#goldprospecting #gold #golddiscovery Unearth the secrets of Australia’s hidden gold wealth in this detailed exploration of four of the richest and most geologically intriguing deep lead gold systems across Victoria, New South Wales, and Western Australia. Deep leads—ancient, buried riverbeds rich in alluvial gold—were responsible for some of the greatest gold rushes in Australian history. Yet many of these leads remain only partially explored, while others have been entirely missed by 19th-century miners due to the difficulty of tracing them beneath layers of volcanic basalt, clay, and sediment. In this feature-length compilation, we follow the story of four remarkable deep leads, from their geological formation to modern-day rediscovery.
Our journey begins in Meredith, Victoria, where modern magnetic surveys revealed a previously undocumented deep lead buried beneath volcanic cover. By interpreting subtle magnetic anomalies that indicated paleochannel paths beneath the surface, a concealed gold-bearing system was uncovered. This discovery highlights how amateur and professional prospectors alike can apply modern geophysics to historic goldfields and still make significant finds. The Meredith lead offers a fascinating look at the relationship between volcanism, sedimentation, and alluvial gold deposition in the Otway Basin margin.
Next, we head north to a forgotten section of the Campaspe Deep Lead in Victoria’s north, where it borders the Murray River. Despite extensive mining throughout the Bendigo and Echuca regions in the 1800s, this portion of the lead was bypassed—likely due to its burial beneath post-glacial sediments and the misconception that it was fully exhausted. Using lidar, stratigraphic mapping, and historical bore data, we trace how this lead meanders toward the river and still shows signs of untapped gold potential. The close association with the Murray highlights the significance of palaeochannel reconnection and erosion cycles in reworking gold into modern river systems.
In Western Australia, we investigate the legendary Kanowna Deep Lead near Kalgoorlie, one of the most productive gold-bearing palaeochannels ever discovered. This system helped fuel WA's gold rush and continues to be a source of exploration interest. Here, we dive into the structure of the ancient river that once flowed beneath the Eastern Goldfields, carrying coarse gold eroded from Archean greenstone belts and depositing it in broad gravel beds now buried under laterite and regolith. Through historical records, drill results, and present-day exploration efforts, the Kanowna lead illustrates the enduring economic and geological importance of deep leads in arid regions.
Finally, we explore the Bland Creek Palaeovalley in New South Wales, an immense and underexplored palaeodrainage system that stretches through the Lachlan Fold Belt. This palaeovalley once connected gold-rich highlands to depositional basins and is thought to have transported significant quantities of alluvial gold during the late Tertiary and Quaternary periods. Much of the gold here is believed to remain buried beneath deep layers of clay and alluvium, overlooked by historical miners. With advances in remote sensing, geochemical sampling, and stratigraphic modelling, the Bland Creek system is now being re-evaluated by both individual prospectors and modern exploration companies.
Throughout this video, you'll find detailed explanations of how each deep lead formed, the types of gold they contain, and how explorers today are using modern tools—magnetics, satellite data, borehole logs, and field geology—to map these ancient rivers with stunning accuracy. Whether you’re a hobbyist prospector, a student of geology, or an investor in Australian gold, this compilation offers a comprehensive and accessible guide to some of the continent’s most exciting subsurface goldfields.
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00:00-13:58 - The Undiscovered Buried River in Victoria, Australia
13:59-30:30 - The Undiscovered Campaspe Deep Lead in Victoria, Australia
30:31-44:46 - The Kanowna Deep Lead in Western Australia
44:47- 1:02:03 - The Untouched Bland Creek Deep Lead in New South Wales. Australia
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