Artist unknown :[Gold-mining village in Central Otago, probably Hartley & Riley's Dunstan diggings on the Clutha. 1862?]

Shows Clutha River at left, apparently with a flying fox suspended over it. In the centre foreground is a line of washing out to dry, and at right two simple huts. In the background beneath a cliff face is a settlement of possibly 30 or 40 huts. In left distance a range of high hills extends to top of picture. Probably Coal Point, Clyde

Has been attributed to William Mathew Hodgkins.

While exact location remains to be identified, the scene may be a rare view of the Dunstan (Clyde) diggings. Appears to show a gold mining settlement in Central Otago, an area of interest to William Mathew Hodgkins. The publication "Dunstan Goldfields centennial review" includes a photograph of the official opening of the Hartley and Riley Memorial cairn, taken from a similar viewpoint.

Other Titles - Hartley & Riley 1862 Gold strike on the banks of the Molyneux River (now the Clutha River) - between Clyde and Cromwell

Inscriptions: Backing board recto - top centre - W.M. Hodgkins / [Other title added by Warren Sisarich]; Backing board recto - bottom left - [Provenance note added by Warren Sisarich]

Quantity: 1 watercolour(s).

Physical Description: Watercolour, 165 x 245 mm.

Provenance: Had been purchased at Dunbar Sloane auction, 27 Nov 1994, lot 208, together with lot 210 "In the Matukituki Valley". Both had been framed as a pair by McGregor Wright Gallery, and purchased by Mr & Mrs Austin. Provenance given to "D.S.L." vendor by niece of W.M. Hodgkins; ie the work has Hodgkins family provenance.