Phillip Davies was a Welsh born coal miner who had a long involvement in gold mining in the Australian colonies. He became one of the most favourably known mining experts of New South Wales and was instrumental in the formation of the Kiandra Gold Mining Company in 1881. In 1882 Davies went to California to inspect hydraulic sluicing and the use of mercury in freezing conditions. Davies’ report resulted in the introduction of hydraulic sluicing at Kiandra and the use of the sluice gun or hydraulic nozzle in Australia. The debate around the effectiveness and impact of sluicing forms part of the paper.