High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The ship Thomas Arbuthnot was a fast sailing ship, weighing 523 tons (using old measurements), 621 tons (using new measurements). She carried the first Australian gold from Australia to England 1851. Believed to be named after and owned by Thomas Arbuthnot of Meethill (1792-1872), merchant, shipowner and (Provost of Peterhead). The Australian gold rushes started in 1851 when prospector Edward Hammond Hargraves claimed the discovery of payable gold near Bathurst, New South Wales, at a site Edward Hargraves called Ophir. Six months later, gold was found in Victoria at Warrandyte and Ballarat, and a short time later at Bendigo Creek. Gold was later found in all of the other Australian colonies (later known as states or territories).