 tonnes of ore noted at grass. Another source the same year states the lease was forfeited due to inactivity to N.L. Caldwell from South Australia.

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