Early in 1866, not even a decade after its formation, the State of Queensland was experiencing a recession, exacerbated by a prolonged drought. As the agricultural industry suffered, the Bank of Queensland shut its doors, the government suspended work on major infrastructure and masses of unemployed men protested in the streets of Brisbane.
In desperation, the government offered a £3,000 reward for the discovery of gold. While gold was first discovered near Gympie in 1851 by John Carne Bidwill, the first Land Commissioner of Wide Bay, it was James Nash who would turn it into a significant find.
An impoverished Nash was heading towards Gladstone from Nanango in August 1867 with only his panning dish, pick and dog when he discovered ‘colour’ near the Mary River. In a day and a half of prospecting, he found approximately 33g (an ounce and three pennyweights) and, after replacing his broken pick in Maryborough, he found 2.1kg (75 ounces) in only six days. He sold the gold in Brisbane and returned to the diggings. In October 1867, Nash penned a letter to the Minster for Lands, confirming the extent of the gold in the area, collecting the reward and sparking a gold rush. It transformed the luck of the state, hailing the town as the colony’s saviour.
The alluvial gold deposits were mined within a year, so underground reserves were created to continue mining. Reaching its peak between 1900 and 1910, the success of the gold mines created a permanent township, and many now heritage-listed buildings were constructed during this time. Formerly named Nashville to honour James Nash, the town was later renamed Gympie after the Gubbi Gubbi word ‘gimpi gimpi’ – a stinging tree that grows well in the area.
The discovery of gold helped change the course of history for the state’s economic development and created a town with a gold mine of history, nestled on the banks of the Mary River.
Within weeks of the Gympie Gold Rush of October 1867 many hotels were set up. They opened their doors to thousands of gold miners to socialise, drink and eat.
The Tattersalls Hotel was one of the first hotel businesses built in 1868, only six months after the town of Gympie – then still known as Nashville – was settled. In those early days, the Tattersalls was a stopover for mail coaches, so that miners would come to collect their mail and have a drink. In 1868 another historic hotel, the Golden Age, first opened its doors.
The Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser of 4 April 1868 reports that James Nash met his wife Katherine Murphy at her family’s hotel, the Traveller’s Rest in central Mary Street. Local research suggests that in the 152-year history of Gympie over 170 hotel licences have been granted. The first round of applications were granted in December 1867.
its very nice to learn something new and this was very interesting I love learning about this.
Our ancestors were married in Nashville in 1868 and ran the Tattersalls Hotel from around 1884. Thanks very much for the photo of the hotel and the township, it is great to know what it looked like.
Very good information but could include more about how this affected Australia.
I have to say that information about Gympie was great. But is there a book with full history. And pictures available . My favourite so far is pegging the NT. Also just inquiring about the Tattersalls pub. In 1789 give or take in Tasmania a man named Tattersalls started the lottery tickets. Helpful to the Tasmania government and local 10.000 pounds was the winner prize, tattersalls was sold to Victoria Australia 1800s . So mind my asking is the Tattersalls pub in Gympie, a or was property off a man with vision from Tasmania thanks for your time
could u add more information pleeease🙏🙏
What sort of information were you after? We often treat our blog articles as a jumping off point for people to start exploring the catalogue and understand what records we have available. Happy to look into what we can do to make this one a bit more helpful or useful. Thanks for the comment.
I’m researching Charles William Costin, of Costin st, Qld rifle association which was rifle range into now RNA showgrounds, then Yuggerra Corrobborree grounds, he was black rod of Parliament for 1897 Opium and Protection of Aboriginees Act ascent to crown from a family of pharmacists. plus the whole Darwin/the Huxley missing link head hunt vs Leichardt who went missing April 1848 around time Huxley was planning to join him and returned to UK to steal his glory re museum and collections from great exhibition London year after his return on rattlesnake to great Hippocampus debate re line between man and ape and effect on original people he being classified as fauna and facing war of extermination led by costins riflemen.. etc, hoping to publish at UQ, sent research to Profs Kervove and Evans, and about to do U3A colonial history with aim on writing book. Likely will seek more from archives esp wrt April 1848 Leichardt Huxley Darling Downs connection/disappearance. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jHBxaNqZcjB0V5NumVk4t6TKsptF02qam7uQRp4iKoM/edit?usp=sharing
and https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b9zt1FdtgFMXGjyz2ZoAtnuryGSjNgZbeWjyv0g5Imw/edit?usp=sharing Leichardt info towards the end
ps can’t access FB to post my link, but same name, and mostly Indigenous, my X is more for molecular medicine