Boredom Busters; Omeo and Ah Fong's Loop - a day trip.

Livingstone Creek Omeo and the Oriental Claims make a great day trip even in winter and after the relaxation of isolation restrictions due to the CoVid19 virus crisis. It is a welcome foray into clean fresh air with room for the kids to burn off energy and to have a picnic/bbq on site. The drive to Omeo is in itself a great drive with plenty of places to stop along the way for refreshment.

Suspension bridge accessing Ah Fong's Loop Walk from Car Park

Nestling in the High Country just out of Omeo is an area many simply drive by with little or no knowledge of the historical significance of this area. The Oriental Claims Historic Area is 2km from the Mount Hotham side of Omeo on the Great Alpine Road (B500).

You can access a walking track to the claims area from Omeo township along the Livingstone Creek Walking Track, or drive to the car park accessed by a track on the right immediately after crossing the Livingstone Creek Bridge about 1.5kms out of town on the road to Mt Hotham (Gt. Alpine Road). At the end of the track, which is suitable for all vehicles, you will find the picnic area, BBQ & toilet facilities are available.

The heritage-listed Oriental Claims was one of the world's largest gold-sluicing operations and many mining remnants, caves and sites can be seen on the short walks, including Ah Fong’s Loop Track commencing and finishing at the car park, and takes you to the site originally worked by Ah Fong in 1875. The area is also excellent for bird watching and wild flowers.

 Well signed tracks with distances provided

Why “Oriental Claims”, apart from the fact that many Chinese migrants worked the area after fleeing the poverty in China at the time (19th Century), and chanced their luck hoping to make a fortune or at worst live better than in their homeland. The Oriental Claims Historic Area was named for the company that worked the site for gold from 1876 to 1904.

It was the highest alluvial goldfield in Australia. The exposed clay cliffs towering over the area were created by high pressure hoses which washed vast quantities of soil and gravel into sluice boxes from which the gold was extracted an activity which was banned in the early 20th Century due to its devastating environmental effects including reported pollution of waterways extending as far afield as the Murray River.

Shot blaster - high pressure water jet

One of the Chinese miners, Ah Fong, worked various claims from 1875 and part of the loop track hugs the pretty Livingstone Creek and offers a number places to rest and perhaps have a picnic. Ah Fong’s was one of several who were mining claims in this area. Others included the Ah Fie and Corea claims. During the life of his claim, Ah Fong’s operations yielded about 6000 ounces of gold, ( just over 170 kgs.) worth today more than $3 million. With some of the proceeds he opened a store in Omeo, eventually leaving his claim to his wife, Mary.

Walk across the suspension bridge to access the tracks to old diggings

Today, eucalyptus trees, banksias and many other native shrubs and wildflowers have returned to this once denuded place, attracting many varieties of birds and mammals.  From late winter to early summer, look for the native orchids which grow prolifically in the area including Pink Fingers and Wax Lip and more common varieties of Spider, Sun and Donkey Orchids. In autumn, the flowering banksias and grevilleas attract a number of species of honey-eater and parrot. Any time of the year, Swamp Wallabies may also be seen.

 

Enjoy the day out and scenery

It is said, and there is no reason why it is not so, that there is still gold in them there hills, in fact some recent exploration has proven this as fact. Go on take a pan and do some panning for gold while you are enjoying this area, you may strike it rich....and the best of luck!

Pan for Gold in them there hills

References from Tourism Victoria. Parks Victoria: 
Photography  Copyright John Munns: