The following is an excerpt from The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 23 March 1904.
‘In the Stanthorpe Mining District, Further Developments
In previous articles I mentioned the fact that the district which embraces Queensland as well as New South Wales territory was attracting the attention of mining investors.
I have now to add that an inspection of the Bookookara water scheme has been made by, an expert engineering authority, and that he considers the proposition to store and convey water from the river a feasible one.
Stanthorpe is a district that takes a considerable time to investigate, on account of the vast extent over which tin-bearing deposits exist.
On the western fall of the dividing range at Sugarloaf, to which place it is probable that water will be brought from the Bookookara River, enormous quantities of tin-boaring ridges and flats exist, and if once a plentiful supply of water is obtained much tin wealth will be won.
In a recent issue of the “Sydney, Mail” a picture of one of the numerous tin bearing flats appeared, accompanied by a descriptive article of the Allison Estate, on which it is estimated that fully 2000 acres of tin-bearing land exist.
From this estate for the past 30 years hundreds of tons annually have been won.
In fact, it is now the chief tin-buying centre.
A run over the estate at once convinces the visitor that with tin at such a substantial price there is still a lasting future before this part of the district.
Further developments have taken place at Ruby Creek, Cemetery Creek, and at the Four Mile, where Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co. are operating.
Schemes are maturing for the working of large areas of land; in the mean time the labour conditions are more than
fulfilled. In a previous mention of the developments going on at the Four Mile under the control of Mr. C. E. Hawley, for Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co., the impression might exist that the information came from the officers in charge.
This is not the ease.
These particulars were not obtained from or through Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co., but in the course of my visit to the locality.
Pretty close to three years ago I visited the Four Mile, and on my-last visit a few weeks ago investigated the place again.
Boring operations were carried out over quite a long stretch of this country by Mr. Rodda long before Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co. became associated with the venture, the results of which are well known to me, together with the vast quantities of tin won from the place.
During my latest visit I discovered that levels were being taken for the purpose of conveying water from some storage position near the head of the Four Mile.
Boring operations had stopped, and it looked as though at a later date steps will be taken to work the land.
From what I could see the proposition looks a good one, in the hands of the right people.’
