Stawell is in the gold-mining country.

In the bank-safe was half a peck of surface-gold--gold dust, grain gold; rich; pure in fact, and pleasant to sift through one's fingers; and would be pleasanter if it would stick.

And there were a couple of gold bricks, very heavy to handle, and worth $7,500 a piece.

They were from a very valuable quartz mine; a lady owns two-thirds of it; she has an income of $75,000 a month from it, and is able to keep house.
The Stawell region is not productive of gold only; it has great vineyards, and produces exceptionally fine wines.

One of these vineyards--the Great Western, owned by Mr.Irving--is regarded as a model.