18 
Tomboye, the station of Mr. P. A. Stuart, although the homestead 
stands on a patch of basalt, but whether an outlier or portion of 
a large flow, time did not permit me to ascertain. Descending 
gradually again over Silurian ground the track joins the main 
Braidwood coach road, and continues onward until immediately 
before crossing the Ningie Nimble Creek another outcrop of 
basalt occurs, near the local post-receiving office. Onwards from 
this point Silurian rocks seem to predominate in the valley of 
the Coorong River, which is crossed, until east of the Nerriga 
Hotel, near the village of Nerriga, a third patch of basalt is 
observable in the road cutting. After leaving Nerriga the 
country becomes much more rugged, and a few miles further a 
rapid descent takes place to the bed of the Endrick or Bulee River, 
a rocky, well-watered stream, also like the preceding watercourses 
a tributary of the Shoalhaven River. Overlooking it., on the 
west side, is again a basaltic escarpment. The road, a main one 
by-the-bye, immediately after crossing the river leads up the 
latter on the east side, partially in the bed, and a more disgraceful 
piece of road planning could not have been devised. The four 
basaltic outliers I have here recorded do not appear to be shown 
on the “ Geological Sketch Map of N. S. Wales. 57 
Throughout the whole of the district so far passed over, the 
strongest evidence exists of its probably auriferous character, 
especially from Boro Creek at Virginia Water onwards. Large 
quantities of scattered quarts are observable, and a few defined 
reefs were seen. As early as 1851 this district was reported by 
the Rev. W. B. Clarke* as an auriferous area. He says, “it 55 
(i.e. gold) “ also occurs .... in all the creeks falling to the 
Shoalhaven from the Nerriga district. 55 Mr. Clarke also states 
that gold was found at Boro Flat. Nerriga now seems to be the 
centre of a promising little goldfield, as several large claims are 
being worked for alluvial gold along the Shoalhaven River and 
some of its tributaries. Encouraging reports of these are given 
in the “ Annual Reports of the Department of Mines 55 for 1886 
and 1887f by Mr. James Galway, Mining Registrar. He there 
describes the operations of the Coorong Sluicing Company, who 
have probably “ made the most complete and extensive race 
in the Colony. 55 This race, a portion of which came under our 
notice, takes its supply from the Coorong River, and is some 
twenty-four miles in length. 
From the Endrick or Bulee River a very rapid ascent takes 
place up the steep short spurs of Mount Bulee, as the western 
portion of the Sassafras plateau is called, the road ultimately 
* Voces & Proc. Leg. Council N. 8. Wales, 1851, 121 -a (Cool. Surveys), 
p. 86; also Researches in the Southern Goldfields of N. S. Wales, 1860, 
p. 20. 
fAnn. Report Dept. Mines N. S. Wales for 1886 (1887), p. 73, and 
Ibid for (1888), p. 79 
