Sometimes history is more bizarre than fiction. Forsayth was once paved in gold - in a manner of speaking.
Part of the Etheridge Goldfield, this area was known as 'Poor Man's Goldfield' as a prospector did not need expensive equipment to search for gold. Nugget gold was literally found on the ground. Many of the towns within this goldfield rose and fell quickly, strikes were short-lived with always the promise of another fortune. Temporary corrugated iron buildings were pulled down and transported by wagon to the new instant town. The private rail link from Chillagoe to Forsayth assured the town's permanency.
John Moffat's Chillagoe Company developed a vast smelter at Chillagoe. However the mined ore only held a fraction of the original mineral estimates so new economic answers were needed. While Etheridge, with its rich mineral varieties, appeared to hold hope, the company was juggling other issues. There was pressure to use the line to ship cattle to the Cairns meatworks. Cairns business leaders hoped a link through Almaden would capture the hinterland from rival Townsville. And there was a push to connect the Chillagoe-Etheridge line with the Normanton-Croydon link creating a seaboard to seaboard connection.
Georgetown as Etheridge's capital expected to be first choice as a terminus. However this meant the line veered too far from Einasleigh which was not favoured by the company. In the end Charleston, close to present-day Forsayth, was chosen. It would tap the largest lodes of copper, lead and silver. The historic link is now part of the Savannahlander journey.
Forsayth offers a hotel with accommodation, caravan park with cabins, post office, police station, hospital and fuel stop. You can depart the Savannah Way alternate route to Cobbold Gorge and Agate Creek Mineral Reserve.
