Edward Hargraves claims gold at Ophir

Background. Edward Hammond Hargraves was an Australian gold prospector who led an expedition in the Macquarie River region of New South Wales in 1851. He publicised the resulting finds, starting the New South Wales gold rush. Ophir is the place where gold was first discovered in New South Wales in 1851, leading to the Australian gold rushes. The first gold rush in Australia began in May 1851 after prospector Edward Hargraves claimed to have discovered payable gold near Orange, at a site called Ophir.

Discovery. In February 1851, Edward Hargraves, accompanied by John Lister, found five specks of alluvial gold at Ophir near Orange. Popular literature states that William Tom Jr, John Lister, and Edward Hargraves found payable gold in February 1851 at the Ophir gold diggings. A contemporary source notes the fact was first established on the 12th February, 1851, though this date is treated as a legacy placeholder. In April 1851, John Lister and William Tom, trained by Edward Hargraves, found 120 grams of gold.

Controversy. William Tom's brother later claimed Hargraves could not find gold in 1851 because he was too lazy to look for it in a proper manner, experimenting on higher strata rather than lower alluvial deposits. The Maitland Mercury disputed Hargraves' claims in The Sydney Morning Herald from 2 May 1851. Additionally, William Tipple Smith wrote in 1852 that he had found nugget gold at the spot called Ophir in 1848.