Gold for the Taking – A Pictorial History of the Walhalla–Woods Point Gold Belt

Gold for the Taking is a comprehensive pictorial history covering the Walhalla–Woods Point Gold Belt from the 1860s through to the 1960s.

Across more than 152 pages and featuring over 330 rare historical photographs, the book documents the people, mines, settlements and landscapes that shaped one of Victoria’s most important gold-mining regions.

Areas Covered

The book includes historical material from a wide range of goldfield districts, including:

• Walhalla
• Coopers Creek
• Fulton’s Creek
• Donnelly’s Creek
• Aberfeldy
• Woods Point
• Matlock
• Jamieson
• Kevington
• Ten Mile
• Gaffney’s Creek
• Toombon
• Enoch’s Point
• Big River
• Black River
• And surrounding mining districts

More Than 330 Historical Photographs

One of the standout features of Gold for the Taking is its extensive collection of rare historical images.

These photographs provide a visual record of the old goldfields, including mining operations, settlements, buildings, people and the rugged country in which the miners lived and worked.

For anyone researching the district, the photographs can provide valuable context that is often difficult to get from maps and written records alone.

A Broad History of the Gold Belt

Rather than focusing on a single mine or township, this book covers the entire Walhalla–Woods Point Gold Belt, making it a useful overview for anyone wanting to understand how the different mining centres fitted together across the region.

It is particularly useful for:

• Victorian goldfield researchers
• Gold prospectors
• Local history enthusiasts
• Historic mine research
• 4WD and bush explorers
• Anyone interested in Walhalla, Woods Point and the surrounding mining districts

Large Hardcover Format

The book is produced in A4 format on high-quality paper with a hard cover, allowing the large historical photographs to be reproduced clearly and in good detail.

Whether you are researching an old mining district, planning a trip through the ranges or simply enjoy the history of Victoria’s gold rush era, Gold for the Taking is a substantial visual reference to more than a century of mining history across the Walhalla–Woods Point gold belt.