Rokeby Resources has kicked off a nine-hole diamond drilling campaign at the fully permitted Sunnyside deposit within the Omeo Gold Project, aiming to upgrade a historical high-grade gold resource and pave the way for a JORC-compliant estimate.
- Nine-hole, 2,180m diamond drilling underway at Sunnyside
- Four holes completed with assays pending
- Mining One engaged to update resource to JORC 2012
- Historical high-grade gold intersections underpin drilling targets
- Part of a 12-month program to expand Mt Wills resource
Drilling Progress at Fully Permitted Sunnyside Deposit
Rokeby Resources (ASX:RKB) has commenced a significant diamond drilling program at the Sunnyside deposit, part of its recently acquired Omeo Gold Project in north-east Victoria. The nine-hole, 2,180-metre campaign aims to test known high-grade mineralisation shoots and underpin an updated JORC (2012) resource estimate. Four holes totalling 916.45 metres have been completed, with a fifth underway and assay results awaited.
Managing Director Richard Beazley highlighted the program as the first drilling since Rokeby secured the Omeo asset, describing it as a "rare, develop-ready gold asset" with historical significance and full permitting. Early indications from drilling show good core recovery and minimal deviation from planned hole trajectories, encouraging signs for resource confidence.
Targeting High-Grade Shoots to Upgrade Historical Resource
The drilling program is designed to twin previous holes and test extensions of high-grade intersections such as 15.9 metres at 52.3 g/t Au and 3.5 metres at 26.6 g/t Au. These historical results, while substantial, are based on legacy estimates that predate current JORC standards. Rokeby has engaged Mining One as the competent person to update the historical resource to comply with JORC (2012), a critical step to validating and potentially expanding the resource base.
The broader Mt Wills area, which includes Sunnyside and Maude deposits, hosts a historical resource of approximately 320,000 ounces of gold at grades exceeding 18 g/t, with significant mining history producing over 235,000 ounces. The resource remains open along strike and at depth, offering exploration upside that Rokeby plans to systematically pursue over the next 12 months.
Strategic Implications for the Omeo Gold Project
The drilling at Sunnyside is a key milestone following Rokeby's acquisition of the Omeo Gold Project, which was secured earlier in 2026 and carries a historical resource estimate that has yet to be upgraded to modern reporting standards. This program represents Rokeby’s commitment to advancing the project from historical data to a JORC-compliant resource, an essential foundation for future development decisions.
Assay results from the initial holes will be crucial in confirming the continuity and grade of the mineralisation, informing both resource modelling and the design of an expanded drilling campaign across the broader Mt Wills tenement. This methodical approach aims to unlock the full potential of the high-grade shoots that have historically defined the area.
With the program underway and external laboratories engaged for assaying, market participants will be watching for the forthcoming assay results and the updated resource estimate, which will provide greater clarity on the project's scale and quality.
Bottom Line?
Rokeby’s Sunnyside drilling is a foundational step to transform historical gold data into a validated resource, setting the stage for potential growth within the Omeo Gold Project.
Questions in the middle?
- Will assay results confirm the high-grade continuity observed in historical drilling?
- How will the updated JORC resource impact Rokeby’s development and funding strategy?
- What exploration potential remains untested along strike and at depth in the Mt Wills area?