The Story of “Long Jacky”: Gold at Dungog

The Story of “Long Jacky”: Gold at Dungog “Long Jacky” of the “Grengai Tribe” lives in the Gresford area in the Hunter Valley. He develops a relationship with the son of the pioneering Boydell family, J W Boydell. Jacky tells Boydell “over and over again” that he once stumbled upon a large quantity of gold in the Dungog area: “When I was a wild fellow [prior to 1826] I was getting a drink at a stream between Coback and Wangat…and picked up a lot of heavy yellow stuff, very heavy. I know now it was gold, but at that time I was a stupid fellow and threw it away.” In later life, Jacky becomes blind. Ardell – always believing his story – sets out with some “other blacks” to find the place Jacky speaks of. He fails to do so. After gold finds are reported near Dungog in 1894, Boydell is convinced more than ever before that “Long Jacky’s” rich plot of alluvial will at last be struck. (Maitland Mercury, 26 April 1894, courtesy of Carl Hoipo, Wollombi Historical Society).