Gold discovered on the Timbillica River about three km west of what became the Yambulla gold fields by W. Lang in 1891. By 1896, five claims were on payable gold working the Timbillica Reefs.

 

N. and J. Jensen reported payable gold at Yambulla on 14 December, 1899. By the end of the year about ten claims were on payable gold at the headwaters of the Wallagaraugh River, 65 km south west of Eden.

 

Gold was mainly obtained from reef mining, with small amount from alluvial mining. The number of miners peaked at about 200 and as their families moved onto the field, cottages were erected and a school established. A sawmill, established on the Wallagaraugh River to supply the timber needed for the mines and associated settlement, was powered by a water wheel in winter and steam during the summer. A hotel, the Federal, was built entirely of galvanised iron. It operated between 1901 and about 1913. There was also a bakery and general store. A small cemetery on the hillside opposite the main settlement saw less than half a dozen burials.

 

Production at Yambulla was never spectacular and by 1917, mining had practically ceased, although small scale prospecting did resume briefly during the 1930s. Although many of the buildings were relocated, remnants of the field remain on site.

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