The tragic story of Hughie Cameron and his hoard of gold coins was re-discovered only recently. When St. Thomas’ cemetery at Dubbo Gully was restored in 1985, little was known about Hughie Cameron. The inscription on the wooden cross that marks his grave simply reads: ‘In Memory of Hughie Cameron, died in Ten Mile Hollow.’ Not even the year of his death is recorded.
Hugh Cameron was born around 1843 and orphaned when he was 7 years old. Hughie lived for most of his life around Mangrove Creek and Wollombi, with an occasional break of a few months at Yarramalong. He was well liked in the district, although he generally lived a life of solitude and was ‘somewhat eccentric in his manners’. He was also well known for his fascination with gold sovereigns.
In early August 1907, now in his 60s and suffering from influenza, Hughie came to visit Matthew Pemberton at Mangrove. He left on 12th August without indicating where he was planning to go. After several days’ searching, Hughie’s body was found on Thursday 22nd Aug 1907 at the bottom of a waterfall in a deep gorge off Simpson’s track near Ten Mile Hollow.
His hoard of gold sovereigns was never found.
Hughie Cameron was buried at St. Thomas’ Cemetery, a few hundred metres from Fairview Homestead, Alfred and Amanda Andrews’ home and the other Hidden Treasure in Dubbo Gully.
If you care about the preservation of history and heritage, please sign our petition to save Fairview Homestead from demolition by neglect: go to www.surveymonkey.com/r/SaveFairview
For more about Hughie’s story, see www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cameron-18849
To join the ‘Friends of Fairview’ on a Heritage Tour contact us at [email protected] or 0431 664 550.
