This River of Gold Was Never Found... Until Now

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Uncover the extraordinary geological history of the Bland Creek Palaeovalley, a buried landscape that holds the secrets of ancient river systems, gold enrichment, and deep-time erosion in the heart of New South Wales, Australia. In this in-depth video, we take you on a journey beneath the surface to reveal a massive palaeovalley carved into the Lachlan Fold Belt—a landscape that formed tens of millions of years ago but remained hidden until recent geophysical breakthroughs.

The Bland Creek Palaeovalley was incised during the Paleocene to Eocene in response to significant tectonic and climatic changes. As Australia slowly drifted northward following the breakup of Gondwana, regional uplift and the downwarping of the Murray Basin triggered the incision of this enormous valley system. Over time, ancient rivers—supercharged by high-energy flow regimes—carved deep gorges and tributaries, particularly along the western side of the valley. The result was a broad, lopsided basin with a steeply incised eastern margin and rugged interior bedrock ridges, some of which remain preserved as geological “islands” beneath the surface. These features are not only geomorphically significant, but may also host zones of hydrothermal alteration or mineralisation, offering clues to the region’s metallogenic potential.

Through the Late Miocene and into the Pliocene and Pleistocene, the valley became a basin of deposition. The video details how this palaeovalley gradually filled with a thick sequence of alluvial, swampy, and braided stream sediments known as the Lachlan and Cowra Formations. The lower Lachlan Formation consists of quartz-rich sands, gravels, and cobbles deposited in a reducing, waterlogged environment—perfect for preserving auriferous material derived from nearby weathered reefs. Above it, the Cowra Formation represents a later phase of oxidising, higher-energy sedimentation from braided stream networks during the Pleistocene. These units collectively conceal what was once an energetic fluvial system capable of transporting and concentrating gold.

Our video highlights how cutting-edge airborne geophysics—especially magnetic surveys—have been critical in revealing the structure and course of the buried palaeochannels. These channels appear as subtle magnetic lineaments due to their concentration of maghemite-bearing pisolitic gravels, making them visible on total magnetic intensity maps. They follow dendritic patterns, trending northeastward in alignment with ancient drainage, and some intersect the margins of known quartz reef systems, raising the possibility of preserved gold-rich leads beneath layers of clay and sediment. These findings align with recent interpretations that suggest the palaeochannel system could host substantial alluvial gold deposits—missed entirely by 19th-century miners who lacked the means to see through the overburden.

Whether you're a geoscientist, gold prospector, student, or simply fascinated by the ancient forces that shaped Australia’s interior, this video offers a rich, informative look at a region that bridges deep geological time with the promise of modern-day exploration. Join us in unearthing the Bland Creek Palaeovalley—an ancient river buried in time, still whispering of gold.

Study Used To Construct This Video:
Alluvial gold potential in buried palaeochannels in the Wyalong district, Lachlan Fold Belt, New South Wales:


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OzGeology is an Australian-based YouTube channel that specializes in creating high-quality documentaries on Earth sciences and natural disasters. The content is designed to be easy to digest and covers a wide range of topics, not only focusing on geology but occasionally exploring other scientific areas as well.