Country Victorian family struck it rich with backyard “gold rush”

IT was the backyard “gold rush” that made a struggling farming family in Wedderburn in country Victoria instantly rich.

IT was the backyard “gold rush” that made a Wedderburn family instantly rich.

In 1950, Dave Butterick, 68, revealed he and four sons-in-law had found £10,000 — more than $500,000 in today’s money — worth of gold in their back paddock over the previous 12 to 18 months.

In this photo for The Argus on March 18, 1950, two friends of the family displayed the nuggets.

Two friends of Wedderburn's Butterick family display the nuggets, while the Butterick sons-in-law stand guard with loaded pea rifles. Picture: The Argus.

The sons-in-law — two of whom are shown standing guard with loaded pea rifles — are (left to right) Rex Chapman, Jack Cole, George Webster and Bill Matthews.

According to the newspaper report, the previous day’s heavy rain brought digging to a standstill.

So Mr Butterick spent the evening playing cards for matches with his sons-in-law.

“We have been broke all our lives,” the former farmer said.

“But it’s great fun playing cards for matches when you know you have a backyard of gold outside, and the rain can’t wash it away.”

As Mr Butterick spoke, three of his grandchildren played with £145 worth of gold nuggets on the dining room table.

Mr Butterick said he bought the backyard paddock 18 months earlier because he wanted a shed that was built on the land.

He said he and his wife had no immediate plans to take a holiday after striking it rich.

“I just intend to keep on going as I am,” he said.

“I like digging gold out of my backyard.”

In a sad postscript to the rags-to-riches tale, Mr Butterick died just three years later, leaving behind his wife and seven married daughters.

These days, Wedderburn, a small rural farming community 215km north of Melbourne, remains a popular spot for gold seekers who still stumble across the odd nugget.

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