Gold was discovered near Halls Creek in 1885, however the goldrush here was short lived, as the alluvial gold in the gravels went to no depth and was limited in extent.
The gold locations are widely scattered but generally within 20 kilometres south-east of the Old Halls Creek site, and between 500 metres to several kilometres north and south of Duncan Road. The more remote locations for the goldfield are in rough hilly country, along tracks barely passable. The area is remote, and is not for the ill-prepared and faint hearted.
The gold deposits are fault controlled quartz lodes, hosted by low grade metasediments of the Halls Creek Group, and confined to a narrow stratigraphic zone between the Olympio and Biscay Formations, adjacent to dolerite sills of the Woodward Dolerite.
The lodes were generally thin (under 2 metres), steeply dipping quartz veins, usually shale hosted, but sometimes also dolerite and sandstone. Most deposits have only been accessed down to the oxidised zone, where fine gold was found. In un-oxidised zones gold is associated with pyrite-galena-sphalerite-chalcopyrite mineralisation. Many nuggets have also been found in the area over the years. Nearly all hydrothermal quartz veins everywhere contain some amount of gold. To find the gold, first find the quartz.
A geological feature of interest is "The China Wall" - The turn-off to China Wall is 5.7 kilometres south of the modern Halls Creek, off Duncan Road (look for the car bonnet sign) *Please note, access may be seasonal. Duncan Road from Halls Creek to the turnoff is sealed. The final 1.5kms is unsealed but usually accessible for 2WD.
The China Wall marches up the side of a hill, projecting above the surface, and can be seen winding it way over hills in the distance, like a mini natural Great Wall of China. China Wall is a natural vein of sub-vertical white quartz rising up to 6 metres above the surrounding country in places. This striking formation cuts across the landscape for many kilometres, rising high out of the ground and then disappearing back into the earth again.
To log this geocache please message the CO with your answers to the following questions:
1. Describe the wall you see, and how it differs from the land around it (rock type/s, colour, shape, size, etc)
2. Why was this geological feature important to the gold-seekers?
3. What geological processes do you think caused the wall to form?
You may log your find immediately, however you must message/email your answers to the CO within 10 days of logging your find, or your log may be deleted.