Mining at Guyong

Mining at Guyong, Byng and the Carangara copper mine will be the focus of Orange and District Historical Society's next mining meeting at the Gladstone Hotel function room on Tuesday, April 28 at 7 for 7.30pm.

The Vale of Byng is a picturesque valley tucked away along the Lewis Ponds Creek south-east of Orange. Though in the 1880s it was surveyed as a town, in 2009 it is merely a locality on the creek which runs north from Guyong to Byng, then Lewis Ponds and Ophir.

Today Byng has neither public buildings nor stores, just a delightful lovingly restored sandstone church, opened in 1873, and the historic homesteads of Springfield, Bookanon and Pendarves. Copper was discovered in 1848 and mining commenced, expanding rapidly and by 1850 the population was more than 200. Many of the miners were Cornishmen who had travelled from the Copper Hill mine at Molong or Burra in South Australia, bringing with them a distinctive cultural identity, and the area became known as the Cornish Settlement.

However, the discovery of gold at Ophir, and other places nearby in 1851 drew miners away and delayed further development until companies such as the Carangara Copper Mining Company took up the challenge in 1854. Mining for copper, gold and silver continued to at least 1907. The Carangara shaft of John Glasson and Richard Lane was just one of many, with names such as Brittania, Old Ophir, Icely, Big Bell, Belmore, Moonta, Nelson and Whitney Green.

The two speakers at the meeting will be Tony Gordon, a Glasson family descendant and owner of 'Godolphin' at Guyong, and Jeff Vassallo, who is senior exploration geologist with Clancy Exploration, which is currently carrying out mineral exploration in the area.

Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting. Entry is $3 for society members and $5 for non-members to assist in the important work of the society in preserving the district's history.A light supper will be served after the meeting.

If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Phil Stevenson on 6362-3257, mobile 0402 412 188 or email ibiswines@bigpond.com