46 
THE MOUNT TARA GOLD-FIELD, EASTERN GIPPSLAND. 
(NO. 2 2 ON LOCALITY MAP.) 
By E. J. Bunn , F.G.S., Director , Geological Survey , Victoria. 
Monarch Mine. 
About 5 miles, a little east of south, from Buchan is the Tara Range. 
The Monarch Gold Mine is on a spur trending in a, northerly direction 
from this range. The country rock consists of felspathie material in a de¬ 
composed condition, apparently referable to the ash-beds of Lower De¬ 
vonian age. The quartz reef runs about north and south, and in places 
splits up into small veins. In width the auriferous quartz ranges from a 
few inches to 6 feet, bulging out much wider in places. Workings extend 
along the course of the reef for a length of about 4 chains. At the 
southern end a shaft has been sunk 30 feet, and a shallow shaft at the 
northern end. Very rich stone was obtained from these workings by 
Messrs Johnson and Hughes. 
The quantity of quartz crushed from the Monarch reef is 12 tons 14 
cwts., and the yield 112 ozs. of gold. 
From the excellent returns alreadv obtained, it is reasonable to- expect 
that other rich yields will be secured as the reef is opened up. Beyond the 
proof that this particular vein is, at any rate in parts, rich in gold, is the 
significant fact that the country rock containing the reef belongs to beds 
of Lower Devonian age, and, as this class of country covers a very wide 
area in Eastern Gippsland, it adds greatly to the extent of the gold-bearing 
rocks in the State. 
Taedato Creek Gold Workings. 
From the Tara Range the above creek flows in a northerly direction, and 
about J mile to the east of the Monarch Mine. Following this creek up 
for \ mile, Mr. S. S. Keeley’s house is reached, on the eastern side of the 
creek. About f mile still further up the creek, and in a south-westerly 
direction, a small gully joins the creek from the north-west. In this is an 
outcrop of Heathcotian rocks, cherty in character, and, as usual, much 
jointed. The strike of the beds is east and west, and the dip to south. 
In crushed-looking material in these beds a little gold occurs. It is very 
fine, and of pale colour, evidently alloyed with much silver. This gold 
differs greatly in appearance and value from what is obtained from the 
overlying Ordovician rocks, a little higher up the spur. Right opposite 
this, on the other side of the creek, and 2 chains distant, .is an outcrop of 
black cherty beds, also of Heathcotian age. A shaft has been sunk on a 
6-in. quartz vein that showed green and blue carbonates of copper stains 
to a depth of 70 feet. Mr. Keeley informed me that a little native copper 
was found in sinking the shaft, and that lower down in the creek native 
copper is met with among the alluvial gold particles. 
The Queen Reef. 
A little further up on the same side of the creek the Ordovician rocks 
appear, and in them is the Queen Reef. The strike of this reef is N. 12 
deg. E., and the dip 70 deg. easterly. It has an average thickness of about 
2 feet, and has been traced on the surface for about 2 chains. Most work 
has been done at the southern shaft, which is 20 feet deep. Here, about 
30 tons of quartz, estimated to yield 2J ozs. of gold per ton, is stacked. 
The northern shaft is. 25 feet deep. The stone is said to vary from 4 dwts. 
to 4 ozs per ton; 4J tons of quartz crushed from the Queen Reef yielded 
17 ozs. 6 dwts. 19 grs. of gold. 
