The people of the rivers and the hills have walked these lands for thousands of years as well as today, and we pay respects to the elders of the past and present.
First Nations people share a deep connection with the land on which Lake Sambell now sits. They are the original and most important custodians of this place, and we pledge to work collaboratively with them to protect and preserve this special land on which we stand.
Lake Sambell was formed in the heartland of the famous Spring Creek Goldfield.
Diggings began on this site in the mid 1800s, and gold was first discovered in the Ovens District in February of 1852.
This alluvial ground was the magnet that attracted miners in their droves. Once here, they spread out across the surrounding countryside in search of new gold and riches to make their fortunes.
However, not all the miners deserted the ground at Spring Creek. For the next 70 years the ancient sediments filling the floodplain here were washed downstream minus their gold.
Finally, a £200 donation from John McConville facilitated the transformation of the hole left behind, allowing shire engineer, Leslie Sambell, to create the lake in October 1928.
Ever since, the waters of Spring Creek have been bringing life back into the heart of Beechworth rather than being diverted to wash out gold.
This process of regeneration and renewal is sparking new stories connected to this historic goldfield.